Winch controller with automatic shut-off, and associated systems and methods

A winch, comprising:

• a frame;
• a cable drum carried by the frame;
• a drive motor operatively connected to the cable drum;
• and
• a winch control module, including:
• an enable/disable circuit having a normally open ground path connection;
• an over-ride circuit having a normally open ground path connection;
• an enable switch connected to the enable/disable circuit and operative to complete the ground path connection when actuated;
• and
• a wireless-enablable microcontroller connected to the enable/disable circuit and the over-ride circuit, the microcontroller including instructions to:
• start a shut-off timer when the ground path connection of the enable/disable circuit is completed for a non-zero period of time less than a first threshold time period;
• reset the shut-off timer when the microcontroller receives a control signal from a wireless remote control linked to the microcontroller prior to the shut-off timer expiring;
• turn off the microcontroller when the shut-off timer expires prior to receiving a control signal from the wireless remote control or when the ground path connection of the enable/disable circuit is subsequently completed for a non-zero period of time less than a second threshold time period;
• and
• disable the shut-off timer while the ground path connection of the over-ride circuit is completed.

A method for automatically shutting-off a winch controller, the method comprising:

• starting a shut-off timer when a normally open ground path connection of an enable/disable circuit is completed for a non-zero period of time less than a first threshold time period;
• resetting the shut-off timer when the winch controller receives a control signal from a wireless remote control prior to the shut-off timer expiring;
• turning off the winch controller when the shut-off timer expires prior to receiving a control signal from the wireless remote control or when the ground path connection of the enable/disable circuit is subsequently completed for a non-zero period of time less than a second threshold time period;
• and
• disabling the shut-off timer while a normally open ground path connection of an over-ride circuit is completed.