If you use the clutch to lower the ball and then tighten it just enough to stop it where you want it, if it hangs up the wire will start spooling off. I keep 400' on mine, so that I have room to turn around and make my way back. Usually it seems to hang in the rocks and if you can get back and pull the other direction it will come loose. I haven't lost a ball yet! As far as connecting it, just get some large ring terminals to connect to the battery. You don't have red and black, you have a zip style chord where one is smooth the other is ribbed. Can't remember which is which, but if you hook it up and the spool runs backwards, just reverse the wires. Easy!!