Trolling motor battery wires

This topic has 9 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 3 months ago by mark thompson.

Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)

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March 8, 2016 at 2:15 am #323718

Preacherboy
Participant

Got to the lake this evening and NO TROLLING MOTOR…. Came home and began trouble shooting the problem. Seems the plug is not making a good connection. Two years ago I swapped out the original Johnson (which I loved) for a MK fortrex 80. The original Johnson was 12 or 24 volt, the new MK is 24 only. My question is: why cant I tie the batteries together at the back, and just use two wires at the front which would be 24, rather than all four cables from my two battery cable running all the way to the front, and tying together in a plug. Boat is a 93 P2. Can anybody help?

March 8, 2016 at 2:25 am #323733

Redngoo
Participant

I done my 88 model caracal this way. Used a marinco plug. Never a minutes trouble2013 PANTERA 2MERCURY 200 PRO XSMINNKOTA 80LB FORTREX25 fury

March 8, 2016 at 2:47 am #323770

Bass Cat Boats
Keymaster

Im questioning whether Ive ever had 24 volts since the change over. When I put my meter on it (on any combination), Im only coming up with 12.7 or there about. The original plug in the boat is a four prong plug that twist locks in. Is that the way yours was Red? Did you change out the one at the boat?, or are you talking about the TM plug?

March 8, 2016 at 2:57 am #323791

Bass Cat Boats
Keymaster

There are a few reasons, if you have a battery meter it will not work, if you charge through the plug it will need a different charger. There are more though yes it can be done if you understand what you have and how it functions.

March 8, 2016 at 2:59 am #323811

Redngoo
Participant

I purchased a 2 prong plug and and receptacle (marinco). As you probably know positive to negative on trolling motor batteries. Positive from one battery and negative from the other to the front. Hook to the receptacle . My 88 had a junction board with all four coming front back . I used the wiring that was there . Just use a volt meter to eliminate the dead wires. You will end up with a red and black that are just no voltage.2013 PANTERA 2MERCURY 200 PRO XSMINNKOTA 80LB FORTREX25 fury

March 8, 2016 at 3:03 am #323830

Preacherboy
Participant

True BCB, I do have a battery meter and also the Battery 1 and Battery 2 switch to check them. Though the battery meter is yellowed so bad, it hard to read. Are these meters still available in the BCB store?

March 8, 2016 at 3:04 am #323849

Redngoo
Participant

As bcb stated . I used a onboard charger. I never used the oringinal set up at the front of the boat for charging . To many horror stories. You should be able to use ur existing plug. Though you will only be using 2 prongs instead of 4 just use matching prongs. Hope its not confusing . Its really simple.Last edited by Redngoo on March 8th, 2016, 3:20 am, edited 1 time in total.2013 PANTERA 2MERCURY 200 PRO XSMINNKOTA 80LB FORTREX25 fury

March 8, 2016 at 3:17 am #323867

catdude28
Participant

Another option is available for you if you put your jumper at the batteries. You could then join the two positive wires together at their ends to make one wire, and of course do the same with the negatives. That way you use all four wires that are there and wind up with wiring that is thicker than the 6 gauge that you have.

March 8, 2016 at 4:11 am #323887

Preacherboy
Participant

Thanks Guys, whatever I did…. Its working now. When I took the panel off and seen the greenish corrosion you see on old cables, I knew there was another project ahead. One thing I figured out, was that the TM plug itself ties two batteries together to make 24 volts, reason for bow panel plug not reading but 12 in any variation. As BCB stated, the battery meter is the reason for all the chaos of wires. When it comes to wiring, Im SLOWWW. I would like to convert to some type of digital meter, so I could get a better more accurate knowledge of amperage left when on the water.

March 8, 2016 at 11:13 am #323907

mark thompson
Participant

go straight from batteries to plug . the more connections the more voltage loss. changed a friends 76 model r boat from the bow panel to straight to batteries . trolling motor went from running on 7 to 4 . batteries will now run all day with plenty of battery left.
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