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Old 09-19-12, 09:27 PM   #1
maxwell.riddle
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Default trolling motor help

I recently got a bass boat. it has a trolling motor on it but isnt hooked up. i kinda need some help. so where you plug in the trolling motor i have a switch that reads 2/12v (charge) on top, 12v in the middle and 12/24v (run) on the bottom. i took the face plate off to look at the wires and they come out of both the switch and the receptacle for the trolling motor and go into 2 plastic conjunctions(im not good at electrical vocabulary. excuse my ignorance). but on the one end i have a hot and ground wire coming out. so i have 2 hot(power) and 2 ground wires back by the batteries.

i bought 2 new batteries but i dont know how to hook them up correctly. also i do not see a charger anywhere and i dont know how exactly the switch works or the difference between 2/12v, 12v, and 12/24v. if anybody can help me that would be great. thanks!

here is a pic of the faceplate with the switch and receptacle if it helps
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Old 09-19-12, 11:16 PM   #2
bassboogieman
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Similiar question just a couple months ago. Check this thread and see if it answers your questions.
http://www.bassfishin.com/bassfishin...trolling+motor
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Old 09-20-12, 11:00 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bassboogieman View Post
Similiar question just a couple months ago. Check this thread and see if it answers your questions.
http://www.bassfishin.com/bassfishin...trolling+motor
That diagram helps but it only shows 3 wires going to the batteries. 2 hot wires and a ground. I have 2 hot wires and 2 grounds.

I think it's supposed to have 1 hot wire and 1 ground go to one of the batteries. And the other hot and ground wires go to the other battery. Does this sound right?
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Old 09-20-12, 11:41 AM   #4
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Two hots and a ground would be correct for a true 12/24v trolling motor, one that will operate on either voltage. Most newer trolling motors operate on one voltage and have a hot & neutral, with the postitive providing 12, 24 or 36v dependant upon the trolling motor requirement.

For a dual voltage trolling motor you will have 2 positive wires - one providing 12v and the other 24v - with a common neutral. There will be a switch on the trolling moter (or possibly the plug) to switch between the two voltages.

If you refer back to the wiring diagram it will show you the connections for a 12/24 dual voltage hook up.
As for the 2 ground wires, check your neutral connections at the batteries - the neutral should be jumpered between them - if not, then your boat was wired, most likely, with seperate grounds for each voltage. That works, it's just simpler to run the one neutral forward to the plug and jumper the batteries in the rear compartment.

The charge switch up front allows you to charge the batteries from the plug recepticle. Personally I don't like that set-up. I would invest in an onboard charger - one with a bank for each battery. I would hope you have 3 batteries, one dedicated to the outboard and two for the trolling motor. You could operate with just two batteries, with one sharing duty between the troller, electronics and cranking the outboard, but that creates an uneven drain on the batteries and I would try to avoid that.

Should you only have two batteries and your budget does not allow a 3rd battery at the moment, I would use one battery for the outboard and electronics and operate the trolling motor, set at 12v, on the other. The trolling motor battery will discharge faster than when operating on 24v utilizing both batteries, but you will be assured your outboard will still turn over later in the day.

Eventually you will likely will have to replace the trolling motor (they don't last forever) and when a new motor is installed you'll have to change the wiring and most likely the plug, to just a two wire feed as the dual voltage trolling motors are no longer produced. At that time you can install a straight 24v unit, they are much more efficient and offer more power than the 12v units.

Should/when you upgrade, you can use the existing wires - just check them to be sure you have the proper gauge for the hot wire. You may have different gauge wires feeding the 12v and 24v, with the 24v being a heavier wire than the 12v. Or they may be the same gauge, depends on who wired it. If they are the same (and at least #8 gauge) you can use either as the positive line. You will also revert to one fuse (or breaker) for a single voltage troller, 24v I think requires a 50a breaker. You can use fuses but they are not as convienient as a breaker, be sure you install a proper fuse/breaker when you upgrade. You should have two fuses currently and they may be of different sizes, heavier amps for the 24v line.

Last edited by bassboogieman; 09-20-12 at 12:15 PM.
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Old 09-20-12, 06:25 PM   #5
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12v = one positive one negative off one battery
24 volts equals two in series from say neg to positive with a jumper wire then taking one pos and negative off the other end like two flashlight batteries
those switches are almost useless and easy to place in wrong position when charging and fry wiring,thus easier to run new 24 v setup if troller is rated that and forget about the 12 v,like he said number 8 or better wire takes only 2 and a 50 amp fuse between
Basically its three wires now with switch one takes it off one hot and the same battery negative and when 24 volt using just the two other wires,and if in wrong place can cause problems when charging,should have 12/24 and charge position all of which can be eliminated if 24v all the time,as not using the switch.Start battery,then two troller batteries needed for 24 v,suggest you have someone who knows something about it to assist.
If 12 v troller wire 12 v forget the switch,like he said can replace later and change,still just two wires just use existing and change accordingly to 12 v or 24 v.

Last edited by lilmule; 09-20-12 at 06:32 PM.
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Old 09-20-12, 06:30 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bassboogieman View Post
As for the 2 ground wires, check your neutral connections at the batteries - the neutral should be jumpered between them - if not, then your boat was wired, most likely, with seperate grounds for each voltage. That works, it's just simpler to run the one neutral forward to the plug and jumper the batteries in the rear compartment.
thanks, that helps. just so i dont mess anything up cause im horrible with electrical, take a look at the pics below. ill put a hot and ground to one battery and the other hot and ground to the other battery. and no jumper between the 2 batteries?

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

the one wire is a hot wire where a fuse would go

the one wire is a hot wire where a fuse went

[IMG][/IMG]
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Last edited by maxwell.riddle; 09-20-12 at 06:32 PM. Reason: add
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Old 09-20-12, 06:49 PM   #7
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is there a way i can convert my set up above to a strait 24v system as long as the trolling motor is rated to handle 24v? will work better and seems much easier...
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Old 09-21-12, 06:45 AM   #8
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Yes rewire both ends to 24 v,eliminate the switch go from batteries in series to breaker then to plug in receptacle.Take positive off first battery to the troller plug in,then jumper from that battery to other battery from its neagative to the others positive,then take that batteries negative to the troller plug in,with some type of circuit breaker in line somewhere.It will use less power or amps in 24 v than in 12 providing its rated 24v.Longer time on the water prior to recharging,and more power or thrust.
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