17 Montauk battery location for bow mounted trolling motor

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Author Topic:   17 Montauk battery location for bow mounted trolling motor

raypas1 posted 12-06-2002 09:37 AM ET (US)
Would like to mount second battery for bow mounted trolling motor in the stern. Anyone know how to run wires to the bow - particularly from center councel to bow?
Dick posted 12-06-2002 01:30 PM ET (US)
I use a group 27 deep cycle mounted in the anchor locker.
The power cord just runs across the deck from the motor to the anchor line notch in the locker.
No onboard charging but I can get a days fishing on a charge and just hook up the charger when I get home.
JBCornwell posted 12-06-2002 03:34 PM ET (US)
My troller battery is in the console, with a socket on the front of the console.
The cables from the troller run across the floor to the console and plug in.
When the troller is not mounted the whole system is transparent.
Red sky at night. . .
JB
raypas1 posted 12-08-2002 04:26 PM ET (US)
Thanks for info. I called whaler and asked how they ran the bow light wires. They run them inside the bow rub rail which comes off! Was able to run an AWG 8 and 10 (max possible) to stern with bow light wire and mount plug on bow with no wires showing. Running two batteries in parallel both charged by motor. Maybe this will be of interest to others.
JBCornwell posted 12-08-2002 04:53 PM ET (US)
Hi, Raypas.
I hope that you meant those wires for the bow lights only.
If you are thinking about running any troller that is over 1 pipsqueak power through 15 to 17' of #8 wire you are going to burn your boat down.
For that distance to run a troller you need at lease #4, better #2.
raypas1 posted 12-09-2002 07:48 AM ET (US)
I used the Minn Kota suggested method of sizing the wire and the AWG #8 gives less than one volt drop across the circuit which is what they recommend. You now have me worried.
JBCornwell posted 12-09-2002 08:56 AM ET (US)
1 volt drop at how many amps?
Maybe my penchant for over-engineering stuff has gotten out of control, here.
If MK says it is okay, I guess it must be.
Red sky at night. . .
JB
Dick posted 12-09-2002 09:29 AM ET (US)
My Motorguide manual says to use #6 if you are extending the wires over6'.
raypas1 posted 12-09-2002 10:49 AM ET (US)
1 volt drop at the max amps for the trolling motor! I'm going to run a second #8 down the other rum rail just to be sure! Thanks!
JBCornwell posted 12-09-2002 01:25 PM ET (US)
I don't know where you got the information, Raypas, but I urge you to contact Minn-Kota. I think it is incorrect or you have misunderstood something.
My Genesis AP-55 came with a #8 pigtail about 3' long. The manual WARNS to use nothing smaller than #6 to extend the leads.
I interpret that to mean go up (down, numerically) one size for each 6' of extension.
That would mean #4 for an extension beyond 6' and #2 for anything over 12'.
That is compatible with MotorGuide's instructions to Dick.
With wires inside the rubrail insert there will be no air circulation to naturally cool the wires. It then becomes additionally important to have adequately low conductor total resistance.
Red sky at night. . .
JB
raypas1 posted 12-09-2002 03:54 PM ET (US)
JB
My mannual also says AWG #6 for extentions. However,if you go to the Minn Kota web site, minnkotamotors.com, under FAQ, a method of calculating the correct wire size is given and this one says #8 is sufficient. Just to be safe, I've run parralel lines down the other rub rail and now have more than the equivalent of #6 gauge.
Thanks for your concern
Ray
JBCornwell posted 12-09-2002 04:01 PM ET (US)
Yes. Doubling the wiring should be enough over-engineering to suit even me. :)
Red sky at night. . .
JB
Landlocked posted 12-09-2002 05:22 PM ET (US)
I would think a bow mounted trolling motor would only be used for short steering bursts and trolls along structure. Perhaps this will allow some cooling time for the wires between duty cycles.
Ll.

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Author	Topic: 17 Montauk battery location for bow mounted trolling motor
raypas1	posted 12-06-2002 09:37 AM ET (US) Would like to mount second battery for bow mounted trolling motor in the stern. Anyone know how to run wires to the bow - particularly from center councel to bow?
Dick	posted 12-06-2002 01:30 PM ET (US) I use a group 27 deep cycle mounted in the anchor locker. The power cord just runs across the deck from the motor to the anchor line notch in the locker. No onboard charging but I can get a days fishing on a charge and just hook up the charger when I get home.
JBCornwell	posted 12-06-2002 03:34 PM ET (US) My troller battery is in the console, with a socket on the front of the console. The cables from the troller run across the floor to the console and plug in. When the troller is not mounted the whole system is transparent. Red sky at night. . . JB
raypas1	posted 12-08-2002 04:26 PM ET (US) Thanks for info. I called whaler and asked how they ran the bow light wires. They run them inside the bow rub rail which comes off! Was able to run an AWG 8 and 10 (max possible) to stern with bow light wire and mount plug on bow with no wires showing. Running two batteries in parallel both charged by motor. Maybe this will be of interest to others.
JBCornwell	posted 12-08-2002 04:53 PM ET (US) Hi, Raypas. I hope that you meant those wires for the bow lights only. If you are thinking about running any troller that is over 1 pipsqueak power through 15 to 17' of #8 wire you are going to burn your boat down. For that distance to run a troller you need at lease #4, better #2.
raypas1	posted 12-09-2002 07:48 AM ET (US) I used the Minn Kota suggested method of sizing the wire and the AWG #8 gives less than one volt drop across the circuit which is what they recommend. You now have me worried.
JBCornwell	posted 12-09-2002 08:56 AM ET (US) 1 volt drop at how many amps? Maybe my penchant for over-engineering stuff has gotten out of control, here. If MK says it is okay, I guess it must be. Red sky at night. . . JB
Dick	posted 12-09-2002 09:29 AM ET (US) My Motorguide manual says to use #6 if you are extending the wires over6'.
raypas1	posted 12-09-2002 10:49 AM ET (US) 1 volt drop at the max amps for the trolling motor! I'm going to run a second #8 down the other rum rail just to be sure! Thanks!
JBCornwell	posted 12-09-2002 01:25 PM ET (US) I don't know where you got the information, Raypas, but I urge you to contact Minn-Kota. I think it is incorrect or you have misunderstood something. My Genesis AP-55 came with a #8 pigtail about 3' long. The manual WARNS to use nothing smaller than #6 to extend the leads. I interpret that to mean go up (down, numerically) one size for each 6' of extension. That would mean #4 for an extension beyond 6' and #2 for anything over 12'. That is compatible with MotorGuide's instructions to Dick. With wires inside the rubrail insert there will be no air circulation to naturally cool the wires. It then becomes additionally important to have adequately low conductor total resistance. Red sky at night. . . JB
raypas1	posted 12-09-2002 03:54 PM ET (US) JB My mannual also says AWG #6 for extentions. However,if you go to the Minn Kota web site, minnkotamotors.com, under FAQ, a method of calculating the correct wire size is given and this one says #8 is sufficient. Just to be safe, I've run parralel lines down the other rub rail and now have more than the equivalent of #6 gauge. Thanks for your concern Ray
JBCornwell	posted 12-09-2002 04:01 PM ET (US) Yes. Doubling the wiring should be enough over-engineering to suit even me. :) Red sky at night. . . JB
Landlocked	posted 12-09-2002 05:22 PM ET (US) I would think a bow mounted trolling motor would only be used for short steering bursts and trolls along structure. Perhaps this will allow some cooling time for the wires between duty cycles. Ll.