Help with wiring trolling motor

Hey all,

Picked up a new (to me) trolling motor earlier this summer, and am finally getting around to wiring it up. Haven’t done it before, so I want to do it right, so throwing out a few questions for you guys that may have had these same issues.

I’ve got a 16.5′ boat, trolling motor (55# MK Powerdrive) is up front, there is an old trolling motor port (and existing wiring) that I am planning to tear out and re-run. According to that MK chart, I need to be running 4awg (with a 60A fuse) to the back of the boat where my 12v battery will be. Currently, the receptacle that came with the motor appears to have 8awg, and eventually I’ll need to splice them together somehow. My questions are;

1.) Is that legit?
2.) If so, how to splice them together – I was initially thinking twist/solder/heatshrink – only because I’m not aware of any crimp/butt splices that attach different gauge wires.
3.) Suggestions at how to run wires relatively easily? I’m gonna have to pull panels I’m sure, and I haven’t done that yet either.

PS- A while ago I asked for Iowa fishing recommendations and just wanted to say thanks again for all of the positive messages and great suggestions! The lady and I are moved in to our new little house in Iowa City, and the boat trailer *almost* fits into the garage

(that’s a project for another day! – thinking how to find an older/scrap garage door panel to cut a notch in and replace during the summer months when my boat is in the garage, then swapping back in the normal one for winter months.)

Thanks, y’all!
-Nate

Nate Northup wrote:

2.) If so, how to splice them together – I was initially thinking twist/solder/heatshrink – only because I’m not aware of any crimp/butt splices that attach different gauge wires.

I’m not sure why you’d splice. Does the receptacle not accept 4g wire?

Nate Northup wrote:

3.) Suggestions at how to run wires relatively easily? I’m gonna have to pull panels I’m sure, and I haven’t done that yet either.

Tape the new 4g wire to the existing wire (be liberal with the tape), and pull the old wire out. That’ll pull the new wire through.

Thanks for the tips, RW – the receptacle came pre-rigged with it’s own leads, that’s the only reason I was thinking of splicing. I can take another look at it again and maybe I can get 4awg into it somehow.

Nate Northup wrote:

RW – the receptacle came pre-rigged with it’s own leads, that’s the only reason I was thinking of splicing. I can take another look at it again and maybe I can get 4awg into it somehow.

OK. That makes sense. I’d try to go all 4g, if at all possible.

aw heck, lose the OEM plug & socket, and use this one from Battery Tender. You can attached your #4 directly to it, with ring terminals.

http://www.batterytender.com/trollingmotorplug

HRG

HRG – looks pretty great. I will for sure keep that in mind, thanks for the info.

If your trailer doesn’t already have it I’d recommend installing a foldaway tongue deal, that’s how I crammed my boat into the city size garage. Bought mine from Fulton. Easy to install if you have the right tools to cut the tongue

pool2fool wrote:

If your trailer doesn’t already have it I’d recommend installing a foldaway tongue deal, that’s how I crammed my boat into the city size garage. Bought mine from Fulton. Easy to install if you have the right tools to cut the tongue

Definitely! I did the same. So worth it.

Hey guys, figured I’d give y’all an update – spent better part of a day taking all the panels and compartments apart. Pain in the ass! The old trolling motor lines were run UNDER the styrofoam and ziptied in place, so no easy pulling through unfortunately. Didnt want to take the engine off to take the transom apart so I said to hell with it and put all the panels/compartments back together.

Gonna just put the battery in a battery box in the bow storage compartment and hope it stays tacked down and doesnt bounce around too much. That way I’ll be able to stick to 8awg for just a few ft.

The Fulton breakaways look awesome! Pretty easy DIY? How much room do you need in front of/behind the hinge point?