Hello, I’ve been doing research on wiring my electric motor and have heard conflicting reports as to using jumper cables to run from the front of the boat to the rear. Has anyone here done this and if so have any problems came up? Thanks
Surveyor2021
Sounds like overkill for a trolling motor. Jumper cables are for 100s of amps. Trolling motors are <60amps.
Consult this thread for wire size vs run length:
www.ifish.net
Consult this thread for wire size vs run length:
Trolling Motor Retrofit with LEDs Question
Hey guys, new to the site and this is my first post. Looks like I will be on here frequently, tons of good information it looks like. I have a quick question that is similar to some of the posts I've seen on here already, and I wanted a few opinions before I went any further. We have an old...
www.ifish.net
NOBODY can answer your question without it being total baloney, shot in the dark, unless you specify:
1) Length of wire run from bow to stern
2) Brand/model of electric trolling motor (to determine its maximum current draw)
3) Awg of the proposed jumper cables you are considering (huge differences in jumper cable wire size, lots of ridiculously small jumper cables out there)
4) Temperature rating of the wire used in your proposed jumper cables
As to 'are the Minn Kota specs liberal' - no, not at all. They use standard wire ampacity tables.
Keep in mind too that those wires MUST be 'circuit protected' (breaker or fuse) within 7" of the source (the battery) or you have a significant fire hazard due to the massive currents your battery can output if those wires short out.
1) Length of wire run from bow to stern
2) Brand/model of electric trolling motor (to determine its maximum current draw)
3) Awg of the proposed jumper cables you are considering (huge differences in jumper cable wire size, lots of ridiculously small jumper cables out there)
4) Temperature rating of the wire used in your proposed jumper cables
As to 'are the Minn Kota specs liberal' - no, not at all. They use standard wire ampacity tables.
Keep in mind too that those wires MUST be 'circuit protected' (breaker or fuse) within 7" of the source (the battery) or you have a significant fire hazard due to the massive currents your battery can output if those wires short out.
Uhh, there were 4 questions above. You answered 2. Any answer would be would be half-a$$ed without knowing what maximum load is (the brand/model of trolling motor) and temperature rating of the proposed wires. Bigger wire than called out is probably fine (2 awg vs 4 awg), but temperature rating is also key to know which wire to buy. And knowing true maximum load allows someone to look up the details of wire requirements as published in ABYC (wire ampacities for marine use - not the audio wiring charts mentioned previously).
When I wired mine I needed a 10 foot run of 4 ga cable. I bought a new set of cables, removed the clamps and used the cable. It gave me *** and negative leads with good insulation for less than half the cost of buying 4 ga battery cable.
That said, the above concerns regarding wire construction, size, and length should all be considered.
-Scott
That said, the above concerns regarding wire construction, size, and length should all be considered.
-Scott
My 2c...
Many forget that the calculations are for total run. So if battery to trolling motor is 10 feet, the total run is 20 feet...down and back.
Many forget that the calculations are for total run. So if battery to trolling motor is 10 feet, the total run is 20 feet...down and back.
No need to calculate anything: just look up the minimum wire size you'll need in the ABYC tables. You'll need to know the maximum current draw (amps) of all the devices connected to the wire you want to size. The table will then tell you the wire gauge (AWG) needed for various lengths of wire. Then you can be reassured you've installed the correct wire size to ensure voltage drop is reasonable for the wire length in your marine application. The ABYC tables use 'round trip' length of the wire, so be sure to double the tape measured length.
Use the '12 Volt 3% drop' table for wires that feed your electronics.
Use the '12 volt 10% drop' table for wires that feed electro-mechanical devices like downriggers. Or heated seats.
Use the '24 volt 3% drop' table for wires that feed something like a 24V electric trolling motor.
www.suremarineservice.com
The above tables can be a bit misleading: you still need to make sure you install no field wiring smaller than 14 awg (so ignore anything in the table that indicates 16AWG or 18AWG).
And you need to also consider the sizing required for your circuit protectors (fuser or breaker):
14 AWG = 15A max
12 AWG = 20A max
10 AWG = 30A max
Use the '12 Volt 3% drop' table for wires that feed your electronics.
Use the '12 volt 10% drop' table for wires that feed electro-mechanical devices like downriggers. Or heated seats.
Use the '24 volt 3% drop' table for wires that feed something like a 24V electric trolling motor.
Wire Size Charts
www.suremarineservice.com
The above tables can be a bit misleading: you still need to make sure you install no field wiring smaller than 14 awg (so ignore anything in the table that indicates 16AWG or 18AWG).
And you need to also consider the sizing required for your circuit protectors (fuser or breaker):
14 AWG = 15A max
12 AWG = 20A max
10 AWG = 30A max
When measuring for length, thread a piece of wire from start to finish along the path you'll actually be using then measure the length of that wire. Doing it with a tape can be difficult to get accurately.
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