# ???Newbie Electrical Bass Boat Stuff?????



## BigMikeFromOlemiss (Mar 26, 2009)

I know NOTHING about wiring a boat. I need some help and advice. I have a 15ft jon. a 44lb transom mount trolling motor, a 30lbs bow mount trolling motor, a Hummingbird fishfinder (will be mounted on the bow), and 2 deep cycle batteries. 

Where do i start? What gauge wires? fuses? fuse box? braker? i have no idea. advice and pictures would be great.


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## Tennwalkinghorse (Mar 26, 2009)

Wecome I'm new to this fourm all so. Wiring for motors should be 6ga. motors a 50 to 60 amp fuse on each motor should be fine. If you run a switch panal us 8ga to feed that that will be more then enough. Batterys I us two type 27 that has to do with space to store batterys use the biggest you can afford. If you really don't know any thing about electrical wiring get help from someone who knows or pay someone it will be cheaper in the long run. JMHO


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## russ010 (Mar 26, 2009)

You don't need to hire anybody - that's what we're here for.

You can run all of your electronics (fish finder, radios, lights, livewell, etc) off of 14ga wire like you can get at home depot or lowes.

I think your FF should have a 3-5 amp fuse, but I'm not certain on that. 

If you want a switch panel with fuses already, you can get a pre-made one from bass pro - then all you do is run main power wire from batter (14ga will work) then run a line from each switch to each electronic piece of equipment you want to turn on.

Since you only have 2 batteries, the higher the amp reserve hour = the more time out on the water with a charged battery. I have 4 - Everstart Maxx 29 Deep Cycle batts from Wal-Mart. Two of those batteries are ran in parallel (pos from battery 1 to pos on battery 2, and the same for the negative terminals). That set of batts runs a 40lb foot control on the bow, radio, fish finder and livewell. I have 2 batteries in the rear in parallel as well, and the run 2 - 55# trolling motors. I'm using 4ga wire to connect the batteries to each other.

The trolling motor wiring is 10ga, so if you need to extend your lenght, use atleast this - but remember, the smaller the gauge number, the bigger the wire which means less loss.

Ask any questions you have, there are more than enough people online at anytime to help you out.


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## BigMikeFromOlemiss (Mar 26, 2009)

russ010 said:


> You don't need to hire anybody - that's what we're here for.
> 
> If you want a switch panel with fuses already, you can get a pre-made one from bass pro - then all you do is run main power wire from batter (14ga will work) then run a line from each switch to each electronic piece of equipment you want to turn on.
> 
> ...



Is this the fuse panel you are talking about? 
https://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_861____SearchResults

As for as the trolling motor. I have a bunch of 6 gauge wire that I can use. Does it need to go through the fuse panel too?


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## BigMikeFromOlemiss (Mar 26, 2009)

any other question. Can i install a cigarette lighter style power port to use with my bow mount trolling motor, or will that not work? Would that come off of this fuse panel?


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## russ010 (Mar 26, 2009)

Those are the switch panels.

I don't do like most people here with trolling motors. I have mine wired directly to the battery with NO fuse in place.

I don't think a cigarette lighter will work for your trolling motors... that's a lot of pull that will result in power loss. I would run the 6ga wire from the battery, to a junction block (https://shop.genuinedealz.com/Marine Electrical Supply/Busbars and Covers/Single Post Busbar/) then connect your trolling motor wires to that. You need one for both pos and negative.


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## redbug (Mar 26, 2009)

the cigarette plug won't work.
to be simple about it most cigarette lighter fuses are only 10 amps that's about all the plugs are good for
it will over heat and burn up under a trolling motor load

wayne


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## BigMikeFromOlemiss (Mar 27, 2009)

So the fish finder needs a fuse? The trolling motors do NOT need a fuse? Do they need a breaker of some kind??

Im not all electric. I have a gas motor too. So i should be ok with two batteries right? I have a two - 27 deep cycle from walmart. 

Im also thinking of getting a solar panel to help maintain my charge a little longer...would this help or not worth it?


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## russ010 (Mar 27, 2009)

I never ran a fuse on a fish finder until I got a high dollar one - 3amp will work fine though and is probably a good idea to use.

If you want to put a fuse on the Trolling motors you can - it's a safety precaution that if the worse happens, your trolling motor - motor won't burn up. A 50am inline fuse would work fine if you want to use it. I just prefer not to use one.

The batteries will work as long as your not going to run them all day long, and if you use the big motor to get you from place to place. I have 29 series, so when your 27s go out, replace with bigger ones.

As far as solar panels - unless you get a big one, I don't think they will make that big of a difference. It takes 14v to charge your batteries, and the little solar chargers you can get wouldn't make that big of a difference. I saw a post going on about that very thing, it should be in the electrical section as well I think...


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## Zum (Mar 27, 2009)

BigMikeFromOlemiss said:


> So the fish finder needs a fuse? The trolling motors do NOT need a fuse? Do they need a breaker of some kind??
> 
> Im not all electric. I have a gas motor too. So i should be ok with two batteries right? I have a two - 27 deep cycle from walmart.
> 
> Im also thinking of getting a solar panel to help maintain my charge a little longer...would this help or not worth it?



Fishfinder needs fuse=Yes,mine calls for a 3 amp

Trolling Motors fuse=you can but it's easier and probably cheaper to get a manually setting circuit breaker.For your smaller TM a 40amp should be plenty and your bigger one a 50 amp.I also know of alot of people that run their TM's with no protection,it's your call on that one.Those breaker are pretty low cost.

2 batteries should be fine,might have to play with them as to where you want to put them in your boat....weight issue?Don't know what you have for a boat.

Solar panels may help some depends on how big of one you get and how long you wait between using the TM's.There used more for maintaining batteries over none usage times.

Not sure of your boat or what you want to do but you could put a battery close to the bow for that TM and one in the stern for that TM.Your fishfinder could hook directly to one of those batteries as well,with not much wiring(mine only called for 18 gauge).Maybe just the cables for the TM's could reach?Like I said before not real sure what your looking to do.


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