# 24 volt trolling motor circuit breaker connection



## zzzybil (Mar 31, 2014)

gathered up what i think i need and studying connection diagrams........has me WONDERING 

most show the circuit breaker on the POS wire and some show it on the neg.......i even just found 1 with circuit breakers on BOTH ??

i understand the 24 volt ( 2 batteries in series ) and i've looked at enuff youtube connecting ......lol know what i'm attempting there.........

i know the circuit breaker has to be relatively close to the battery in a perfect world ...no problem....i just don't know why some diagrams have it on pos and other on neg ?? and the diagram with double circuit breakers really has my head spinning ????

dang tm cost a small fortune DAM SURE WANT IT PROTECTED....shirley don't wanna burn it up !!
wats the dealio on circuit breakers ??.........

i actually have 2 circuit breakers .......already bought a 50amp when i FINALLY FOUND INFO that mine draws 56 amp max.......soooooooo bought a 60 amp breaker..... don't want it flippin when i try using all 80 thrust -

NOT HOOKIN NUTTIN ELSE to it - just the tm.....keep it simple and dedicated 24 for the tm,,,,,,less chance to mess up tm and longer ride time

ANY REAL ELECTRIC GUYS ? I'm sure alot of opinions but ?? anyone care to break this down like forrest gump for me



... fig i'll add another battery for flounder lights and whatever else i accumulate....i can always use the extra cb on that ?


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## dhoganjr (Apr 1, 2014)

You need the circuit breaker not only to protect the tm but also the boat. The boat is actually grounded. So if your positive tm wire gets nicked or rubs through and touches metal you now have an arc welder that is going to catch fire or burn through the boat hull. Under worst case scenario possible battery overload and explosion. That is why you put the circuit breaker on the positive side. The tm pulls a certain amount of amps, a short to ground would be excessively higher causing the circuit breaker to trip. Same thing that happens if you've ever blown a fuse in your vehicle or tripped a circuit breaker in your house. There was either a short or you overloaded the circuit blowing the fuse or tripping the circuit breaker. 

Hope this helps explain it a little better.


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## zzzybil (Apr 2, 2014)

thanks mr D

i take that as put it on the pos - hot leg to TM.............which seems obvious even to me......but i hate to assume and absolutely want to be as safe for me & passengers AND THE FANCY PANTS TM !

BUT I DID SEE DIAGRAMS WITH IT ON NEG lead and a diagram with cb on both neg and pos ?????????? my guess when i saw it on neg was maybe doesnt matter .......seeing 2 cb - one on each lead ????? i gotta ask WHY ? and wonder does that mean better protection or any explanation why 2 cb ?? 

i tell myself its the internet gotta be right ?


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## typed by ben (Apr 2, 2014)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=347167#p347167 said:


> zzzybil » Today, 08:27[/url]"]thanks mr D
> 
> i take that as put it on the pos - hot leg to TM.............which seems obvious even to me......but i hate to assume and absolutely want to be as safe for me & passengers AND THE FANCY PANTS TM !
> 
> ...


a breaker on both sides is a waste

on a DC circuit you can put your breaker on any side. a while back it was more or less conventional to show the breaker on the negative side as current flows from negative to positive in a DC circuit. thats why you see it shown that way in some diagrams.


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## zzzybil (Apr 2, 2014)

awesome thanks ben - HEY COULD I PUT IT between ?? where the 2 batteries connect to be in "SERIES"... never seen that diagram..lol...but it would simplify location and accessability ???........how would that effect anything


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## JMichael (Apr 2, 2014)

Yes, you could actually install it between the 2 batteries of a 24v system and it would work there. I usually install cb/fuses on the hot leg of DC circuits out of habit more than anything, but they can go on either + or - as long as it's close to the battery. The old thing about installing it on the + leg because the frame/hull is grounded if often true, it is electrically grounded. But what people fail to take into account is that if you break the ground leg of a DC circuit at the battery, the frame/hull is no longer electrically grounded, so it doesn't mater if the + is short circuited to the frame/hull once the CB trips. As far as current flowing from neg to pos or pos to neg, it's all "Theory" since we can't actually watch the atoms "vibrate" (as some theorist put it). :lol:


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## typed by ben (Apr 2, 2014)

[url=https://www.tinboats.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=347184#p347184 said:


> zzzybil » 16 minutes ago[/url]"]awesome thanks ben - HEY COULD I PUT IT between ?? where the 2 batteries connect to be in "SERIES"... never seen that diagram..lol...but it would simplify location and accessability ???........how would that effect anything


if you have nothing else on that circuit, yes you could do that


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## bgeddes (Apr 4, 2014)

This thread has gone a bit silly, so let's get back to reality. 

ZZZ, 

The circuit breaker does two things, it protects your high dollar trolling motor in the event something goes terribly wrong, and it protects the wire. Prudent and safe practice is to install a quality breaker very near the battery, on the positive lead. This will provide the needed protection to both TM and wiring. Diligence in routing wires, proper connections, and common sense are as important as multiple breakers, fancy doodads, or the latest and greatest.


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## JMichael (Apr 4, 2014)

Hmm.... I must have had another silly moment and missed those superior words of reality that I was expecting to read. #-o


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## zzzybil (Apr 4, 2014)

prudent and safe is why i asked ........... ?? no doo dads ??.............. #6 marine tinned wire , marinco plug/receptacle...adhesive shrink and various connectors from marine wire - i'm asking because it is a high dollar brand new TM....of course if it were a cheapo- i'd still wanna be safe.......just confirming as i'm not an electrical expert.........and reputable sources have totally opposite diagrams

seemed a reasonable question as some diagrams have it on pos or neg leg....

....if its all one big circle (circuit ) and doesn't matter ? ok..........if there's a reason POSitive is better......expanding on the reasoning would be more helpful.......

connecting to the ''series'' wire is in optimum position for accessability...and an AFTER THOUGHT ONCE TOLD IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER POS VS NEG ??...Welllllllllllll. i had to ask !!!!!!?????????
.it would be nice to have easy access !and absolutely close to battery- in between them...........safety is more important........

protecting my TM and keeping safe is the objective.......thats why i intend to keep it dedicated to TM only

i appreciate your opinion.........feel free to expand on the doo dad ? lost me there.............

not at alllllllllll trying to be silly ! usually after a project i learn how to do it better......trying to put some thought and get it right the first time !!...........and i figure you guys know your stuff


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