# 24 volt trolling motor



## Fatdad5 (Jul 7, 2014)

this is probably a silly question but here it goes.. I picked up 24 volt johnson 56lb food controlled trolling motor for next to nothing.. but have already bought a 2 bank charger and 2 batteries to use my transom mount 47lb motorguide .. dont have the extra cash to buy an extra battery. is there any way i can use both motors with these 2 batteries?


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## spagatti (Jul 9, 2014)

There are others that are probably better at this than me, but since no one has answered you I will try and help. 
I would say its not a good idea. If the set up worked with out damaging the 12 volt, best case is you will draw down on one battery more aggressively than the other which will lead to battery life for both batteries because to use the 24 volt system you need to run them in series instead of parallel like you most likely have them set up. My major concern would be that since the two batteries are hooked up in series, even though you are going direct to one battery for the 12 volt, you are still drawing 24 volts. Maybe there is some sort of a switch you could use to pick the current you want...to me that incovieniece would make having the 2nd motor less useful.
I would try and find a way to add a third battery, even a used one to get you by for a bit or pull the battery out of the tow vehicle. I don't use my rear 12 volt very often (if you were not running other items off it battery life should not be the issue)but each time I do I'm glad I have it for things like snags, something falling over board, or time to head in and nice to have all the thrust at my disposal. 
Hope that helps.


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## Bugpac (Jul 9, 2014)

You can still use one battery for 12 volt. You wont have 24 volts. The old dual voltage motors did exactly this.


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## onthewater102 (Jul 9, 2014)

To have both hooked up at once you will end up putting the load of the 12v motor on one of the two batteries feeding the 24v circuit which is not going to be good once you draw the 24v feed to the new trolling motor. I'm assuming the two batteries are the same size. If not, perhaps you could load the bigger of the two with the 12v motor.

You won't be able to draw power off both batteries as a 12v parallel circuit without a switch to disable the jumper between the batteries and take them out of series. You might be able to find a switch & relay setup from an old 12/24 system that performs this function, but if money is preventing you from getting a 3rd battery (ideal) the switch would probably be about the same cost...

Although - this is all assuming you're too lazy to disconnect the 24v wiring and reconnect the 12v wiring... If you're willing to do so it's simple - run the 24v with a jumper, pull off the wires to the 24v motor AND the jumper, then rig the 12v setup in parallel to draw on both batteries (ie connect both + terminals to the + side of the 12v motor and both - terminals to the - side of the 12v motor)


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## onthewater102 (Jul 9, 2014)

a picture is worth a thousand words







This will keep the load of each motor evenly distributed between both batteries (hopefully they're the same size).

BE SURE TO REMOVE THE JUMPER BEFORE HOOKING UP THE 12V MOTOR OR YOU WILL BLOW IT!!!!


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## Bugpac (Jul 9, 2014)

I wouldnt install any switch. Wire to one battery call it a day. To much risk doing any other way..


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