I want to add an accessory power plug in my 1996 astro bass boat. Should i wire it to the battery or should i wire it to one of the switches on the console?
No and No! Accessory plugs don't know what you are going to plug into them so it may be anything from a very low current draw item such as a cell phone, to a million candle power spot light. Therefore they must be on their own circuit capable of handling the maximum current the socket is rated for which is generally indicated on the package or in the instructions. The switches are generally not capable of handling high current and if your boat has a fuse panel there is no reason to run a wire all the way back to the battery. If there is no 12 volt and ground bus at the helm then you need to run to the battery with an appropriate size fuse at the battery, not up by the outlet. 12 or 14 gauge wire would allow the outlet to power most portable devices.
The unit i have is a 12v power outlet by Casco. The only instructions it came with are on the back of the package telling what wire is positive and negative. The only fuses i have found on the boat are for the trolling motor, fish finder and battery charger. The boat has two trolling batteries and the cranking battery. The trolling batteries are wired for a 12v system. Should i attach the power outlet to one of them or should it go to the cranking battery. The only thing i plan on using it for is to keep a cell phone charged.
I'm with Silvertip, I would wire it through an inline fuseholder direct to battery (or to the nearest bus), or to the fuseblock if it is nearby and there's an unused space.
EDIT: sounds like you have no fuseblock (how are your current circuits protected? Inline fuses?) So maybe inline fuseholder of some kind, probably direct to battery.
EDIT 2: Does the rig have a switchpanel? Are the current circuits' fuses or breakers a part of that?
All the switches on the panel except the master has a reset button under it. I have Master, Livewell, Bilge, Navigation, Horn, and accessory. Im not real sure what all is hooked up to the accessory switch.
Although you currently say all you'll plug in is a cell phone charger, I guarantee some day you'll plug in some other device. That said, wire it however you like but in my boat it has 14 gauge wire and a 15 amp fuse. If all you power is a cell phone charger it doesn't matter where you connect it.
