switching trolling motor, help!

[mitchellz71]

I just got a straight 24V motor guide, and I'm switching from an older 12/24v motor guide. My boat has the 12/24v selection switch. The plugs I have have 3 wires, but the new motor only has 2 coming from it's foot pedal. How can I make this work?

Thanks

 

[Silvertip]

Re: switching trollig motor, help!

Re: switching trollig motor, help!

How many wires do you have running from the batteries to the bow. The answer will be three or four. We can go from there.

 

[mitchellz71]

Re: switching trollig motor, help!

Re: switching trollig motor, help!

There are four wires

 

[Silvertip]

Re: switching trolling motor, help!

OK -- here is just one way, and the most simple way to do this.
1) Disconnect both wires from one of the batteries.
2) Move the black wire from the other battery to the NEGATIVE post on the battery you just disconnected wires from.
3) Connect a jumper wire between the POSITIVE post on the battery that you disconnected wires from, and the NEGATIVE post on the other battery.
4) The two wires you disconnected in step 1 will not be used. Tape the ends but do not remove them from the boat. The next owner may want to use them again.
5) At the receptacle up front, determine which two terminals show 24 volts when measured with a voltmeter.
6) Match the terminals on the trolling motor plug to the two terminals on the receptacle. Typically 24 volts would have been across the red and black wires on the receptacle so no changes should really be needed but check it anyway.
7) Make sure the 12/24 switch on the panel is set to 24 volts. The 12 volt feature will no longer work.
8) Go fishing.

 

[mitchellz71]

Re: switching trolling motor, help!

Okay so I just looked at a wiring diagram after reaing your post, what your saying ia just wire it straight 24 volt? Also I have the three prong connectors, so your saying find out wich two I need, ground ad power, then it's fine the third one has nothing plugged in?
And thank you for the help!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: switching trolling motor, help!

It doesn't matter how many terminals a plug/receptacle has or are used. For EITHER 12 or 24 volts you only need two. On the system the way it is now, red to black = 24 volts. Orange to Black = 12 volts. That's why the plug/receptacle had three terminals. You will modify the system to 24 volts only so only two wires are needed. +24 volts and ground. The plug and receptacle should already be ok. You just aren't using the orange because it is disconnected at the battery. You also have a 24 volt only motor so again the orange is not needed. Just match the red & black wires from the troller plug to the receptacle and back to the batteries.

 

[mitchellz71]

Re: switching trolling motor, help!

So I'll be fine just taping off the orange wire that will be on the plug that wires to the trolling motor?

Thank you very much for your help

 

[Silvertip]

Re: switching trolling motor, help!

NO! The orange wire is the 12 volt line from the original wiring. Red is +24 volts. Black is ground. You disconnected (hopefully) the orange wire and its mate at the batteries. The motor has red and black wires does it not? Then you want red and black all the way back to the batteries.

Here is what you should end up with.

 

[mitchellz71]

Re: switching trolling motor, help!

The trolling motor itself has red and black wires running from the foot control. There is an orange wire present in the original system at the switch board on the boat, but there are also orange wires on the two pieces that plug into each other. The one coming from the boat should be inactive right? The plugs I have both have 3 wires since they were for the original 12/24V system. I'm just wondering if the orange wire on the plug that will be put onto the motor will be a problem since it has the wire to match up to with the trolling motor.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: switching trolling motor, help!

I don't know how to explain this any other way. Electricity doesn't care what color the wire is. If measuring orange to black at the receptacle shows 24 volts and the red and black wires on the plug match that, then you can use it that way. My objection to that is when the next owner gets the boat he is going to say what lunatic wired this thing. Why not change what you need to change so you have red and black going from the batteries all the way to the receptacle, then to the motor. To make this even simpler you could disconnect the red at the switch panel and connect it directly to the receptacle pin that matches the red pin on the troller plug. Do the same for the black wire. You now have a direct connection with nothing in between the motor and batteries except the receptacle and plug.

 

[mitchellz71]

Re: switching trolling motor, help!

okay thank you for the help. looks like i can take it from here. shouldnt give me too much trouble

thanks

mitchell