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Thread: 12 volt Wiring Question

  1. #1
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    Exclamation 12 volt Wiring Question


    I had my trolling motor replaced towards the end of last year. My current trolling motor is a MinnKota edge and set up for a 12 volt system. I’m having problems w/ my batteries running down very quickly. When I had my old trolling motor, it was a Johnson and it had a switch on it where you could toggle between the 12/24 volt system. Is this the way that the wiring for a 12 volt system should go? I may be able to draw a picture and scan it if my explanation isn’t good enough:


    On the front of the panel, there is a switch that says Charge (at top) and Run (on bottom) next to it is a three prong plug that the trolling motor plugs in to.

    I removed the panel and there is a red wire going from the first prong on the plug leading to the positive terminal on battery number one.

    There is a black wire going from the second prong on the plug leading to the negative terminal on battery number one.

    There is a red wire going from the third prong on the plug going to the positive terminal on battery # 2.

    There is a black wire going from the prong on the back of the charge/run switch to the negative terminal on battery # 2.

    The prongs w/ the red wires both have a second small, short wire that are tied together.
    Fish on!:D

    3 Bald Stooges of Percy Priest Lake - Co Founder

  2. #2
    Barnacle Bill's Avatar
    Barnacle Bill is offline Super Mod and 2014 Crappie.com Man of the Year * Crappie.com Supporter
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    This is an easy fix. Well should be. Disconnect the wires at battery #2. Now install 2 jumpers from battery #2 to battery #1 (neg to neg and pos to pos). http://www.crappie.com/gr8vb3/showthread.php?t=48674 Look at the first picture, bottom diagram (12v in parallel). this is what you want to wind up with.
    Now go fishin. With the 2 batteries in parallel you will have twice the run time.

    With the old 12/24 system when you flipped to switch to 24V it connected the 2nd battery to the TM. Now when you flip it, that 12V has no place to go and you are still running on just battery #1. So you wind up with a perfectly good battery sitting there never being used. Since you have to disconnect the batteries to make that change it wouldn't hurt to have them load tested to be sure they are in good shape. Hope I made sense.
    Fair Winds and Following Seas

    Bill H. PTC USN Ret
    Chesapeake, Va


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    So right now it's running like a 24 volt system? When I disconnect the wires on battery # 2, do I connect them to battery # 1, or what?
    Fish on!:D

    3 Bald Stooges of Percy Priest Lake - Co Founder

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    gabowman is offline Super Moderator * Crappie.com Supporter
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    IBNFSHN, great diagrams on hooking the batteries together. One word of caution....if one battery is weak it'll automatically draw down the charged battery when you hook two in parallel. If one battery wont take a full charge because of being old or half worn out or whatever....it will more than likely hurt your good battery.
    Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.

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    Quote Originally Posted by gabowman
    IBNFSHN, great diagrams on hooking the batteries together. One word of caution....if one battery is weak it'll automatically draw down the charged battery when you hook two in parallel. If one battery wont take a full charge because of being old or half worn out or whatever....it will more than likely hurt your good battery.
    This is true. Thats why i suggested having the batteries load tested.
    Fair Winds and Following Seas

    Bill H. PTC USN Ret
    Chesapeake, Va


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    Quote Originally Posted by ThrillSeeker
    So right now it's running like a 24 volt system? When I disconnect the wires on battery # 2, do I connect them to battery # 1, or what?
    The wires the are now going to battery #2 can be taped off or even taken out and thrown away. They are no longer needed. However they could be commoned up at both ends which would be the same as installing bigger wire. This is what I would do.
    Fair Winds and Following Seas

    Bill H. PTC USN Ret
    Chesapeake, Va


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    I agree with IBNFSHN, it sounds like the two-way switch is switching from battery number 1 to Nothing. And hooking your batteries up in a parallel setup, and only using your switch 1 way should fix your problem.
    You can't fish with a hung line!

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    First and foremost, let me add that the 12/24 volt switch was part of the old trolling motor so it's no longer a factor. I have a scanner that I haven't used before, so now I have an excuse.....pardon the artwork (battery one is the one on the left)


    Name:  trolling wiring.jpg
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    So remove the wire off of prong 2 and remove the remaining wire that's going to the charge/run switch? After that, I run a cable from positive on battery one to positive on battery 2 and negative on battery one and negative on battery two?
    Fish on!:D

    3 Bald Stooges of Percy Priest Lake - Co Founder

  9. #9
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    I'm assuming that your TM does not work at all right now. Your drawing shows 2 pos wires going to it and no neg. Remove both wires from bat 2. (the one one the right) Move the neg wire from post 3 to post 2. Now you should have the pos (red) lead from the TM going to post 1 with the pos (red) lead from the battery on it. On post 2 should be the neg (black) wire from the TM with the neg (black) wire from the battery on it. Then hook the 2 batteries together like you said.
    Fair Winds and Following Seas

    Bill H. PTC USN Ret
    Chesapeake, Va


  10. #10
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    TM works right now. Just using a LOT of battery power really quick....like completely dead after an hour straight run time long line trolliing.

    Not sure why in the heck they had those 2 secondary wires comin off post 1 and 2 and just tied into one another either.

    Just to be clear though, prong 3 should have NOTHING going to it at all?
    Fish on!:D

    3 Bald Stooges of Percy Priest Lake - Co Founder

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