Thread: Ever have a power wiring cable go bad?

Are you checking at wire end or are you checking at plug. Could be bad connection of wire to back of plug or bad connection between wire end and battery connector. Not likely a break in wire .

Originally Posted by Cray

Are you checking at wire end or are you checking at plug. Could be bad connection of wire to back of plug or bad connection between wire end and battery connector. Not likely a break in wire .

i've never had a wire break myself, so this has me scratching my head. I have had wires become corroded at the terminal and not work but never a problem with the wire itself.

I have a connector strip instead of a plug. The MK Ultrex 112 did not come with a plug but had two wire connectors. So I removed the female plug connector and installed a connector strip when I bought this trolling motor.

I removed the cable connections from the connector strip and tested from the connector at end of the cable back to the battery terminal.

I first tested for voltage between the two ends of the cable, which showed 0. I then tested for voltage at the batteries. I had 39 volts between the fuse and battery ground. I tested both sides of the fuse, although I really only needed to test the far side of the fuse to check the fuse.

On the negative wire (black), testing between the two connectors on the wire, the meter showed .038 which is what it shows when you touch the tips of the meter cables together. So that wire is good.

One the positive wire (red), testing between the two connectors on the wire, the meter showed 1 which is what it shows when the tips of the meter cables are not touching each other. Or a open line.

On the red wire I did two measurements. One was from the battery connection to the opposite side of the fuse. That showed .038. Then I checked from that side of the fuse to the end connector. That showed 1 or open connection.

I also tested on the wire itself instead of the connector, in case the connector was corroded, giving a bad connection.

I don't know what it could be, other than a broken wire. But I have never had a broken wire and do not know what would have caused it to break.

do you have a Trolling Motor Circuit Breaker with a manual reset in your boat ???

here is a diagram of what I am talking about !!!! and a picture of the breaker !!!

https://www.comstedt.se/wp-content/u...mp_Breaker.pdf

If you have checked the wire itself inside/in front of the connector and get no reading you definitely have a open. What puzzles me is you seldom if ever have a break in multistrand wire that is completely through as in a break. Think back and see if you remember doing any kind of repair work lately where that wire might have gotten cut. Usually on a multistrad wire you woul have some broken and others not but still get a reading if not quite where it should be.

Originally Posted by strmwalker

do you have a Trolling Motor Circuit Breaker with a manual reset in your boat ???

here is a diagram of what I am talking about !!!! and a picture of the breaker !!!

https://www.comstedt.se/wp-content/u...mp_Breaker.pdf

Yes, I have one. The first thing I did was reset it. When you check the voltage there you have 39 volts. When you go to the end of the red wire and check you have 0 volts.

Originally Posted by ezgoing

Yes, I have one. The first thing I did was reset it. When you check the voltage there you have 39 volts. When you go to the end of the red wire and check you have 0 volts.

WOW !!! that is a head scratchier for sure !!!!

Originally Posted by Cray

If you have checked the wire itself inside/in front of the connector and get no reading you definitely have a open. What puzzles me is you seldom if ever have a break in multistrand wire that is completely through as in a break. Think back and see if you remember doing any kind of repair work lately where that wire might have gotten cut. Usually on a multistrad wire you woul have some broken and others not but still get a reading if not quite where it should be.

There has been no repair work. The batteries are in the console of the pontoon. The wires are in a black plastic protector that goes through a hole in the bottom of the pontoon, runs inside the pontoon guide and then across the front of the boat where it goes through a hole to the terminal block.

This is what has me puzzled, it would be hard for something to break the wire but all tests indicate the wire is broken. I'm going to look at the cable cover from where it leaves the pontoon guide to where it enters the front of the boat to see if I can see any damage or cuts in it. I'll be doing that a little later when it is cooler outside.

I have ordered replacement wiring from Amazon which should arrive tomorrow. I also ordered a new 50 amp circuit breaker. From my test the circuit breaker is not the problem but it is easier to install it and test if that is the problem than install all new cabling.

Originally Posted by Cray

If you have checked the wire itself inside/in front of the connector and get no reading you definitely have a open. What puzzles me is you seldom if ever have a break in multistrand wire that is completely through as in a break. Think back and see if you remember doing any kind of repair work lately where that wire might have gotten cut. Usually on a multistrad wire you woul have some broken and others not but still get a reading if not quite where it should be.

Or the wire stretched somehow.