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Trolling Motor Installation…

Trolling motor installation is much harder to do than anyone would expect. The reality is that a lot of boats have bows that are not that “trolling motor friendly” for the installation.

Then comes the electrical. The trolling motor has a two conductor wire coming out of it, and you would think that connecting this to a battery or two (or three) in the boat would be a simple thing. Well, it’s not. For starters, if you want to ever remove the motor, you need a connector set with a socket in the boat, and a plug on the trolling motor power lead. There are a number of connector sets available for this. They all have advantages and disadvantages.

Check out our video comparing the two most popular models

The Voltage Discussion

Lots of folks get to feudin when discussing higher voltage and power and run time. We have a great video that explains in depth what happens when you choose a higher voltage above 12V See it here.

Last, there is the whole aspect of if you run at 24V or 36 volt trolling motor, how do you charge the battery bank that is a different voltage than the 12V power system that runs your boat, along with a multitude of options on charging this battery bank from your motors alternator. There are some good solutions out there for this, as well as some that are ridiculously expensive.

And, finally, did you know that some trolling motors can be upgraded to a higher voltage, higher thrust version by replacing a handful of parts? Well, it turns out that I own one of these – a recent model Minnkota Powerdrive 55. Another video will show the upgrade method.

In the process of doing our research, we’ve actually found not one, but two, engineers who have spent their careers designing tooling systems to automate crimping. As simple a thing as crimping is, getting a reliable connection that will work in a water or salt water environment in a connector that is immune to the elements requires strict attention to detail and good testing and measurements to ensure the final products reliability.

For More Information

We love to teach fishers and boat owners how to get more out of their investment. So, we have a number of learning resources available for you, our customers.

Our Learning Section on our website

For further information on Marine Electrical DIY Tips, try our YouTube Channel:

Golden Channels on YouTube

These cables come with a two year free, no questions asked replacement warranty.  See our warranty terms section on our website for details.

Finally, we love talking engines, fish finders, and networking.  So, if you need help, please email us and we can help:

Contact Golden Channels

2 replies on “Trolling Motor Installation…”

I am loving the info you all are putting out. But I need more. I need how to charge the 24V batteries with the one motor. Some kind of drawn up plan. I have 1 starter battery. 1 ACR Blue seas and 1 House deep cycle on the boat now. Just got my 24V minn kota Terrova. So need to add 1 more Deep Cycle can I add 1 more ACR and put it on the new Battery To charge the 2 Deep Cycle Battery? Sorry I am so confused on this need some help?

Hi Doug. Sorry for the slow response. If I understand correctly, you have a 24V trolling motor, and want to charge your batteries with your charging system in your boat, which is 12V. What battery chemistry are you using? GEL, Sealed Lead Acid, Flooded Lead acid AGM, other?

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