I would like to extend the wire from my trolling motor by about 10 feet so that I can place the battery in the front of the canoe to balance it when I am fishing solo. If I were to buy some 8 gauge wire, what is the best way, without compromising amperage, to connect it to the existing wire from the TM? The wire from the TM has a u-shaped connector on the black and red wire. Would prefer a connection that is not permanent so that if I fish tandem I can place the battery in the middle without a bunch of excess wire.
My solution
I have a 15’ Grumman canoe that has a side mount for trolling motor. What i did was buy a air conditioner extension cord 8’ or 10’ i can’t remember for sure which. Heavyiest gauge i could find. Cut off the male end and add conectors to connect to deep cycle battery that is kept in a plastic battery box. To wire ends on trolling motor i added a heavy duty 3 prong plug. Now i can quickly plug or unplug trolling motor from battery and the polarity is always correct. I have the length to move anywhere in boat to accomidate one or two people fishing. The extra length is nice when i’m fishing solo as the battery can be moved to the bow for balast. It’s worked great for me for about 10 years now.
permament solution
I just went to Fleet Farm and got 10 g wire (red and black) in the automotive dept. and added on about 10 feet with with quick crimp on connecters and new battery loop ends. I would guess (with my electrical wiring crimper/ cutters) that my Minnkota 30 LB thrust trolling motor had either 12 or 14 gauge wire to begin with, so I did not affect the amperge much with my addition. It does mean 10 extra feet of wire to contend with- just loop it up with some twist ties or cable ties (there releasable cable ties now) to get it out of the way.
Permanent solution too.
– Last Updated: Feb-11-05 5:01 PM EST –
I have a battery tray in the bow compartment of my home-built skiff/sailboat. I used 6 ga stranded for the extension and soldered the stranded ends, then soldered ring terminals in the bow that screw down to the battery and mounted a small terminal block (for trolling motors on bass boats) in the stern where I soldered then clamped the other ends. The cabling runs along either sie of the boat where nothing can crimp, gouge or cut it. The trolling motor wires fit over the terminals in the stern and screw down. The 6 gauge provides plenty of copper for no power loss due to the extension from my battery source.
You could probably engineer some way to mount a terminal block back there like under a seat or up near the gunnel.
Good luck!
I use jump start cable
When I go solo, I bring a jump start cable with me and place the battery on the other end of the canoe. I wrap the cable around the seat to physically separate the clamps so that they don’t short-circuit. Works well for me.
battery connectors
I use extension cords that are 18 feet in length, so batteries can be in placed in the bow of my canoes, which helps balance out the weight. I use #6 THHN type copper cable avaiable from any electrical supply house. As far as connecting the battery to the TM, I use a “quick disconnect” like the type used on all electric forklifts. It is easy to use (but does require soldering) and will not adversely effect power (whch electricians refer to as IR drop). The connectors come in various sizes, you want the smallest you can find. Call a forklift repair facility in your neighborhood and they’ll hook you up, often times for next to nothing. If you have your wife bring the TM to them, they’ll probably solder the connector on for nothing but a smile. Keep the connectors clean and they’ll last forever.
Ordered some
quick disconnects made by anderson
http://order.waytekwire.com/IMAGES/M37/catalog/217_034