help!

I posted this in another section but I have no replies I hope you can help...I finally bought a bps prowler 55 a minn kota 2 bank charger and a optima blue top battery. can someone give me the advice on the following questions?

1 I have installed the motor on the transom it came with the round connectors not the alligator clip type. Do I just put them on the battery and tighten the wing nuts down? is there a cover or something I should put on the posts to cover them up?

2 can I leave the onboard charger connected all the time? even while the motor is connected?

3 when I get home should the motor be disconnected while I charge? Do I plug it in and leave it that way 24/7? Do I need to worry about catching things on fire?

4 how do I stow this thing? if I tilt it all the way up it will hit the seat. Do I need to remove it while the boat is on the way to/from the lake?

Finally do you have any safety tips for me- I have 3 and 5 yr old fishing buddies and they mind pretty well but I am afraid curiosity will get the best of them how can i keep them safe? without tying them to chairs? I would hate to see them get hurt on the trolling motor...

Thanks a lot guys! I will share photos of my battery compartment upgrade asap!

1.) yes, just put it on and tighten around it. Nothing needs to cover it up, unless you plan on licking battery terminals

4.) I'd just take it off to/from the lake. I do that just to reduce wear and tear on the bracket and my transom (especially on dirt roads). If you'd rather leave it on, just tilt it forward, and turn the head sideways so it doesnt bump. It might be a good idea to secure it with a bungee or something.

2-3.) Can't help you really.

2-3. You should not need to disconect when chargeing, the charger is not going to hurt the motor, plus if the motor is in the off position it should not draw any current.

also check the manual that came with the charger, most chargers now days are designed to be automatic and only push current to the battery when the battery need chargeing, when the battery is fully charged the charger should go into standby mode, thus not pushing any current to the battery. So it should not overcharge, overheat, or cause fire.

If I was going to leave my battery hooked up to my motor all of the time I would put a batery disconect switch (you can get them from wal-mart in the automotive section) and disconect power to the motor when not in use. This prevents the kiddos from turning the motor on in the event they want to play bass hunter in the boat when you are not around.

1.) Yes, use the wing nuts and bolt it strait to the battery. Typically there is no need to cover your terminals but give the last question in your post regarding the young ones, you may want to get a plastic/rubber cover for the positive side of your batter terminal just to be safe.

2.)The charger should stay connected all the time... it's designed to shut off when the battery is fully charged.

3.)There should be no need to remove and/or unhook the trolling motor while charging.

I have 8 and 4 year old sons who fish with me some... the rope idea works pretty good. Just kidding. The best word of advice I can give is make sure they have good lifejackets and that they keep them on from the time they get out of the truck at the lake until the time they get back in the truck to go home. It's also important to try and make them understand, that they need to stay seated while the boat is moving (I know (from experience) this is easier said than done at times).

Best of Luck. I look forward to seeing your pics.

God Bless & Good Fishing!

https://www.carparts.com/COLE-HERSEE-LOCKING-DISCONNECT-SWITCH/GP_2006125_N__10618.car

Put one of these on the battery box and you should be fine

2) Yep, it's made to be permanently connected.

3) It's your call. You don't have to disconnect the motor. Since it will be turned off there's no power drain. The charger is a trickle type charger and will only charge the batteries until charged. It will then monitor the voltage and 'top it off so to speak' occasionally keeping the batteries fully charged. It's up to you whether you feel comfortable having it plugged in 24/7 in your garage/house. I have a very similar battery charger for my motorcycle and it stays plugged in 24/7 during the cold months and (knock on wood) haven't burned the house down yet.