Hello all. Even though I now religiously use an on-board charger and haven't had a dead main battery in years, I would like to install permanent "jumper cables" from the trolling motor battery to the main battery. If the main battery ever dies, I would like to flip a switch to have the TM battery help out the main just enough to get the motor started. (If I get a dead battery now, I move TM battery to the back and it's a pain to get out and move!)
My charger is up front as well, and I currently charge the main battery through a cigarette lighter, so I will incorporate hard wiring this as well. So I bought a 3 way battery switch that would control flow back to main battery. (Off, Charge or Jump.)
So my question is about minimum wire gauge. I know that "the bigger the better" is the case here, but the wire port that I plan to use has limited space. Originally I bought 10ga, but I am beginning to question if I should go bigger. (I don't think I could get bigger than 8ga to fit in the port.) So the smaller the gauge, the longer I will have to wait for the main battery to charge. (I don't need an instant start like you get with true jumper cable gauge wire.) I am fine sitting there for a few minutes while the TM battery charges charges the main.
So am I on track here? 10ga okay for this purpose? 8ga?
thanks!
KRS
My charger is up front as well, and I currently charge the main battery through a cigarette lighter, so I will incorporate hard wiring this as well. So I bought a 3 way battery switch that would control flow back to main battery. (Off, Charge or Jump.)
So my question is about minimum wire gauge. I know that "the bigger the better" is the case here, but the wire port that I plan to use has limited space. Originally I bought 10ga, but I am beginning to question if I should go bigger. (I don't think I could get bigger than 8ga to fit in the port.) So the smaller the gauge, the longer I will have to wait for the main battery to charge. (I don't need an instant start like you get with true jumper cable gauge wire.) I am fine sitting there for a few minutes while the TM battery charges charges the main.
So am I on track here? 10ga okay for this purpose? 8ga?
thanks!
KRS