Wire size for trolling motor

[Maggiesmaster]

I'm buying a 16 ft. flatbottom boat & want to wire my 40 lb. thrust bow-mount Minn-Kota trolling motor. The battery will be in the back, and the wire will run to the bow. What size wire will I need for this? Will I need a circuit breaker on it; if so, why?? I plan on running a separate wire set from the same battery to the depth finder mounted on the trolling motor. Could I also use the trolling motor wire for this, and attach a separate wire near the bow?
Thanks for the help!

 

[RivRunR]

8AWG tinned marine wire should do it.
Yes, you need a circuit breaker (probably 50A), within 7" of the battery.
Why? So your wire doesn't melt and cause a fire if something goes wrong.

Using the trolling motor wire for a fish finder can cause interference on the finder when the motor is running. If you have to use the same battery, run a separate, fused circuit for the finder, and try to keep the wires away from the trolling motor wires. You might want to look at a smaller battery dedicated to the finder only.

 

[marshman]

definitely dont branch off your trolling motor wires to power your fish finder....


you want all the power you can get going to your trolling motor....use a separate wire for fish finder...

im even planning to use a dedicated trolling motor battery, and then a smaller battery as a house battery...(lights, bilge pump, and fish finder) i run my trolling motor hard and need the power all day...

i like to use esso cord(extension cord with no ends) for my fish finders and lights....its got the heavy duty jacket and insulation, perfect for running down the side of an aluminum boat...yeah, theres 3 wires and you only need 2, but you can just not use the green wire, or you can run 2 cords, and you 2 power sources...(1 for fish finder, 1 for bow light!!)

 

[dahut]

marshman » 24 Jul 2013, 07:26[/url]"]definitely dont branch off your trolling motor wires to power your fish finder....


you want all the power you can get going to your trolling motor....use a separate wire for fish finder...

im even planning to use a dedicated trolling motor battery, and then a smaller battery as a house battery...(lights, bilge pump, and fish finder) i run my trolling motor hard and need the power all day...

i like to use esso cord(extension cord with no ends) for my fish finders and lights....its got the heavy duty jacket and insulation, perfect for running down the side of an aluminum boat...yeah, theres 3 wires and you only need 2, but you can just not use the green wire, or you can run 2 cords, and you 2 power sources...(1 for fish finder, 1 for bow light!!)

I like the "house battery" idea. good tips.