2017 PT 175 TXW - Wiring Access

[IMRedeemed]

Going to be upgrading both the electronics and trolling motor on my 2017 PT 175 TXW. Will be upgrading from 12v to 24v on the TM. I've received recommendations to add a new inline breaker for the TM and am thinking about adding a new direct feed to a secondary Blue Sea fuse block. Have a few questions I'd like to get answered that would help with this upgrade:

• Any idea where the existing factory TM fuse is located?
• Planning on removing batteries and battery try shelf to gain better access. Is this the right move?
• Do I really need to run a new lead for the new fuse block, or can I jumper off of the existing?
• Would like to gain access to area behind front seats to make it easier to run new lead (if needed). How do you remove the board that the seat backs are attached to? I see 2 screws near the top behind the center jump seat back and 2 more (1 each) on each side of the 2 front seats. Are those the only 4 I need to remove to gain access to that area?
• Anyone ever drill out the rivets on either rear tackle boxes (each side of livewell) to assist w/ access?

Any other suggestions are welcome and greatly appreciated.

[IMRedeemed]

Guess I should've mentioned will be installing a 24v Lowrance Ghost TM and 2 Lowrance HDS Live units (either two 12" units or one 12" at console and a 9" at bow)

[Bill Reynolds]

I don’t have a PT175 so can’t answer some specific questions but offer tips from a similar project on my RT188.
First: I recommend downloading the circuit wizard from Blue Seas website. It is a complete circuit design and component selection tool.



With respect to your question about running a new wire from the battery to the fuse block, it depends on how your existing circuit is set up. On the Ranger, there is an 8 gauge wire from the main breaker in the bilge to a connection point behind the main fuse block. I hooked the positive lead to my New Blue Sea fuse block serving my electronics To this block. On the Ranger, there is a negative connector point under the dash with a similarly sized wire to the negative battery post. I hooked the negative lead from the Blue Sea fuse block to this block. So I avoided running any new wires to the bilge. You may have a similar option.



Since you are installing a Ghost trolling motor, you will need a convenient way to disconnect power while you are charging the batteries. If you have a convenient mounting spot, I prefer this type switch/breaker. The largest breaker Offered by TH Marine is 50 amps but the breaker inside the plastic housing is Carling Technologies and I have a source for 60 amp if you are interested. I ran a 50 amp on an 80# 24 volt Minn Kota for 7 years but recently replaced it because it was getting weak.

[IMRedeemed]

Thanks much for the detailed response with pics! That helps a lot!

Forgot to ask, do I need to upgrade my Cranking battery. which is currently a Interstate 24M-XHD?

[Highcentered]

I would upgrade the cranking battery to a group 31 agm and never look back.

[IMRedeemed]

Thanks! Can I mix AGM and and standard Wet Cell on the same 3-bank charger? The Description for the NOCO Genius 3-bank charger seems to imply it's OK. Not sure I can swing AGMs across the board right now.

Highcentered, did you run a new breaker for your Ultrex when you installed it? Did you add a 2nd fuse block when you added your Garmins?

[IMRedeemed]

Any Tracker owners out there have any suggestions re: any of these points? Thx.

[Bill Reynolds]

One of my fishing friends has a PT190 and I installed two Lowrance Elite 7Ti’s on his boat 6 years ago using the existing accessory wires and he has not had any problems. However, to put this in perspective, these are low power units and there are no other accessories. So it depends on how many and what size units you plan to add.
If it were me, I would install the electronics using the existing wiring and only change it if necessary, but I don’t know the details of your electronic plan.
Do you have the manual for your NOCO charger or can you download one?
If it fits and your existing charger works, I would definitely go with the AGM battery.
I am not a fan of trolling motor plugs at the bow, I would wire it direct.
EDIT: This is my preferred connector for the Wires from the trolling motor batteries to the trolling motor at the bow. Simple and solid, all you need.

[Highcentered]

Echo what Bill said. That trolling motor plug Tracker uses is J U N K. Mine tried to melt on me and has a charred contact. I actually bypassed the plug up front yesterday and added a new manual shutoff breaker for it in back. Never unplugged the trolling motor because it was a PITA to plug back in but I'll start cutting power with the breaker because it's so easy. I have run livewell pumps for hours with 3 graphs 7" and under also left on with no voltage issues. Now streamlined it to the two Garmins I have in my sig. If I put Livescope on this boat it will be run directly to the battery with 10g wire and the other two tapped into it "just because".

If the onboard charger is capable of charging agm batteries you can mix and match wet and agm. What I like about my Minnkota PC charger is you can select the battery type on each bank for a more appropriate charging profile. I run a group 31 agm for cranking/acc and a pair of standard wet batteries for trolling and will keep it this way. I see no reason to run agm for trolling motor and many on here including some very well respected trolling motor experts on here suggest just using wet batteries for trolling. Apparently they give you a lot more warning before they go dead or something like that.