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  1. #1
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    Basscat Cougar 2004 Wiring/Electrical Issue

    Hi BBC Gang,

    I'm looking for a wiring diagram for a 2004 basscat cougar and some advice.

    Last season I had a fourth battery installed so my trolling motor would have 3 batteries designated for it and a cranking battery designated for the outboard. A buddy of mine said he could install and rewire the set up through a new Perko Switch and I let him run with it; however, after I took it out on the water for the first time there was weird white growths that grew on the trolling motor and some small spots popped up on the jack plate.

    It is not standard corrosion because I wire brushed all of it off and put the motor in the water again and after running it for about 30 minutes it had come back.

    From what I have been able to gather from online research and talking to a few people is that there is a polarity issue due to some cross over between the cranking battery and the series set aside for the trolling motor.

    Planning on getting a new charger and 4 new batteries as well to make it a clean new start.

    Looking at the Minnkota precision charger 4 bank in 10 amp or 15 amp, or the Noco Genius 4 bank that is offered in 10 amp. Leaning towards Costco for batteries too.

    Any suggestions or opinions are welcome, a wiring diagram would be nice to have too if someone has one.

    Thank you!

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    #2
    Hmm. This will get some responses. As far as I know, there should be jumpers between the gas filler and your starting battery negative, and if you're getting instant corrosion, a small jumper (bonding wire) between the main and trolling motor most negative.
    Let the pummeling begin. It's possible the jumper is already there and your friend added the third battery between the jumper and "ground" i.e. it is on the 12 volt positive of the lowest trolling battery.

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    #3
    Do you know which Perko he used (is it a battery selector or a on/off cutoff switch). From the post it sounds like a battery selector and he wired the ground from the cranking battery to the "wrong" battery. The cranking ground should be connected to the post with the trolling motor ground. When that happens, if it is a selector, one side of the switch will be positive and will feed to the same trolling motor battery.
    John
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    #4
    Thank you for the replies!

    Quote Originally Posted by Jonestrollingmotor View Post
    Do you know which Perko he used (is it a battery selector or a on/off cutoff switch). From the post it sounds like a battery selector and he wired the ground from the cranking battery to the "wrong" battery. The cranking ground should be connected to the post with the trolling motor ground. When that happens, if it is a selector, one side of the switch will be positive and will feed to the same trolling motor battery.
    John
    I missed on the name, this is the battery selector that was installed: Blue Sea Red Battery Selector Switch AFD Single-Dual Battery Operation 16-128. It has the Off, 1, 2, and 1+2 settings on it. When you say the cranking ground should be connected to the post with the trolling motor ground are you referring to the post on the battery selector?

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    #5
    Thank you for the reply!

    Quote Originally Posted by billnorman1 View Post
    Hmm. This will get some responses. As far as I know, there should be jumpers between the gas filler and your starting battery negative, and if you're getting instant corrosion, a small jumper (bonding wire) between the main and trolling motor most negative.
    Let the pummeling begin. It's possible the jumper is already there and your friend added the third battery between the jumper and "ground" i.e. it is on the 12 volt positive of the lowest trolling battery.
    When you say a small bonding wire between the main and trolling motor most negative, does that mean there is a wire going from the cranking negative to a trolling motor negative? Or that it is on the 12V positive for the lowest trolling motor battery?

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    #6
    Quote Originally Posted by kill_n_grill View Post
    Thank you for the replies!



    I missed on the name, this is the battery selector that was installed: Blue Sea Red Battery Selector Switch AFD Single-Dual Battery Operation 16-128. It has the Off, 1, 2, and 1+2 settings on it. When you say the cranking ground should be connected to the post with the trolling motor ground are you referring to the post on the battery selector?
    No, there is no ground to the selector switch. You will use the trolling motor battery that feeds ground to trollingmotor. there will be a ground from that battery to the cranking battery ground. There will be a positive from the cranking battery to one of the switch post and a positive from the trolling battery positive to a switch post. Then the "common" on the switch will feed accessories and/or the cranking motor.
    John
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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Jonestrollingmotor View Post
    No, there is no ground to the selector switch. You will use the trolling motor battery that feeds ground to trollingmotor. there will be a ground from that battery to the cranking battery ground. There will be a positive from the cranking battery to one of the switch post and a positive from the trolling battery positive to a switch post. Then the "common" on the switch will feed accessories and/or the cranking motor.
    John
    This is exactly the way I think the grounds should be bonded. What makes no since to me is that MinnKota says do not do this with some of their motors. Seem to me a bonding ground like this would help against the 3 amp fuse failing and electrolysis issues by eliminating current flow from the trolling motor to the big motor as absolute ground (earth) levels would be the same voltage
    Thank You Leon Pugh

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    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Jonestrollingmotor View Post
    No, there is no ground to the selector switch. You will use the trolling motor battery that feeds ground to trollingmotor. there will be a ground from that battery to the cranking battery ground. There will be a positive from the cranking battery to one of the switch post and a positive from the trolling battery positive to a switch post. Then the "common" on the switch will feed accessories and/or the cranking motor.
    John
    Ah, understood. Thank you very much for the clarification!

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