New to me Crestliner VT17 and in the process of rigging etc for my style of fishing. Replacing the trolling motor and noticed 2 reds and 1 black going to the receptacle I'm replacing. Adding a graph(possibly 2) up front.
Can I piggy off of one of the positives? I've run 24 volt systems on other boats and didn't have 2 positive wires at the receptacle.
Or do I just need to run a another set?
You are likely looking at 12/24 volt wiring. Older boats had this to accommodate 12/24 volt trolling motors. If wired appropriately to two 12 v batteries, one red would be 12v and the other would be 24.
Not sure what all you are trying to do but if you are installing a new 24 volt TM, you only need the 24 V positive (red) and the ground (black). The 12v red should be discarded. You can't use it for anything else. I would guess the size of that wiring might be too small for some of the newer motors... though maybe not given the length of your boat. Me? I would pull the old wiring with a follower tied on so that I could pull back a new appropriately sized pair of wires for my new TM.
If you do that, you will need to make a jumper of the same size wire to make your parallel connection between your two batteries.
1994 201 Champ re-powered with a 250 HO G2 E250LHAFA 05438419
Run a dedicated source, I use the Sea Clear wiring harness on every rigging job
I appreciate the info. The boat is a Crestliner VT17. I'm thinking I can use my 55# Terrova without issues due to my general style of fishing (fly/light tackle stripers). Realized I have a fused accessory line unused for the graph up front I plan on installing. Both batteries were 2013 and even with long trickle charging still show SUL. The wires are taped from factory and are #6. May just cap one off and roll. I plan on adding a new trolling motor battery as well as a dedicated graph/acc battery in the back bay. I got the boat for super cheap from an older friend of mine and it's size is perfect for the lake with my boys.Originally Posted by 86 inches
I have the same boat, 2013. When I had just one graph up front, I used the factory wires. When I went to 2 graphs up front I pulled new wire to the console added a fuse block and pulled wire from the block to my two console graphs and two front graphs. You will be fine with the trolling motor wires from the factory. If you are using a 12 volt troller, just dont use one of the positive wires. Make sure they are not both connected in back and pick one red and the black and hook it up. My vt is using the factory wires on a 36 volt Fortrex and been good for a couple years. Good luck.
Hoping the 55# will work for it. Guess we shall see. Pretty jazzed up about the boat. I have a 24# on the pontoon that I may switch to if I feel the need.
That looks different than mine, but been a while since I have been under there. Is that the wires for the graphs or troller?
It's in the bundle going to the bow trim switch. These are the #6 trolling motor wires.
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Where'd you mount graphs? Bow and console? Any pictures?
Thanks
O.K. You can use whichever red wire matches the voltage requirement of your trolling motor. Sonars are sensitive to voltage spikes and/or pulses and the motor on a T/M and the chopper circuit used on most of them sends these spikes back into the battery source wiring. Hence, we "pros" don't like the T/M and sonar to share wiring.
You'll have a red wire left over. You can find the source, move it to the main battery, add a new black ground wire to the bow and have a good source for anything at the bow that runs off 12 volts. Another benefit is, this source should have almost no voltage drop due to the size of the wiring. Due to the size of the wiring you should add a circuit breaker at the + source battery.
Thank you sir
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