50 amp breaker replacement

Socal Pat

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Nov 1, 2009
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So when I converted to a 24volt trolling motor I had the shop put in upgraded wires and a 50 amp self-resetting breaker. Now, after a couple of years the breaker is dropping out when I run the trolling motor too high (80%) for any length of time. It resets within 1 minute. Soooooo question is this something I can get at a Fry's Electronic or other warehouse or is it a marine specialty item?
 

UncleWillie

Captain
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Oct 18, 2011
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3,995
Re: 50 amp breaker replacement

A breaker is a breaker.

Are you sure the trolling motor isn't going bad and pulling more than 50 amps?
What make/Model of trolling motor is it?

Before blindly replacing parts, be sure you are replacing the correct parts.
 

Socal Pat

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Nov 1, 2009
Messages
137
Re: 50 amp breaker replacement

Motor is a Minnkota Terrova 80 and only 2 years old. Their tech dept said it is most likely a power supply problem. For $5 or $6 a new breaker will be the end of the diagnostic trail. If this isn't it then the motor is indeed the problem.
 

UncleWillie

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3,995
Re: 50 amp breaker replacement

An 80# trolling motor can be expected to draw 40 Amps ,More or Less, on a 24 volt system.
You may be running the 50 amp breaker a little too close to its trip point which is also a more or less quantity.

40 Amps and more, and 50 amps and less, and the breaker trips after a period of time.

The breaker should be rated to match the gauge of wire attached to it, not the equipment on the end of the wire.
A larger breaker may be indicated. 50 amp is about right for 8ga. What gauge wire was used?
 

Socal Pat

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Nov 1, 2009
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137
Re: 50 amp breaker replacement

A friend of mine looked up the tech data for my motor and Minnkota shows the Terrova 80 24v as pulling a max of 57 amps. You are right on the wire. When I had this installed I went by the recommendations I had read here on this forum and asked for the 8gauge and 50 amp breaker.

The friend who has been helping me is an EE and suggested just upgrading to 6 gauge and a 60 amp breaker. I intend to recarpet the boat after this next winter and that would be a perfect time to rewire. Your question about how many amps the motor is actually drawing is for sure worth checking out. We have made a set of probes to insert into the wires and will do a run-til-it-fails test and see what the amp draw looks like just before cutting out.
 

NYBo

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Oct 23, 2008
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7,107
Re: 50 amp breaker replacement

For safety's sake, I strongly recommend you not use an auto-resetting breaker. Picture this: The motor stops running in the middle of a patch of weeds. Unbeknownst to you, the breaker has popped. You pull up the motor, forgetting to switch the motor off. You start to clean off the weeds and the breaker resets itself. Unless you fancy the title, "Pat of the Nine Fingers"...:eek:
 

ondarvr

Supreme Mariner
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Apr 6, 2005
Messages
11,527
Re: 50 amp breaker replacement

I have the same motor, I use a 60 amp fuse and holder from Napa, about $10 for everything, even the extra fuses. Never tripped yet. They have fuse holders with 6 and 8 gauge wire.
 

Socal Pat

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 1, 2009
Messages
137
Re: 50 amp breaker replacement

For safety's sake, I strongly recommend you not use an auto-resetting breaker. Picture this: The motor stops running in the middle of a patch of weeds. Unbeknownst to you, the breaker has popped. You pull up the motor, forgetting to switch the motor off. You start to clean off the weeds and the breaker resets itself. Unless you fancy the title, "Pat of the Nine Fingers"...:eek:

Fortunately with this motor when it resets it is always in the off mode. You have to ask it to power up.
 

Socal Pat

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 1, 2009
Messages
137
Re: 50 amp breaker replacement

I have the same motor, I use a 60 amp fuse and holder from Napa, about $10 for everything, even the extra fuses. Never tripped yet. They have fuse holders with 6 and 8 gauge wire.

I swung by NAPA and they didn't have anything greater than 40 amps. Do you have a NAPA part number? Thanks a million.
 

ondarvr

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
11,527
Re: 50 amp breaker replacement

Did you ask at the counter, they weren't on a rack, well the fuses were, but the holder was in the back.
 

Socal Pat

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Nov 1, 2009
Messages
137
Re: 50 amp breaker replacement

Hey guys, just wanted to follow up on the results in case anyone dredges up this thread doing a search. A new 60 amp 30volt breaker from autoZone cured the problem. Ran the heck out of it today with no problems.
 
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