Got my nice shiny new wire, now I can't find a plug!!

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cptmarvel

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jun 3, 2016
Messages
113
Minn Kota 55 Maxxum. 17 ft Lowe boat.
Minn Kota's owner manual calls for a 4 awg wire. So I got 4 awg wire. Now I can't find a plug to fit it!! Have a plug on the bow, but it only takes up to about an 8 gage. I bought 25 ft of red and 25 of black. Id really like to end up with more than a bitchin set of jumper cables for that 100 bucks. Anybody got a plug source?
 
Silvertip

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,762
Step that 4awg down to 8awg about a foot before the receptacle and you will be fine. I've had 55# Minnkotas on several boats similar to yours and never needed 4awg. Got by nicely with 8awg front to back. Typically the receptacle at the bow will be a two terminal, three terminal or four terminal. If yours is a four terminal, create a "Y" at the end of the red and black wires using 8awg wire. You then connect the two red stubs to two terminals on the receptacle and the two black stubs to the other two. Do the same thing for the mating troller plug. If the connector is a three terminal treat it as a two terminal -- you simply do not use one terminal. If you have a two terminal receptacle, just do the step down process I indicated at the beginning of this post. Don't forget the 60A breaker at the battery.
 
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cptmarvel

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jun 3, 2016
Messages
113
That sounds good. 6 gage plugs are easy to find, so would it be better if I just went that size? I did go to electrician school back in the 80's. Just wanted to follow code.
 
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fishrdan

Admiral
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Jan 25, 2008
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6,989
Check out the Marinco 12/24 plug and receptacle set. I put them on my boat and used ring terminals from the wire to receptacle, just needed to find a terminal with a ring small enough to fit in the receptacle cut-out.

I have been known to take a ring terminal to the belt sander to "make" it fit, just tin up the bare copper when done.

These might fit without issue. http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Ga-Ring-Te...kAAOSwqfNXlpRl
 
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cptmarvel

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jun 3, 2016
Messages
113
fishrdan said:
Check out the Marinco 12/24 plug and receptacle set. I put them on my boat and used ring terminals from the wire to receptacle, just needed to find a terminal with a ring small enough to fit in the receptacle cut-out.

I have been known to take a ring terminal to the belt sander to "make" it fit, just tin up the bare copper when done.

These might fit without issue. http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Ga-Ring-Te...kAAOSwqfNXlpRl
Click to expand...

How do you "tin up" the bare copper?
 
Silvertip

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,762
6awg is fine for the short step-down. Heat and apply solder. No acid core solder in electrical work -- rosin core only.
 
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