Do I need a new receptacle/plug for my trolling motor?

[grey2112]

Have a 24 volt Minn Kota 74 Riptide hooked up to 2 12volt batteries for a 24 volt system - it gets "burn your fingers" hot right after the plug and up the first 8 inches or so of the wiring going back up the shaft towards the control head. My boat/electrical guy said chances are it is in that wiring right there and after looking at the somewhat old, corroded/chincey plug receptacle (old style 3 pin with no way of twist-securing it) he said I should replace that first as well as cut out that 8 inches of wiring and rewire.

Any suggestions on a good quality, heavier duty and "lockable" twist receptacle and adapter?

 

[Jlawsen]

Re: Do I need a new receptacle/plug for my trolling motor?

Here you go: http://www.iboats.com/Marinco-DC-Co...7300253--session_id.870064566--view_id.391341

 

[grey2112]

Re: Do I need a new receptacle/plug for my trolling motor?

Here you go: http://www.iboats.com/Marinco-DC-Co...7300253--session_id.870064566--view_id.391341

I have three wires coming out the motor head, down the cable, and terminating in the female plug which has three holes, which match up to three male pins in the bow-mounted receptacle.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Do I need a new receptacle/plug for my trolling motor?

If there are three wires in the cable FROM the trolling motor you have a dual voltage (12 or 24 volt) motor. If it were a straight 12 volt only or 24 volt only motor it would have only two wires. Somewhere on the foot pedal there should be a 12/24 selector switch. Doesn't matter regarding the connector -- if it's bad it needs replacement.

 

[grey2112]

Re: Do I need a new receptacle/plug for my trolling motor?

If there are three wires in the cable FROM the trolling motor you have a dual voltage (12 or 24 volt) motor. If it were a straight 12 volt only or 24 volt only motor it would have only two wires. Somewhere on the foot pedal there should be a 12/24 selector switch. Doesn't matter regarding the connector -- if it's bad it needs replacement.

There is no foot pedal. I bought the boat used and it came with the trolling motor already set up, but it had no foot pedal included. As such, would I simply need to disconnect one of the wires, get a two-wire plug/receptacle and go that route?

From the control head there are two red and two black wires heading into the cable running down towards the plug. Somewhere along the way by the time it ends at the plug there is one black wire, one yellow wire, and one light blue wire ending up terminating at the plug head which has three holes. Am I to assume that the blue wire is for an accessory (the foot pedal) and can simply be snipped and terminated? Black would be neutral and yellow positive? Then I could just use a two-wire plug/receptacle like this one?

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...toreNum=50523&subdeptNum=50566&classNum=50570

Or this one which looks even better?

http://batterytender.com/marine/battery-connector-black.html

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Do I need a new receptacle/plug for my trolling motor?

Let's start over. You have a MinnKota RipTide. Is this a tiller steered motor? In other words does it have a handle on it that you steer with and twist to control speeds? If that's the case, then you don't have or need a food pedal because the motor is directly connected to the power source via the plug and receptacle. I'm confused however over the wiring of the cable from the plug to the motor. But NO. The third wire is not an AUXILIARY for anything. I've not seen every troller on the planet and I am not familiar with the wiring you describe. 24 volt systems can be two, three or four wires between the batteries and the receptacle on the boat. If your motor is truly just a 24 volt there is no need for three wires unless Minnkota had some creative wiring scheme. I'm bowing out of this one as I simply don't have a clue what you have going on.