Holy Grail of Trolling Motor Plugs

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

Thanks to another user on here I have found the Holy Grail of trolling motor plugs. I literally melt 1 or 2 trolling motor plugs per year while bowfishing.

I started with this type and it is the worst of the bunch. It is the worse of the 3 that I've tried. I could melt one of these in a couple of trips.


Then I went to this type. Name brand Marinco. This one lasted one full season. I think this was the 3rd one.


Then the Heavens opened up and the Angels starting singing "Battery Tender". I so I did some learnin' on the Battery Tender trolling motor plug and ordered one. Man, this thing is built like a tank and it's rated for 100 Amps. I got it installed this weekend and so far I think this is going to be the end all be all for my plug issues. Not sure how I missed this thing over the years of Internetting....but I did.

More about the plug: https://products.batterytender.com/Accessories/Power-Connect-Battery-Connector-Set-Black.html

Got it installed....


Bad plug robbing you of power!!!
If you have bad connections like a melt or loose fitting plug, it is robbing you of power and potentinally damage your trolling motor. I could instantly tell the perform difference of my motor once switching from the bad plug to the new Batter Tender plug.

 

[WALI4VR]

I've had the first style in my boat, 24 volt system, and approaching 20 years and have yet to have a single problem. That includes running both bow mount and transom motors together most of the day. Is it possible you have a resistance problem somewhere in your wiring system?

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

I've had the first style in my boat, 24 volt system, and approaching 20 years and have yet to have a single problem. That includes running both bow mount and transom motors together most of the day. Is it possible you have a resistance problem somewhere in your wiring system?

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Bowfishing during the day I run my motor at 50% to 100% full power non-stop until the batteries are dead, some days I'll go through two sets of batteries. I have 8 gauge wire from the plug to the batteries under the foward helm with a 50 amp breaker. It's the plug that always melts. I don't think those plugs are meant to stand up to that kind of abuse.

 

[JoshKeller]

Never had an issue running 36 volts to a marinco plug fighting heavy currents all day. Do you have an inline breaker? Possibly those 8 gauge cables not carrying enough juice for the length of the run, and getting hot enough at the plug joint to melt?

 

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

It's the plug. That's where the heat is building. It's 8 gauge wire making a 5 or 6ft run with a 50AMP breaker. Everything checks out. I've owned two boats and melted multiple plugs on both during bowfishing season.

 

[wmk0002]

It's the plug. That's where the heat is building. It's 8 gauge wire making a 5 or 6ft run with a 50AMP breaker. Everything checks out. I've owned two boats and melted multiple plugs on both during bowfishing season.

What voltage is your trolling motor? If it was a higher thrust 12V I could see that happening. I guess it still could with 24V but unless you had a 110lb thrust or greater motor the amps would be lower.

 

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

I've melted multiple plugs on one boat with a 12V 55# and multiple plugs on another boat with 24V 75# and 24V 80#.

 

[flex]

Thanks to another user on here I have found the Holy Grail of trolling motor plugs. I literally melt 1 or 2 trolling motor plugs per year while bowfishing.

I started with this type and it is the worst of the bunch. It is the worse of the 3 that I've tried. I could melt one of these in a couple of trips.
View attachment 2

Then I went to this type. Name brand Marinco. This one lasted one full season. I think this was the 3rd one.
View attachment 1

Then the Heavens opened up and the Angels starting singing "Battery Tender". I so I did some learnin' on the Battery Tender trolling motor plug and ordered one. Man, this thing is built like a tank and it's rated for 100 Amps. I got it installed this weekend and so far I think this is going to be the end all be all for my plug issues. Not sure how I missed this thing over the years of Internetting....but I did.

More about the plug: https://products.batterytender.com/Accessories/Power-Connect-Battery-Connector-Set-Black.html

Got it installed....


Bad plug robbing you of power!!!
If you have bad connections like a melt or loose fitting plug, it is robbing you of power and potentinally damage your trolling motor. I could instantly tell the perform difference of my motor once switching from the bad plug to the new Batter Tender plug.

Off topic, but what brand is that "seadeck" stuff you've got? Have been trying to find camo.

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

 

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

Thanks to another user on here I have found the Holy Grail of trolling motor plugs. I literally melt 1 or 2 trolling motor plugs per year while bowfishing.

I started with this type and it is the worst of the bunch. It is the worse of the 3 that I've tried. I could melt one of these in a couple of trips.
View attachment 4

Then I went to this type. Name brand Marinco. This one lasted one full season. I think this was the 3rd one.
View attachment 3

Then the Heavens opened up and the Angels starting singing "Battery Tender". I so I did some learnin' on the Battery Tender trolling motor plug and ordered one. Man, this thing is built like a tank and it's rated for 100 Amps. I got it installed this weekend and so far I think this is going to be the end all be all for my plug issues. Not sure how I missed this thing over the years of Internetting....but I did.

More about the plug: https://products.batterytender.com/Accessories/Power-Connect-Battery-Connector-Set-Black.html

Got it installed....


Bad plug robbing you of power!!!
If you have bad connections like a melt or loose fitting plug, it is robbing you of power and potentinally damage your trolling motor. I could instantly tell the perform difference of my motor once switching from the bad plug to the new Batter Tender plug.

Off topic, but what brand is that "seadeck" stuff you've got? Have been trying to find camo.

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

https://www.seadek.com/

Another look at it
View attachment 1

 

[flex]

Oh, it is actual brand sea dek. Was hoping there was a knockoff by now! Several, just not camo.

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[Jim]

Oh, it is actual brand sea dek. Was hoping there was a knockoff by now! Several, just not camo.

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

How about HydroTurf from Board sponsor PWC. They will give you 15% discount if your a member here.

 

[Jim]

Sorry for derailing thread!

 

[flex]

Oh, it is actual brand sea dek. Was hoping there was a knockoff by now! Several, just not camo.

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

How about HydroTurf from Board sponsor PWC. They will give you 15% discount if your a member here.

Will give it a look! Also. I'm ordering the trolling motor plug from the OP.

Sent from my HTC One M9 using Tapatalk

 

[nowgrn4]

You won't melt these.

$5-$6 a piece lot's of places.

 

[skipper123]

Now your talking, that flat plug is what I use never even warms up. I melted all the plugs made for trolling motors as well as the big foot switches two a year. And yea I know wire sizing and over size everything. If you want to see what she will do troll upstream in the Savanna river current dragging large striper lures for about six hours on high speed with a 12 volt 55lb motor. That will give the electrical system for the trolly motor a serious test. The weak link will fail or melt. Mine was the plug and big foot switch every time. #6 copper wire straight off the battery with electrical lugs would carry the load and not heat up but the plug could not handle it. Finally took out the plug and switch and straight wired it with the 60 amp cir cute breaker at the battery. Problem solved never had trouble after that.

 

[mbweimar]

Riverbottom, how's your plug holding up? I just got mine installed.

 

[RiverBottomOutdoors]

Riverbottom, how's your plug holding up? I just got mine installed.

Haven't had a chance to really put it to the test. I'll find out what it's made of in a few weeks when the water warms up and the bowfishing starts. I really like how it screws/locks in. And when's it's locked it's solid as a rock.

After a about 5 trips of regular/normal fishing use I haven't seen anything about it that I don't like.

 

[tomme boy]

If you are melting the plugs you need to upsize your wire. I run 6ga. welding cable on my boat with a 80lb 24v Terrova and never have a problem. I run my trolling motor at about 50-75% all day. I fish the main river channel of the Mississippi River trolling up river. Get the Ranger style or the flat style on the first page. I am also running 4 group 29 batteries to increase the capacity also.

 

[olefart]

I went with the Anderson plugs, that nowgrn4 on page one mentioned, with all my12 volt electric hoists, winches, and tongue jacks on my trailers. These plugs never even warm up.
I have these on my tractor, at my receiver hitches, front and rear, at the batteries themselves, my van has one in front and one in the back.
So now I have quick and safe plug-in 12volts with 50 amps of power available at many locations, I also change out the clamps on 6 ga jumper cables to the Anderson plugs on both ends to make a 50 amp 12 volt extension cord/jumper cables for portable winches.
They can be quite handy to use if you standardize all your power sucking 12 volt electric gizmos to these plugs.
Also chance are your "friends" wont be borrowing your tools, cause they wont have the right plug to use. Just think of the money you will save not having your buddies forget where they got their new tools from. lol

 

[natemoen]

You won't melt these.

$5-$6 a piece lot's of places.

+1 from me. Anderson Connectors are the best thing there is really. I even have all my electronics set up with the smaller 15amp connectors and have plugs all over the boat to plug in anything I want to them.

I even have a plug on the front and the back of my pickup (175 amp connector) and have a set of jumper cables with it on it as well. Easy to jump people, don't even have to pop the hood. Also works for other electronic stuff like winches and whatnot.

This plug is also pretty much the standard plug for all amateur radio stuff.

www.powerwerx.com If you want to see what all there is out there for them.