Trolling motor plug wiring question, it doesn't add up

[Hydrilla]

I bought a 12V plug from BPS that according to the packaging is rated for 50 amps. My trolling motor pulls 39 amps and recommends recommends 6 gauge wire from the receptacle back to the battery, and a 50 amp manual reset circuit breaker. Here's what doesn't make sense to me- the wire that goes to the receptacle is 8 gauge wire, which according to the wire you can buy from the hardware store is rated for 40 amps. 6 gauge wire is rated for 50 amps. So it seems that even if the plug is rated for 50, because of the 8 gauge wire being a weaker link, it's actually rated for 40 amps. All that just to ask if you think I'd be ok for my wiring going back to the battery to be 8 gauge wire? If so, should I use a 40 amp inline circuit breaker, since 50 amps could fry 40 amp rated wire?

I know I'm probably overthinking this, I just don't want to create a fire hazard.

 

[1436delta]

BIGGER IS ALWAYS BETTER :mrgreen: I THINK THAT THE BIGGER WIRE HANDLES THE AMPS BETTER THE FARTHER IT HAS TO GO LIKE 14FT

 

[Hydrilla]

I understand, but the way the plug is made, there's no way to get rid of the short length of 8 gauge that is attached to the plug. So do I just continue with 8 gauge or run 6 gauge... Kind of doesn't make sense to me to run 6 when there is a segment of 8, but again maybe I'm not thinking about it correctly.

 

[1436delta]

THE 6 IS CARRYING THE AMPS TO THE 8 ! THE 8 GAUGE IS NOT BIG ENOUGH TO CARRY THE AMPS THAT FAR :wink:

 

[Hydrilla]

Ah, so it's a matter of distance, eh? Clearly I forgot everything the Army taught me in Basic Electronics :mrgreen:

THE 6 IS CARRYING THE AMPS TO THE 8 ! THE 8 GAUGE IS NOT BIG ENOUGH TO CARRY THE AMPS THAT FAR :wink:

 

[Bush Hawg]

Wiring guage chart
https://bestboatwire.com/catalog/includes/languages/english/wire_gauge_chart.html

Basicly the longer the length of wire the heavier the guage needs to be, the 1 foot of 8 guage won't hurt

 

[Hydrilla]

Awesome link, thanks!!

 

[Bush Hawg]

Also here's a link to good cheap marine wire. Rewired my boat last year with it, and now my buddy who builds bikes uses him too https://genuinedealz.com/