Wiring first boat, 93 bass tracker tx17

[Bass Tracker 93]

I got a 93 Bass Tracker 17tx and gutted it. I am trying to plan out my electrical layout. I've watched quite a few you tube videos to study up and gotten ideas from tiny boat nation, Anthony Jones, put em Down etc, and have done other research on vendor websites. Please look at my layout and tell me if its ok. Some of it may be overkill with the circuit breakers but I want to be safe. I haven't labeled the gauge of the wires but I will make sure they are thick enough but not too thick and have the appropriate sized fuses. Feedback, tips, website recommendations welcome.

 

[MrGiggles]

That's a pretty complicated setup and you've done well laying it all out.

I'm of the opinion that simpler is better, if it were mine, I would consider isolating the cranking/trolling batteries and eliminating the battery switch. But I'm sure you have reasons for keeping them together.

 

[InSaneFisherMan]

SI-ACR has two separate 60a circuit breakers going to + and 1a fuse for -. Not sure what this unit is, but a fuse on - side is unusually. There is no - wire from cranking battery to SI-ACR.

Didn't see stern/anchor lights or wiring to any guages.

If you connect your trolling motor to the negative bus bar on fuse panel, the fuse panel bus bar, wire from battery to bus bar and to TM will have to rated above 40a.

There is no - wire from cranking battery to - bus bar, so nothing on cranking battery would work.

Some battery switches have a both setting, this setting would put cranking battery and DC batteries in parallel, not a good idea.

Great start!

 

[Bass Tracker 93]

Thank you catching those issues, I will redraw and post an update in a few days.

The SI ACR is a start isolation automatic charging relay. I think it's supposed to control the amperage jump when starting the motor so I won't have to worry about which position my battery switch is in and overloading my components. Also the wiring diagram for it only doesn't have a negative wire running to it, only a 2 amp ground with fuse. I will triple check though...may be overkill.

I'll have to figure out how to better wire the trolling motor.

 

[Bass Tracker 93]

I haven't seen a video on the cranking battery and deep cycle (in parallel) being wired together as a bad idea in a certain switch position. Good to know. Videos I watched said they do this for extra juice if needed to start. If you have a website or video explaining this I would appreciate that.

 

[onthewater102]

https://www.minnkotamotors.com/support/trolling-motor-installation-guides/trolling-motor-wiring-and-battery-guide?miwg

that is their guide to wire sizing for various trolling motor power factors depending on the distance following the path taken by the wire between the ends of the wire leads that come on the trolling motor to the battery position in your boat.

 

[InSaneFisherMan]

I haven't seen a video on the cranking battery and deep cycle (in parallel) being wired together as a bad idea in a certain switch position. Good to know. Videos I watched said they do this for extra juice if needed to start. If you have a website or video explaining this I would appreciate that.

From quick research the Si-ARC puts all batteries in parallel for charging and isolates the staring battery from house batteries while discharging. Uses starting for starter and house for everything else. So there should not be any issues with start/house in parallel. Some units are wired to a start circuit.

With batteries wired in parallel, the battery with the lowest internal resistance is going to charge/discharge the most, so most recommendations are to use idential batteries made around the same time.

 

[InSaneFisherMan]

I haven't seen a video on the cranking battery and deep cycle (in parallel) being wired together as a bad idea in a certain switch position. Good to know. Videos I watched said they do this for extra juice if needed to start. If you have a website or video explaining this I would appreciate that.

Kind of understand the SI-ARC.
With engine off.
Battery switch Position 1, SI-ARC parallel disconnected: would be connected to start battery only. Good for emergency but bad for start battery when using trolling motor.
Battery switch Position 2, SI-ARC parallel disconnected: would be connected to house batteries only. Good for trolling motor.

Engine on.
Battery switch Position 1 or 2, SI-ARC parallel connected: all batteries in parallel for charging.

Note, Some fish finders get interference from trolling motor when connected to same battery.

Not sure if the + output from motor to output of battery switch will interfere with SI-ARC operations. Engine on; Switch Position 1 will put 13.2v to the stater battery side, house batteries would be 12.7 and under. Eventually the SI-ARC would use voltage drops or starter sense line to connecte all batteries in parallel. Switch position 2 would be opposite.