Wiring question

[RUGER]

Ok so I am going to replace the wires running from my battery to my trolling motor plug in.
Few weeks ago the wires I had used (extension cord) burned up due to being too small.

I was hooking up the breakers in my shop the other day and wondered, why couldn't I use a piece of the wire I have left over that I used to wire my shop?
They are 12/2.
Why wouldn't that work?

 

[Spurhunter]

12/2 will be too small. What size trolling motor are you using and is it a 12, 24, or 36 volt? You can get away with 12 in your shop because AC current doesn't use the amps that DC does. DC current draws a lot more amps. My 70 pound thrust has a 50A breaker at the battery. Minn Kota recommends size 10 wire for a 30 pound thrust motor only 5 feet away from the battery. Using that example, your size12 wire would be way too small for a bigger motor 12 feet from the battery. Keep in mind, the larger the distance from battery to motor, the bigger the wire required.

 

[Spurhunter]

This is a handy guide for sizing your wires:

https://www.minnkotamotors.com/sites/minnkotamotors_site/files/min_productmanual_batt-wire-selct-gde1.pdf

 

[RUGER]

Interesting.
So would 10/2 work? I have some of that too.

 

[RUGER]

OH and my trolling motor is a 12V and somewhere around 40# can't remember right off.

 

[waynesworld]

Ruger how much do you need I have some extra wire that I used to run some batteries together. If you want to txt me I will see if I have enough. 6154283262

 

[Spurhunter]

Interesting.
So would 10/2 work? I have some of that too.

IF your battery is very close to your 40 pound thrust motor and you only need 5 feet of wire it would work, but it's borderline and most of the time 5 feet of wire isn't enough. Spend some of that big money and go buy some wire.

 

[RUGER]

Ruger how much do you need I have some extra wire that I used to run some batteries together. If you want to txt me I will see if I have enough. 6154283262

Thanks man, that is awful nice of you.
I will lay a tape measure to it this afternoon and see how far it actually is.

 

[RUGER]

Spend some of that big money and go buy some wire.

LOL
I guess I just like "piddlin" with stuff too much.

 

[cbhunter]

When it comes to hooking up to your battery, stranded wire would be easier to work with vs solid copper.

 

[hammer33]

Fork out the cash and buy the right wire. Try and get tinned copper stranded wire in the correct size. The insulation will hold up better and the tinning will help keep the wire from corroding inside the insulation. My electrician told me that the electrons run on the surface of the wire so stranded wire can run more current. I quit using crimp connectors years ago and now have ALMOST no problems with my boat wiring. solder and shrink tube are your friends. Good luck and go catch some fish !!

 

[Spurhunter]

Fork out the cash and buy the right wire. Try and get tinned copper stranded wire in the correct size. The insulation will hold up better and the tinning will help keep the wire from corroding inside the insulation. My electrician told me that the electrons run on the surface of the wire so stranded wire can run more current. I quit using crimp connectors years ago and now have ALMOST no problems with my boat wiring. solder and shrink tube are your friends. Good luck and go catch some fish !!

Great advice. I hate crimp connectors on anything.

 

[WTM]

tinned marine grade wire is only a dollar a foot. most marine grade wire is 90-105 deg C wire. that 12 or 10 awg nm cable is only rated for 60 deg C. thats 140 deg F. put that boat out in 90 degree weather and your already over half of the insulation heat rating and pump 50 amps thru it and your already getting close to insulation breakdown.

the smaller the awg you try to use and that trolling motor will compensate the voltage drop with a higher amp draw.

current draw on a 12v system is equivalent to the TM ft-lbs rating.

use the minkota guide, its designed for 3% voltage drop which keeps the end voltage near battery output voltage. i also use 3% for electronics.

 

[cbhunter]

tinned marine grade wire is only a dollar a foot. most marine grade wire is 90-105 deg C wire. that 12 or 10 awg nm cable is only rated for 60 deg C. thats 140 deg F. put that boat out in 90 degree weather and your already over half of the insulation heat rating and pump 50 amps thru it and your already getting close to insulation breakdown.

the smaller the awg you try to use and that trolling motor will compensate the voltage drop with a higher amp draw.

current draw on a 12v system is equivalent to the TM ft-lbs rating.

use the minkota guide, its designed for 3% voltage drop which keeps the end voltage near battery output voltage. i also use 3% for electronics.

C'mon know it all, Ruger don't speak rocket science

 

[RUGER]

C'mon know it all, Ruger don't speak rocket science

Yep

 

[FTG-05]

I wouldn't use solid wire for vehicle applications. I would be worried about the vibration, fretting and cracking of the wires. 12vdc wire is cheap.

Don't be cheap; it makes us look bad.

 

[WTM]

C'mon know it all, Ruger don't speak rocket science

i tried to dumb it down all i could, lol. i know a thing or two about ac and dc supplies.

i think it was Ruger who asked, how does the interweb stay up for 7 hours after some ahole tries to blow it up and the utilities cut gas and power:

battries my friend

 

[Popcorn]

My electrician told me that the electrons run on the surface of the wire so stranded wire can run more current.

This!!!

Stranded wire equals more efficient delivery with less battery load, less heat, less amp drop. And yes electricity travels on the surface of the wire not thru it. Like pine needles have more surface than leaves stranded wire has far more surface than solid.

 

[Blackdog]

I did the same thing to my boat when I went to a 24v trolling motor. I installed 6 AWG stranded tinned marine wire from www.tinnedmarinewire.com. Also bought/installed the lug post connectors and heat shrink tubing. I wanted to go bigger than needed to avoid anything burning up while on the water.

 

[RUGER]

Don't be cheap; it makes us look bad.

Well I went ahead and dug up a couple jars and forced myself to get a 10 spot out and purchased some #6 AWG yesterday.
Just so I wouldn't make ya'll look bad.