60 amp circuit breaker required????

[jrjonesy]

I just bought a 30lb thrust Minn Kota trolling motor.....just for getting the 10 foot zodiak around small lakes.

It says you must have a circuit breaker between the motor and the 12V battery? I know you can buy these built into a battery box (power station) at Walmart. Any small trolling motor I've used in the past just got connected directly to the battery.

Any advice on this?

Is it really necessary and why?

Or are they just trying to sell another accessory?

[akyne]

I've always just hooked straight to the battery, no fuse or anything else for that matter. The guys I fish with do the same with their Minn-Kota's and we've never had a problem.

[Ozone]

Any advice on this?


Yes, install a 60amp breaker


Is it really necessary and why?


Yes, so you dont burn your boat up and fry your new motor.

[Bisonfirst]

A fuse or breaker is a measure of protection as stated above. It will prevent any fires/motor damage.

[hunterdon]

I guess he's also asking not only what could go wrong, but how. Would it be safe to say that if a person hooking up the leads to the battery would mistakenly connect the wrong leads to the wrong posts, and that could fry the motor and possibly cause a fire? In this case the fuse would disconnect the current preventing this from occurring.

[The Dude]

SIXTY AMPS?
Just get a fusible link holder for Blade-type fuses, like on a car, solder that in, and keep a couple of spares. I'm no electromathematicianarian, but 60 Amps for a trolling motor seems a little excessive. I'd look into it more. Too much fuse is almost as bad as none.

[jrjonesy]

I guess he's also asking not only what could go wrong, but how. Would it be safe to say that if a person hooking up the leads to the battery would mistakenly connect the wrong leads to the wrong posts, and that could fry the motor and possibly cause a fire? In this case the fuse would disconnect the current preventing this from occurring.

I guess that's sort of what I'm getting at. I'm pretty sure for over 30 years guys have been hooking these motors directly to their batteries. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem buying one........but what is likelihood of a failure?

Have several people experienced a failure like this?

Just don't want to be the guy that the salesman "saw coming".....

[Ozone]

Water plus electricity equals shorts. Shorts equals fried motors if they aren't fused. Would you install a car stereo without a fuse?

Is it the owners manual or the salesman thats saying 60amp? Go with what the manual says.

[Paulyman]

I'm an electrician and I say screw it. The chances of having a short circuit because of the motor are very slim, if the motor causes a short circuit then it's screwed anyhow.

[Slinky Pickle]

The bigger issue, in my mind is if the positive cable rubs against the aluminum boat and shorts through the insulation jacket. The breaker would protect the wire, not the device.

I use a 120 amp breaker/disconnect on my truck winch and just the other day I noticed that my positive cable had rubbed through against the frame. Without the protection I could have had a pretty good fire.

[sparky727]

I'm an electrician and I say screw it. The chances of having a short circuit because of the motor are very slim, if the motor causes a short circuit then it's screwed anyhow.
NOT MUCH OF A ELECTRICIAN !! recommending no protection at all is pretty dumb. weather it be a fault due to your wiring or a fault due to the motor faulting eqquals a fire!!! at least you have a chance if you have a fuse. ps I'm a electricail contractor

[bc mike]

I have a similar boat / motor setup. The battery is not grounded to the boat. I never had a breaker. In a 10 foot boat you are sitting beside the battery. If it screws up then unclip the battery. IMO Paulyman is correct.

[NaStY]

I'm an electrician and I say screw it. The chances of having a short circuit because of the motor are very slim, if the motor causes a short circuit then it's screwed anyhow.

Ya thats not very good advice at all. Sure hope you work for my competition :mrgreen:...

I would suggest like others and use a fuse. You can get water proof fuse holders fairly cheap and fuses are cheap as well. I always fused my electric motors but then again, I am a 12volt electrician.....

[NaStY]

I have a similar boat / motor setup. The battery is not grounded to the boat. I never had a breaker. In a 10 foot boat you are sitting beside the battery. If it screws up then unclip the battery. IMO Paulyman is correct.

Unless the motor shorts out inside from prolonged use and or worn out and decides to catch on fire.