I was out last weekend and after using my trolling motor for only a few minutes it quit working completely. No breaker was tripped. Batteries had been fully charged the night before. It's all new and I have not had any problems until then. After getting home that day I was very tired so I didn't look into it. I just washed the boat and put it back in the storage. Now today I go get the boat again because we are going out fishing tomorrow. Thought I would take a closer look at things. I looked more closely in the compartment and notice a cable that goes to the trolling motor (up front) was not connected to anything. It was just hanging down between the 2 batteries. That is why I overlooked it last weekend. If you haven't guessed, I'm a first time boat owner and don't know much about even the simplest things.
My question is concerning the way these cables should be connected. I will try and explain the way it is and hopefully someone can tell me if it's right or not. By the way, I had some work done on the boat, electrical stuff, so I am thinking the dealer unhooked the cable and just failed to hook it back up. Anyway, I have 3 cables coming from the bow area of the boat where the motor is mounted. 2 red (positive) and 1 black (negative). There is one red one going to the positive terminal on battery number 1. The second red cable was the one that was not hooked up so I hooked it up to the positive post of battery number 2. The black cable is connected to the negative post of battery number 1. There is one other black cable, a short jumper, that goes from the negative posts between both batteries. Is that the way it is supposed to be hooked up? (The red cable that is labeled battery number 2 was the one that the dealer left unhooked and dangling - I put it on battery number 2 myself) I hope this is clear enough for someone to visualize and understand so you can tell me if it's right or not. By the way however, once I hooked up that 2nd red cable to battery number 2, the motor still does not work so I either have it hooked up wrong or there is something else wrong either with the motor or maybe the connector where it's plugged in. Thanks for any help you might be able to give me.

is this a 12v or 24v system ?
what TM do you have..
is this new or have you changed TM's ?

Never overlook the obvious. My first day with my new Skeeter, my Motorguide 109 stopped working. Based on experiences in the past I assumed I'd tripped a breaker. Partner and spent a few minutes checking breakers, etc. Then I found a power switch on the side of the foot pedal. I had mistakenly kicked it into the off position.

I've done it many times since but now I know what to look for. Make sure you haven't hit a switch on the motor.

As far as your wiring description goes, You described wiring in parallel (neg to neg jumper) and that only increases the capacity, not the volts.

If it's a 24V motor, the jumper should be batt 1 neg to batt 2 pos.

http://midlandsstriperclub.homestead.com/24vTM_wiring.jpg

try this link, may clear things up

http://bbcboards.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=146546&postid=1334167

Hmmmm. If I am reading that diagram correctly then, the one red cable from the trolling motor that was dangling unconnected was left that way intentionally all along and all that is used (coming from the motor) is the one other red and the black ground? I will have to look at it again.
My motor is a 24v MotorGuide 71 lb thrust Great White. I don't have a foot control so there is no switch that I could accidentally turn off. Just the control for forward and reverse speeds on the handle.
Thanks.

should be hooked up like the daigrams shown. Hot from one battery, neg from the other to the plug. jump the unused pos and neg.... "should work" only other wiring problem could be the wires from the battery into the boat plug there are three or four connections, but if you did not mess with that and it was working before, that should not be the problem. just make sure all connections are tight and clean. If you have a multi-meter or voltmeter, make sure you have 24v at the boat plug. if you do problem is in the TM

Thank you very much. I have the batteries hooked up properly now (again) and I am getting the 24v at the plug but the motor still doesn't work so at least I know where the problem is centered and it is under warranty. Thanks again for the help.

Trolling motor is working again. I just had a faulty breaker. Replaced and now good as new. Had the bent prop repaired also and just got it back. Looks like new. Baumann's does great work.