I'm in the process of installing a new 24 volt Motorguide. Previous TM had a 12/24 switch and 8 gauge wiring. The manual suggested 6 gauge wires so I replaced old wiring. I'm know running into issues finding a plug to fit 6 gauge. I bought the Marinco ConnectPro but it only accepts up to 8 gauge. Any suggestions? I hate to down gauge the wire just before the receptacle. Have I over done it with the 6 gauge? With as many 24/36 Volt TM's out there, I would think having a receptacle with ability to accept larger gauge wires to be more plentiful. Many thanks!

Lots of plugs only accept 8 gauge but sell a seperate adapter that makes the plug accept 6 gauge

You are absolutely correct that 6 gauge wire is the way to go. Did you buy marine-grade tinned wire? (The strands will look silver instead of copper colored.) Bare copper doesn't do well in boats - the moisture reacts with it to create that corrosive green residue that adds resistance to the circuit causing heat and robbing power.

You hopefully did away with the 12/24 switch and are planning to wire direct 24V to the receptacle when you get the right one? What breaker does your TM model reccommend? I hope you are adding that. The jumper between batteries should be a short 6 gauge wire as well, no breaker required there.

I have a 19 year old Marinco plug still available today on my older boat - and I know 6 gauge wire readily fits it. I'll look up a part number.

Here is what's used on thousands upon thousands of 12/24V, 24V, and 36V TM connections:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Marinco-Trolling-Motor-Plug-Receptacles-Set-12-24Volt-2018BR-and-2018BP-24/170627725015?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D29947%26meid%3Dba0f04f353a5468a83d062dfb46abb48%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D180742508868&rt=nc

For 6 gauge wire, it does require that you put ring terminals on the wire end. If you are doing that, consider getting the right tool to do it, possibly borrowed free from an auto parts store. Standard hand crimpers won't do 6 gauge. Take the receptacle with you so that you buy the proper ring/lug terminal to fit the receptacle screw. For that try to get tinned lugs (silver, not bare copper). Slide heat shrink tubing onto the wire to cover most of the ring terminal.

The TM plug can be very dangerous if you do not understand it. It has 4 terminals. The way it is shipped, two of them are connected together internally with a small flat metal jumper, so you can't randomly select where to connect the + and - 24V wires without creating a dead short of your batteries! That jumper is removable; it is only used for some ways that 12/24 systems are wired. You do not need it for any single voltage system such as your 24V TM. I suggest you remove the jumper for safety by taking the plug apart with a screwdriver. You'll see it once you do.

If you are unsure of any of this, contact me for safety's sake - shorts with batteries are dangerous.

This is why I love TFF!!! Great call on the adapter! I found it on Ebay for $18. In the interim, I found a little elbow grease and it fit fine into the receptacle. It's odd that the wires for the foot control at 8 gauge.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Minn-Kota-Trolli...a6c&vxp=mtr

I did direct wire 24V with a 60 amp circuit breaker. Flippin, that is plug I'm replacing. As with most mechanical projects, the picture is starting to get a lot more clear to more questions I ask. As previously mentioned, the previous configuration was a 4 wire 12/24. Upon further inspection, I was getting a lot of the corrosion thus shorting out you mentioned. I assume this is due to the previous owner using cooper wiring. I had a great deal of difficulty finding marine grade 6 gauge wire. West Marine had to order. Cabela's is half a tank of gas away. In the interim I found it at Lowe's at half the price. What a bargain until I read you post! Went to Elliot's (awesome hardware store in the DFW area) and found all the correct silver insulated ring terminals. Short of heat shrink material, I've used liquid electrical tape on all connections. This should do me until I can get my hands on some marine wiring.

Again, thanks for the feedback.

You were curious about the TM using some 8 gauge wiring. The TM probably runs at low enough amperage that 8 gauge isn't going to overheat or cause an issue. HOWEVER, whatever the amperage is will flow with less voltage drop in the wire if flowing in heavier wire. Voltage drop for a given wire occurs "per foot" so those long runs to and from the battery add up to a lot of distance. Voltage drop robs power, just like friction robs power in an engine. This is why we prefer 6 gauge wire in the boat even if 8 would work. I will point out that a boat with 20 foot cable runs actually has a 40 foot electrical circuit. I have demonstrated the power difference on the water to quite a few people. They were amazed to see the same TM on the same boat act so differently when all we did was change the wire size used.

It sounds like you are doing the right things. You mention silver insulated ring terminals. Did you actually find/buy silver coated terminals or they are just silver in color? Silver is usually extremely expensive and for very critical applications. You also mention "insulated" which means they would have plastic cuffs. These are usually not present on terminals as large as 6 gauge. You don't really have to have plastic insulator cuffs if you are using liquid electrical tape and shrink tubing. (BTW, a great seal is to use the liquid tape, THEN cover THAT with shrink tubing. I have TM wiring on a boat I rigged that way in 1996 that has no corrosion trouble to this day.

I feel your pain on finding the right stuff - even when you know the right way to do it, materials can sometimes be hard to find with the driving around costing more than the parts. I happened upon a supplier of marine wiring materials that I have been using for a while with satisfaction. I have no interest or affiliation with them - they just have what I often need for a decent price and will ship fast and free: http://www.genuinedealz.com/ They sell everything you would have needed for the wiring, but not the receptacle/plug.

Even though I have the proper tools to crimp big lugs/terminals, I sometimes have them fabricate key cables for me. (They have commercial crimping equipment.) You can even specify what color heat shrink to use!

For people with limited tools or skills, it's possible to get them to make up a full set of marine grade TM cables for a decent price if you just make sure of the lengths needed and understand what hole size to ask for in the terminal. They make the TM battery to TM battery series jumper cables for WAY less than many stores charge for them.