I've got it. Now if you don't have an internal transducer is it o.k. to have the neg.'s permanently connected together between the (starting battery) and the (trolling motor battery that is the neg.) during 24v operation.

yes

Hmmmmm,,, OK my electrical friends..... If you only had 24 Vdc on the front of the boat how would you hook - up a 998 without running new wires ? Can you hook-up your 1198 in the console with two batteries that are hooked in series ? Just curious, I've always got a lot of good advise from TFF. Thanks
In the drawing above, pull the jumpers totally from battery #1 and keep the switch for emergencys only. IMO

Most always run new wires to get the 12V. Best to run all the way back to the source (starting battery) instead of to main power at the console. The depthfinder is not supposed to be connected to 24V.

This is how my perko switch was wired by my dealer, SaltyDawg88. I have a three bank charger wired to each battery (not shown in the diagram). I believe the main difference between my diagram and yours, other than not showing my charger wires, is that my switch is wired to a different battery in the 24v line-up.



I'm not an electric expert, and I suspect there may be a reason why they tied my switch to the one they did because they told me not to change it when I replaced batteries later. It has worked for me for over ten years. I use my switch to jump start if I run my starting battery down with livewell and gps accessory usage.

Several additional comments...

I remember my dealer said they mainly wired this switch set-up for their bay boats, but began doing it for competition bass boats where time can be critical when a battery gets low and it's last-minute time to start and head back to weigh-in.

This is where my switch has paid off, just 15-30 seconds to make a jump and no fumbling with jumper cables. One time, with a high wind blowing the boat toward rip-rap, the set-up was priceless to quickly restart while rolling about when my starting battery just barely clicked the stater.

Insure your wires are adequate to handle a switched jump concept. I notice that my dealer used wires like the ones going from the starting battery to the motor.

I also remember my dealer said they used the Perko brand switch "in particular" because its contacts transition (remain engaged momentarily) as you dial between batteries. Apparently an outboard motor's electronics are impacted if there are complete on-off cycles instead of transitions.

My system does not have the Minnkota US2 circuit mentioned in other posts.

Maybe some of the electrical engineering types can weigh in on whether any of this is still important. I'm repeating things mentioned to me over ten years ago.

Thanks for all the feed back guys. Ray we have the excat same battery config. Your drawing is just better. I have run this config for the last 3 weeks with no issues. I do have a MK Terrova with the US2. I would only use the switch to pull power form the second battery in an emergency.. like Ray said drifting towards rocks adn I gotta go in that point I would disconnect my Front FF that is connected to the US2 on the MK and disconnect the 24v Power cable from the trolling motor in the front. If any of you guys could show me a document from MK or HB that states to not do this wiring config then I will not do it. I have not found one.

I have disconnected the ground jumper from the main battery to the TM battery and it can be connected in a seconds notice. However I think I am going back to the original config as I would rather have the safety of having power from both battery in an emergency situation... even if I have to chance the US2 being burned up.

Our "diagram" connections are different. Yours shows your switch connected to a different battery in the 24v lineup.

I think from reading some of the other comments, connecting to that particular battery is a concern. Re-read the comment from Jones Trolling Motor (#6361508 - 07-03-2011 03:54 PM).

24v pos === + Batt B - === + Batt A - === 24v neg

Of the two batteries in the 24v lineup, it appears your diagram shows your switch wiring is using +/- on battery B, while my switch wiring is using +/- on battery A. Battery A is the ground side of the trolling motor voltage.

I think Jones is trying to tell you that connecting to the wrong battery in that pair may cause a short. I believe that explains why my dealer warned me to be careful and not change my connections if I replaced my trolling batteries.

Hopefully, you wired your boat correctly and simply drew your diagram wrong.

And this may not be important, my dealer suggested I unplug my trolling motor while recharging my batteries. This was a suggestion back then not a must do, however new electonics are in troll-motors now.

I turn my Perko switch to off between fishing trips. This prevents my Mercury motor computer and my MinnKota Talon sensor from drawing down my starting battery over time. That's just another advantage of our Perko switches.