Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Just ordered my first pontoon. 20' Sylvan Mirage Fish 4pt with 90hp Merc. Also bought a Minn Kota Power Drive V2 55# thrust with 54" shaft. Trolling motor will be bow mounted and a dedicated battery will be in the back of the boat. I asked the Dealer to check with Sylvan to find out what gage wire they use since I originally had ordered the optional trolling motor wiring hook up. Sylvan indicated they use 8 awg wire. Minn Kota and American Boat and Yacht Council recommends 4 awg or even 2 awg for this length of a run.

I had the dealer remove the trolling motor wiring option and I plan to do it myself. I have several questions:

1. Does anyone know of a floor mounted receptacle and mating plug that would accept 4 awg wire? I see Minn Kota has a plug with a "heavy wire adapter" but even with the adapter it's only good to 6 awg.

2. I see there is "marine wire" that apparently has the wire tinned before it is stranded together. How necessary is Marine wire for fresh water applications where the boat will be in a garage 260 days a year and may never stay in the water overnight?

3. I've thought about buying a 4awg set of 25' jumper cables, cutting the ends off and using that for wiring. Any comments?

Any feedback would be appreciated. I want to "wire it right" but I haven't been able to find the right parts for 4 awg wiring, plug, etc. Is 4 awg overkill?

Thanks!



"

4AWG is a bit overkill. 6AWG should be fine. I ran a ~26ft run of 6AWG along with the Minnkota 6AWG adapter and it works well for our 80lb thrust Minnkota Terrova:

http://www.genuinedealz.com/marine-wire

I'd get wire (and have) from the above retailer.

you can use 6 gage welding wire, that has the same amp capacity as 4 gage , its a fine stranded wire that will handle around 125 amps

MH Hawker wrote:you can use 6 gage welding wire, that has the same amp capacity as 4 gage , its a fine stranded wire that will handle around 125 amps

What he said!....welding cable will work very well and save a few bucks over marine grade wiring.

Where is the best/cheapest place to get welding wire...been thinking about using that to wire my amplifier in the new boat when it gets here.

Even elcheapo standard duty 6 gauge is good for 50 amps at 50 ft round trip or 25 feet...

mpilot wrote:Where is the best/cheapest place to get welding wire...been thinking about using that to wire my amplifier in the new boat when it gets here.

How may amps does your new amp require that your thinking of using welding cable?

I must really be getting old...

teecro wrote:

mpilot wrote:Where is the best/cheapest place to get welding wire...been thinking about using that to wire my amplifier in the new boat when it gets here.

How may amps does your new amp require that your thinking of using welding cable?

I must really be getting old...

Starting off with a single 600 watt amplifier, but I'd like to have extra capacity as eventually I will probably add another 4 channel amplifier for the four factory speakers, and a larger subwoofer amp with a second subwoofer. I've also thrown the idea around of mounting a couple of cans on the ski tower that would have their own amp so that I could switch them on and off. It's not even that I want it that loud but there is no comparison in the quality of audio from an actual amplifier and what comes out of a head unit. Just the 600 watt amplifier is already pulling around 40 amps. I think I'll end up somewhere in the 2000watt range for all which is around 140 amps assuming high efficiency amplifiers.