I need to vent on boat wiring

[Kris]

As most of you know I fish the fresh water reservoirs here in Maryland where we use 48-60 volt golf cart motors for power. I don't use one of them because I can't afford it and don't want the extra weight of all those 6v batteries.
A Family Friend asked me to look at a 48v golf cart motor, '89 Tracker Pro 17 that he found. I went and looked at it and this thing looked sweet except for dust from being garage kept. It has:
48v golf cart outboard on the stern
Minn Kota Power Up tilt unit
Minn Kota 55lb thrust bow mount
Older Humminbird 3D on the console and a Humminbird wide screen on the bow
8 - 6v batteries for the stern and two 12v Group 27 batteries for the bow
48v/25amp battery charger and more
From the outward appearance he hit a home run for 2k. We have been working on it off and on for several weeks mostly on wiring. We have probably removed at least 50 feet of wire that was not connected to anything. Today I find that he fuse box is not even connected to anything so nothing is fused. I noticed there were two batteries under the front deck. One connected to the bow mount and one connected to the lights, etc. They were not even connected in parallel, now they are. Wire nuts, house wire tells me that an electrician worked on it sometime. Scotch Locks where you can connect a wire to present wiring very easily but not for use on a boat or trailer in my mind.
I finally have most things working and know I still have to do the Power up and the fuse box. We are going to get it in the water so he knows it is all good to go. Then we will finish up the wiring correctly.
i sometimes wish that I was less "matter of fact" about things but I am certainly glad that I am not this half-a55ed.
Thanks for letting me vent. I wonder if Bass Pro still has wiring diagrams for this thing.

[FloridaFishinFool]

I noticed there were two batteries under the front deck. One connected to the bow mount and one connected to the lights, etc. They were not even connected in parallel, now they are.

Connecting two heavy current batteries in parallel could develop some problems if one should fail. Here is a do it yourself set of instructions to do it in a way that keeps the batteries isolated...

https://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/Installing-a-Second-Battery

Please read down at the bottom about battery isolators...

[Kris]

Connecting two heavy current batteries in parallel could develop some problems if one should fail. Here is a do it yourself set of instructions to do it in a way that keeps the batteries isolated...

https://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/Installing-a-Second-Battery

Please read down at the bottom about battery isolators...

Thanks FFF, all good info.
I have been running batteries in parallel for many years. I always check the recommended wire gauge from the manufacturer for the motor. I always use stainless hardware, including lock washers on the battery connections. The present batteries in my boat are going strong at the end of their seventh Season. Not bad for a lead-acid battery. Maintenance is the key.

[Oldfart9999]

Sounds like a noob that didn't wiring did the job. My last boat the wiring from the main battery was good but the factory tm wire was inadequate, it got hot so I ran #6 welding cable front to rear. My "new" boat had an automatic bilge pump, a lot of extra wire but it all seemed to be working ok, until the first day I forgot the plug and the pumps wouldn't work. I wound up ripping out the auto pump and all the wiring and started over with soldered and seal connections and the correct fusing. Wiring isn't hard you just need to be able to follow a diagram. Sounds like when you're done Kris it'll be right and working correctly!!
Rodney

[Princeton_Man]

An 89 Tracker that probably had a few owners and each one probably found it easier to do their own thing rather than do it right. I owned one of those too.