Electric Downriggers to Boat Battery

[bluesky1713]

I'm looking for some help. I need to know the easiest/cheapest way to connect my Big Jon Sportsman electric downrigger to the 24 volt battery in my boat.

 

Thanks!

[Roy]

Is it a 24V volt battery or two 12 volts?

[bluesky1713]

I am going to double check tomorrow (boat is new to me) but I am 80% sure it is a 24 volt (car battery).

[bluesky1713]

Actually, I guess it is 12 volt. That is the typical voltage for a car battery, right?

[Terry]

yes 12 v is right

[Fisherman]

Connect the positive wire to the positive post negative to the negative post. Make sure you have a fuse in the positive wire, 15-20 amp should do and as close to the batter as possble. Did you get a manual with it, should be able to get an on line manual for the downrigger with instructions

[bluesky1713]

No manual (bought it used) and nothing available online unfortunately.

 

Would I be able to wire an extension cord (with outlets in one end) to the battery so that I don't have to splice up my downrigger wire (which has a male connector at one end)?

[Fisherman]

No manual (bought it used) and nothing available online unfortunately.

 

Would I be able to wire an extension cord (with outlets in one end) to the battery so that I don't have to splice up my downrigger wire (which has a male connector at one end)?

 

Yes, however I would use a three prong connector(leave one prong unsued) just to make sure you never accidently or someone else plugs it in backwards.

[bluesky1713]

Fisherman,

 

I am a little confused on what you mean by leaving one prong unused.

 

To recap:

- The downrigger power cord has a three prong connection.

- Which I would attach to one of the female connectors at one end of a power cord.

- I will splice the other male end of this power cord and connect to my 12v battery (negative to negative, positive to positive with a fuse on the positive).

[Sinker]

You got it.

 

If you only have a two prong cord, you can plug it in and have the posts reversed, hence the three prong plug with one not used.

 

S.

[bluesky1713]

Oh, I see.

 

However, I think the plug (male) from the downrigger is three pronged. So there should be no problems.

[bluesky1713]

You are saying this would be required (see attached) if it was only a 2-prong from the downrigger.

[Fisherman]

No, you can use the extension cord, cut off the three prong male end, use the outer two wires for positive and negative, the center wire is the ground that you don't need.

[bluesky1713]

Ok, that makes sense. Sorry for the confusion.

 

Are the wires different colors (will I have a red and a black)?

[Fisherman]

When you cut the plug off, the center will be green(unused), and most likely and black and a white. Keep the black for negative, white with a fuse for positive. Hope you have figured out which prongs on the downrigger plug are positive and neg.

Edited August 26, 2009 by Fisherman

[misfish]

Whats the make of the down rigger?

 

Funny you cant find one on the WWW.

 

Great job on helpping him out guys.

[Radnine]

Yes, however I would use a three prong connector(leave one prong unsued) just to make sure you never accidently or someone else plugs it in backwards.

 

That's clever thinking right there.

Jim

[Fisherman]

Anyone have a manual for this downrigger, maybe copy and send him the basic installation set up.

[Tom McCutcheon]

When I had my bigger boat set up for big lake fishing, I used a power bar with a 5 amp. circut breaker in it wired to the charging battery, (white to junk. black to neg.)This I would use for the downriggers. I could plug four riggers into it if needed. If I remember correctly each downrigger had it's own circut breaker also,... just in case.

 

Tom.

[bluesky1713]

It's a 1996 Big Jon Sportsman.

 

I was wrong about the connector for the downrigger. It is only 2-prong. Which is no big deal. Except that I do not know which prong is positive and which is negative. Will there be serious repercussions if I plug it in backwards? And is there any safe way to figure out + or - on the 2 prong male downrigger connector end?

 

I am all set up, I just have to head down to my boat and test it out. White wire to a 20 amp fuse to a little metal alligator clip. Black wire to another metal alligator clip. Does it matter which way the fuse is connected (is there a backwards)?

 

Sorry for my ignorance. I have absolutely no electrical experience.

 

Thank you everyone for all your help.

[Fisherman]

No, there's no backwards wy to connect a fuse. You're best bet is to try the downrigger at home, connect the wires to the battery and give it a very short click on the switch to make sure it's going in the right direction, if not, reverse the wires. When you have it right, mark the direction of the plug. Gone fishing. Good luck.

[Tom McCutcheon]

I know I printed: "white to junk. black to neg." Don't know what happened there and who would screw with a post.

I'm out of here.

 

Tom.

[bluesky1713]

All set up and good to go. Thank you for all your help. First time I plugged it in, I had it backwards (down was up, up was down). Quick switch of the wires and no problems.

 

Thanks again!

[Fang]

much more simple that it appears

 

go get a power chord that has a built in fuse breaker. Cut off the plug and connect an alligator clip or battery clip to the white and black wires. Green is ground and is not required. Attach white to red on battery and black to black

 

Plug in the downrigger. Grab the cable so you have tension on it and hit the switch to let out line. If it's in series it will work. If not flip the downrigger plug around and test again

[bigfish1965]

I know I printed: "white to junk. black to neg." Don't know what happened there and who would screw with a post.

I'm out of here.

 

Tom.

 

Instead of using the word positive, you used the short Piece of Crap. Which I can't even do because it triggers the swear filter. PeeOhEss , is of course, a well used short form for a common swear word.