Installing a motorguide trolling motor on a 2005 Legend xtreme

cattmann

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Jun 20, 2015
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.I have no boat manual for my 2005 legend Xtreme boat and I purchased a new 12 v motorguide trolling motor and noticed that it didnt have a 4 prong Marinco plug on it to match my legend boat.Can anyone tell me how to wire a male marinco plug onto my trolling motor 2 wires.I am not sure how the 4 prong marinco plug works.I have 2 sets of red and black battery connections in the bow battery hole.Why 2 sets? Is this for 24v where i need 2 batteries?Thanks for the help.Ok update.I pulled the cover plate off and found that there is 2 red and 2 black going to the 4 prong plug on the boat which corresponds to the 2 red and 2 black cables in the bow trolling battery hole..I guess i am wired for 24v.Now my question is can I only use one battery and run 12 v .
 
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GA_Boater

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A manual for the boat won't help much as far as what plugs into Marinco receptacle. Do you have a manual for the Motorguide? It should tell you how to wire it it up. Do you have a matching plug to put on the end of the two TM wires? You will only use two of the plug connectors.

The boat wiring to the receptacle is a red and black from each battery. Since you have a 12V TM, the second set won't be used.
 

cattmann

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Jun 20, 2015
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In the trolling motor manual it shows me how to hook up 12v and 24v . 12 v using 2 batteries,one for starting the engine and one for the trolling motor.They are tied together using a common ground.and the positive on the trolling motor battery going to a relay and then to the trolling motor.It also shows how to hook up 3 batteries.One for starting the engine and the other 2 tied together to create 24V.No where in the manual does it show me how to plug my 2 wire trolling motor into my existing 4 prong marimco plug on the boat.I will pickup a proper male connecter to plug into the boat 4 prong female and go from there i guess.Does the 4 prong marinco plug in the boat act as a circuit breaker or should there be another in the boat somewhere.All I can see are 2 sets of battery cables in the bow battery hole which are numbered the same as on the plug on the boat. I will find out which 2 holes in the plug are needed and wire the new male plug up accordingly..Thanks for the help so far.Its greatly appreciated.
 
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GA_Boater

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If you are using a battery in the bow, don't worry about the starting battery. Just get a plug that fits the receptacle in the boat and hook up a battery, Then figure out which pair of receptacle pins are hot and wire the plug to match.

What model Motorguide do you have?
 

ondarvr

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Apr 6, 2005
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I may have misunderstood the question, but most boat manuals don't go into details like connecting the wires for a trolling motor, all it will say is that it's pre-wired for it, the boat manufacturer has no idea what trolling motor might be mounted on it. The plug is not a circuit breaker, you need to put a breaker near the battery, the motor manual covers this. All you need to do on the plug is make sure the wires are lined up on the male and female side so they make contact, if it's numbered or marked (it should be) it just makes it easier.

As stated, don't try any fancy wiring method, all you need to do is connect one battery to the trolling motor, it won't be connected to anything else. Connect one red and one black wire to the battery, if your red and black from the trolling motor are lined up in the plug with the red and black from the boat it will work. I would disconnect the second set of unused red and black wires from the plug.
 

Silvertip

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Sep 22, 2003
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Folks -- you are way over thinking this.
1) Yes - his boat is "configured" for either 12 or 24 volt operation. He had a 12 volt trolling motor so forget the 24 volt stuff.
2) Yes - you can use only one battery for a 12 volt trolling motor. (24 volts would fry a 12 volt motor).
3) You obviously need a four pin male connector to match the receptacle on the boat. You will only use two of the terminals. The other two are going along for the ride.
4) Install the largest 12 volt deep cycle battery you can afford or find.
5) Pick one pair (one red one black) wire and connect the red to the POSITIVE terminal on the battery. Connect the black wire to the NEGATIVE terminal.
6) Follow those two wires to the bow receptacle and determine which two terminals are fed by those two wires.
7) Connect the red and black wires from the trolling motor to the matching terminals on the plug.
8) Plug in the troller and go boating.​
 

cattmann

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Jun 20, 2015
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Sounds easy enough.I will purchase the marinco 4 prong plug along with a circuit breaker .Thanks for all the positive input everyone it was greatly appreciated as always.Oh by the way GA_Boater.I purchased the w45 model which was suggested by the legend dealer.
 
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