Is a fusible link common?

[Pickeye Pirate]

I have a 1997 Alumacraft Trophy 165 that I just purchased 2nd. hand. I bought a bow-mount Motor Guide 55 lb. thrust trolling motor and figured I'd wire it to the two-prong plug in the bow. This plug is wired to the battery which is under the glove compartment (12 volt). There is a four-prong rv type plug in located beside it that is 12/24 volt. I took the boat out, plugged in the trolling motor and it ran for about three seconds. After investigation, I discovered that there is a fusible link between the two prong plug in red wire and the four prong plug in terminal where the red wire from the battery meets with the orange wire from who-knows where. (I take it that his is for a 24 volt hook up). This fuse had blown causing the failure. My question is:
Do I need this fusible link?
Can I replace the small gauge red wire with the link in it with a heavy (6 gauge?) wire and go from the terminal block on the four plug to the two prong?
I do have a 50 amp circuit breaker on the battery.
Is this fusible link there due to a fishfinder or GPS that was wired in by the previous owner?
Any advice is welcome.

The Pickeye Pirate

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Is a fusible link common?

An orange wire along with a red wire anywhere in trolling motor wiring is generally the 12V side of the circuit, not the 24V side. Red to black = 24V. Orange to black = 12V. My suggestion here is to isolate the two terminal receptacle from the four terminal receptacle. Wire the two terminal receptacle directly to the 12V battery. You don't need the fusible link but you should put a 50A breaker on the positive terminal of the battery.

 

[Pickeye Pirate]

Re: Is a fusible link common?

Can I just use the 4 prong plug as a terminal block and route the wire from the 4 prong to the two prong? That's basically what I've got right now except for the fact that there is the small gauge wire with the fuse in it.
Pickeye Pirate

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Is a fusible link common?

I hesitate to answer that because I have no idea what the wiring looks like. If I told you yes and you burned your boat down you'd be mad as H*** and I'd look like an idiot (but some have already formed that opinion so I guess that wouldn't be so bad).

 

[Pickeye Pirate]

Re: Is a fusible link common?

Here's the wiring. Red from aux. battery to post "a" on 4 prong plug. Black from aux. battery to post "b" on 4 prong plug. Orange from somewhere near the ignition switch to post "a" on the 4 prong plug. Black with blue stripe from somewhere near the ignition switch to post "b" on the 4 prong post. Short black wire from post "b" on the 4 prong plug to the neg. on the 2 prong plug. And a small red wire from post "a" on the 4 prong plug to the fusible link and then on to the 2 prong plug.
Pickeye Pirate

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Is a fusible link common?

Once again, small wires coming from "somewhere near the ignition switch" is of absolutely no help to me. I have no idea what purpose they serve.

 

[Pickeye Pirate]

Re: Is a fusible link common?

Here's a couple of shots of what I'm dealing with. Basicaly, the 12/24 volt 4 prong plug is feeding the 2 prong 12 volt plug. Have a look and let me know what you think. The 6 gauge orange and the black with blue stripe 6 guage come from the ignition side to the 4 prong plug. the red and black 6 gauge wires come from the aux. battery.