I sure would appreciate some advice on how to replace an MK motor’s battery cables from inside the controls housing to the battery. Problem is that my MK 40# Riptide came with only 5ft cables and for my 14ft canoe I need about 9ft. For context, my first splicing method turned out to be a dumb idea… I bolted two terminals wrapped with electrical tape but those joints now heat-up so much that it is very uncomfortable to the touch… Now that I’ve discovered the problem of course I could instead solder the joints, but I’m looking for something much better.
Question – Where can I buy a wiring assembly to solve my problem (wire 8 ga or preferably 6 ga)? Please see further details below – Thanks.
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PS - Details –
1- Having contacted MK support… “…we do not offer a longer wire, because if the wire is not long enough, a heavier gauge wire would have to be used on the extension to ensure that power is delivered to the motor efficiently. We would recommend 8 gauge wire be used on the extension. Use the plug set to attach the 8 ga. wire extension to the 10 ga. wire that comes out of the motor.” (Full speed amp-draw is 42A, thus 10 ga wire sure seems quite skimpy to me… but that is what comes with a 42A MK motor…)
2- MK’s connection method inside the motor’s control housing is a “quick disconnect connector" (female - about ¼ inch wide) which on the Internet seems rated for 10-14 wire ga).
3- MK's recommendtions for an added extension length of up-to 5ft is 10 ga wire.... (Geez, why bother splicing or using marine plugs... Why not simply replace the entire battery wiring set with at least #8 ga or, better yet #6 wire ga? )
4- Comment - On power boats recharging the trolling motor battery is no problem... But on a canoe the making sure one has enough power to get back (w/safety margin) is a big deal! (Doing the math on voltage drop with 42A on 9-10ft of cables is quite revealing...)
Question – Where can I buy a wiring assembly to solve my problem (wire 8 ga or preferably 6 ga)? Please see further details below – Thanks.
___________________________________________
PS - Details –
1- Having contacted MK support… “…we do not offer a longer wire, because if the wire is not long enough, a heavier gauge wire would have to be used on the extension to ensure that power is delivered to the motor efficiently. We would recommend 8 gauge wire be used on the extension. Use the plug set to attach the 8 ga. wire extension to the 10 ga. wire that comes out of the motor.” (Full speed amp-draw is 42A, thus 10 ga wire sure seems quite skimpy to me… but that is what comes with a 42A MK motor…)
2- MK’s connection method inside the motor’s control housing is a “quick disconnect connector" (female - about ¼ inch wide) which on the Internet seems rated for 10-14 wire ga).
3- MK's recommendtions for an added extension length of up-to 5ft is 10 ga wire.... (Geez, why bother splicing or using marine plugs... Why not simply replace the entire battery wiring set with at least #8 ga or, better yet #6 wire ga? )
4- Comment - On power boats recharging the trolling motor battery is no problem... But on a canoe the making sure one has enough power to get back (w/safety margin) is a big deal! (Doing the math on voltage drop with 42A on 9-10ft of cables is quite revealing...)