# 24 volt trolling motor - hooking 12v accessiories up



## Lynxis (Sep 21, 2009)

Ive read that you can hook up 12 volt accessories to 1 of the batteries in a series connection.

Usually, this is called the "first" battery in the series, but with only 2 batteries, what does that mean.

I have a volt meter, and if i put the volt meter on either of the batteries, i get 24 volts. 

I currently have:

Bat A: pos terminal to tm, neg term from pos terminal of other batt
Bat B: pos term to neg terminal of other batt, negative terminal goes to neg of trolling motor.

I have my fishfinder hooked to bat b right now since its the one that doesnt have the positive wire to the trolling motor. 


Any issues anyone sees with this?

Why are they testing out 24v on each battery?


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## leeabu (Apr 10, 2004)

Hook up sounds correct. If using a digital meter, turn on the trolling motor (loading the circuit) and see if you don't now read 12 volts across each battery.


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## oarfish (May 12, 2004)

"Ive read that you can hook up 12 volt accessories to 1 of the batteries in a series connection."

*Correct but it would be better to have a third battery because of voltage drop could be caused by some accesories.*

"Usually, this is called the "first" battery in the series, but with only 2 batteries, what does that mean."

*It could be any of the batteries in series regardless of 24V, 36V, 48V or 60V and so on.*

"I have a volt meter, and if i put the volt meter on either of the batteries, i get 24 volts." 

*Incorrect measure again and you should have 12v on each battery while connected in series.*

"I currently have:

Bat A: pos terminal to tm, neg term from pos terminal of other batt
Bat B: pos term to neg terminal of other batt, negative terminal goes to neg of trolling motor.

I have my fishfinder hooked to bat b right now since its the one that doesnt have the positive wire to the trolling motor. 


Any issues anyone sees with this?"

*No issues with that.*

"Why are they testing out 24v on each battery?"

*Measure again it should be 12V*


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## Lynxis (Sep 21, 2009)

I re-ran all accessories to the starter battery in the back of the boat.

I measured it 10 times. If i touched the voltmeter to the +- terminals on one battery, it said 24 volts (25 volts). If i unhooked all wires or checked the starter battery, it said 12volts (13v).


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## M.Magis (Apr 5, 2004)

First let me say that these guys know a lot more than me, and I&#8216;m only going by my poor memory. I have a 48v electric UTV, and I remember that to hook up my 12v winch I couldn&#8217;t hook to one battery. I think I remember having to use the + of one battery and the &#8211; of the next one to get 12v. I know at the time it didn&#8217;t make sense to me, but that&#8217;s the only way I could get 12v. I&#8217;m not at home or I would check it out.


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