I had an old game fisher troller with the dial. It went up in flames on the upper lake. The dial was melted and useless. I had to take it apart on the water and cut wires and run it hot bypassing all controls to get back in. I fished all day with no reverse or slower speeds.
The circuit breaker just gives me peace of mind. Foolishly I dont even have a inline fuse on fishfinder. When I upgrade to a better unit I will for sure.
The circuit breaker just gives me peace of mind. Foolishly I dont even have a inline fuse on fishfinder. When I upgrade to a better unit I will for sure.
A breaker is just a resettable fuse. It protects everything downstream from drawing more amps than the breaker is rated at.
Motors don't have load protection built in, meaning that if you are in weeds and really binding up the prop, the head is drawing more amps. Resistance = higher amp flow = heat. Too much heat melts wire casings/connectors. Melted casings next to each other can arc and there is your fire.
I almost had a fire in my Nitro when the breaker failed (my fault for not just replacing it when I bought the boat). I looked down and literally saw the arc in the Marinco plug. Quickly pulled it out and man was it hot. Now I test the breaker twice a year with a quick short. Peace of mind.
Look you don''t "HAVE TO" run a breaker or a fuse, but it is such cheap insurance why wouldn't you?
Here is a worst case scenario... you are going along and something shorts in the motor head... no breaker. If you are lucky, stuff will start to melt. If you are REALLY lucky, your battery just blew up and you are now full of acid.
Me, I would spend the money.
Also, all breakers are not the same. Some are heat tripped(thermal with self reset). Some are hi-amp style(high amp draw trips the breaker). Use the type that your motor installation guide recommends.
Motors don't have load protection built in, meaning that if you are in weeds and really binding up the prop, the head is drawing more amps. Resistance = higher amp flow = heat. Too much heat melts wire casings/connectors. Melted casings next to each other can arc and there is your fire.
I almost had a fire in my Nitro when the breaker failed (my fault for not just replacing it when I bought the boat). I looked down and literally saw the arc in the Marinco plug. Quickly pulled it out and man was it hot. Now I test the breaker twice a year with a quick short. Peace of mind.
Look you don''t "HAVE TO" run a breaker or a fuse, but it is such cheap insurance why wouldn't you?
Here is a worst case scenario... you are going along and something shorts in the motor head... no breaker. If you are lucky, stuff will start to melt. If you are REALLY lucky, your battery just blew up and you are now full of acid.
Me, I would spend the money.
Also, all breakers are not the same. Some are heat tripped(thermal with self reset). Some are hi-amp style(high amp draw trips the breaker). Use the type that your motor installation guide recommends.