Many of us often need to remove the trolling motor from the boat for many purposes. That’s where a trolling motor plug comes into play.
In this article, we are going to cover the Best Minn Kota Trolling Motor Plug, for that matter, the top-selling plugs available today. First, we are going to cover trolling motor plugs.
Note: most links in this article are Amazon.com Affiliate links, see Affiliate Disclosure, thank you.
What is the Purpose of a Trolling Motor Plug?
The primary purpose of a trolling motor plug is to Make it easy to remove your trolling motor for maintenance, storage, etc. without disconnecting the complicated wiring. Assembling the wires every time you connect and disconnect your trolling motor can be an annoying task.
A trolling motor plug allows you to safely remove the trolling motor, ensuring you don’t need to worry about connecting wires. They have become an essential accessory because they make your trolling motor’s wiring very easy to manage.
Another point about trolling motor plugs is they make great power connection points. I only remove my trolling motor for warranty maintenance, and now with a warranty, I perform repairs while the motor is attached to the boat. The plug is the best way to pass power from inside the boat to outside while protecting the wires from the elements.
How Does a Trolling Motor Plug work?
A trolling motor plug works like any other electric plug. There are mainly two parts in a trolling motor plug: the plug and the receptacle. The plug connects with the electricity outlet and allows current to flow through the trolling motor. If you remove the plug, then you will be able to remove the trolling motor safely.
What Size Wires Do I Need To Connect My Trolling Motor Plug?
Wire size is based on two factors, Maximum amp draw, and total wire length. After measuring your wire length, you can look at the chart in your electric trolling motor owner’s manual.
Average sizes for short wire runs will be 8 gauge, but I prefer to upsize to 6 gauge. Upsizing can reduce voltage drop and reduce the chance of your wires heating up.
Note: total wire length is measured from the motor to the battery terminal, including system parts like breakers or trolling motor plug.
How to Wire Your Trolling Motor Plug?
A trolling motor plug is straightforward to connect with a trolling motor. You just need to follow the steps which are stated below. These directions are for a dual voltage 12/24 system.
- Before starting, remove power supply fuses or turn off power supply breakers.
- Layout the power supply wire and motor wires to the location of the plug and receptacle.
- Starting with the receptacle, feed wires from the power supply(batteries) through the receptacle retainer nut, hole in the deck, and mounting plate.
- Strip the wires to the length marked in your directions(commonly ½ inch).
- Insert wires into receptacle terminals as marked ground, 12-volt, and 24-volt.
- Tighten wires firmly.
- On the plug side-feed wire from the motor or other device through the plug cover.
- Stripe the wires to the required length.
- Insert wires into plug terminals as marked ground, 12-volt, and 24-volt.
- Tighten wires firmly.
- Cover terminals with dielectric grease and slide cover on plug completely.
- Insert the plug into the receptacle.
- Tighten receptacle retainer nut loosely so you can make the final adjustment.
- Attach the mounting plate to the boat, commonly two screws.
- Tighten receptacle retainer nut completely.
This is an example of one of the more challenging installations, as you see by the list of steps most people can handle this installation.
Click here for our article On Selecting The Proper Wire Guage.
Now that we have learned about trolling motor plugs and their specifications let’s look at some of the best trolling motor plugs which are available in the market.
If you are short on time: Our top pick is the Marinco Black 12VCPS3 Receptacle and Plug Combo. This plug is a large plug that can support up to 70 amps of power and will work with 12, 24, or 36-volt trolling motors. Also, the O-ring seal has done well at preventing saltwater intrusion. – – Click here to see the Marinco Black 12VCPS3 Receptacle and Plug Combo on Amazon.com – –
Top Items
I have narrowed our list down to a few top picks that we have personally used or tested. Going through these products led to the ability to share plugs that you can use with confidence. I did go with the Marinco 70amp plug on my recent system upgrade (video below) and am happy to recommend this product.
Minn Kota’s previous plug version (that I had on my boat) was very similar to the Marinco 12VBR. Other products can also serve you well, depending on your specific needs. In our list, we will break each item down for you.
Minn Kota 1865128 Black MKR-26 trolling Motor Rigging
This Minn Kota MKR-26 is the best two prong trolling motor plug that is available in the market. The MKR-26 is entirely corrosion-resistant and waterproof with adjustable mounting orientations.
The continuous power rated output is 60 amps, and it is also saltwater rated. Another great feature is the threaded electrical connection for securing your plug in the receptacle.
We loved almost everything about the product, except it’s the price. It is the most expensive plug on our list, and many people would go with a cheaper option. However, the Minn Kota MKR-26 kit comes with everything you need to complete a watertight connection, including the heat shrink.
Pros:
- 60 amp rating
- Saltwater rating
- Everything included in the kit
- Threaded connection
Cons:
- 2-wire plug
- 8 Awg wire
We recommend this for anyone with a two-wire system as our top pick.
Click here to see on Amazon.com
Marinco 12VBR Connect Pro Receptacle & Plug
The Connect Pro trolling motor plug and receptacle system is an excellent idea for trolling motor DC connections. The three-tab twist and lock plug design is foolproof and stays secure in all situations.
Another advantage of the three-tab design is you can run dual power if need be for additional devices. The voltage rating is 12, 24, and 36 volts, up to 40 amps. Ten and eight-gauge wires will work in this plug, and this will also affect your maximum amp rating.
All the electrical components are plated brass for excellent corrosion resistance. While the connections are not saltwater rated, I have used a similar plug, and it held up well.
Pros:
- Dual power
- Twist and lock plug
- 3-wire plug
Cons:
- 40 amp rating
- 10 or 8 Awg wire (6 Awg wire addaptor availible, but not recomended)
We recommend this plug if you have a lower amp draw and need an extremely secure connection.
Click here to see on Amazon.com
Note: I used this plug for years and went above amp rating from time to time, I would not recommend doing this but I wanted to share my performance notes. I upgraded to the plug below because I increased my wire gauge 6 Awg.
Marinco Black 12VCPS3 Trolling Motor Plug/Receptacle Marinco 2 or 3 Wire Connectpro Receptacle and Plug Combo
The Marinco 12VCPS3 trolling motor plug is a high amp three-prong plug. With a rating of 70 amp (at 12 and 24 volts), this plug will handle almost any application as long as you keep in mind that it accepts up to 6 gauge wire. The voltage rating for the 12VCPS3 plug is 12,24,36, or 48 volts; however, because of the three-prong design, you can run dual voltage through the plug.
While this plug doesn’t state a saltwater rating, the corrosion-resistant standard would imply that it will perform well in a saltwater environment. The body of this plug is black nylon, and the contacts are nickel-plated brass.
Pros:
- 70 amp rating
- Dual power
- 3-wire plug
- 6 or 8 Awg (6 gauge fits easly)
Cons:
- No plug retainer
We really like this plug and recommend it for all dual voltage applications and high amp 12-volt motors. A standard 55lb thrust 12 volt motor (like the AQUOS Haswing Cayman B Electric Bow Mount Trolling Motor) will draw in the range of 45 amps.
Click here to see on Amazon.com
I did a complete trolling power system replacement last summer and documented each step on my personal youtube channel. The video below is the step of installing the Marinco 70 Amp plug. It was a hot summer day so the video is a bit washed out.
Attwood 14365-6 Heavy-Duty Trolling Motor Connectors 2-Wire 8-Gauge 12V Male Plug, Attwood 14366-6 Heavy-Duty Trolling Motor Connectors 2-Wire 8-Gauge Female Receptacle Packaged separately
We could not leave the Attwood connectors out because of their budget-friendly price. We have have had good luck with Attwood electrical replacement parts like light poles and switches, so we have no pause in including their trolling motor plugs.
First, let us not forget that these plugs are sold separately, so you will need to purchase a male and female piece. Each plug has 6-inch wire leads and butt connectors, I would add heat shrink.
The connection is a very straightforward two-prong two-wire plug that has a lineup key to prevent plugging it in incorrectly.
The 12-volt plugs are rated at 60 amps, but we felt it would be better suited for 50 amps continuous draw. We would have no hesitation in using this plug on a 24-volt system.
Pros:
- 60 amp rating
- Butt connectors included in the kit
- Keyed plug lineup
Cons:
- 2-wire plug
- No plug retainer
- Sold separately
This plug is an excellent option for a small boat, freshwater user, or casual fisherman. We would avoid this plug if you boat in rough water or have a high amp draw motor.
Click here to see the plug on Amazon.com
Click here to see the receptacle on Amazon.com
Bonus item
Orion Motor Tech 6-8 Gauge Battery Quick Connect Disconnect Wire Harness Plug Kit for Recovery Winch or Trailer, 12-36V DC, 50A
Yes, I know this plug is not marine plugs, but they are great. Commonly referred to as Anderson plugs, you can see these plugs everywhere for tow trucks to forklifts.
I am using these with a 1000W inverter in my SUV. Technically the 50A rating is a bit low for this application, but I don’t anticipate running loads higher than that. The terminals are the correct size for 6 AWG wire, so wire size will not be your limitation for amp draw.
The main downside to these connectors is that they are not saltwater rates and will most likely rust. But at this price, you can afford to clean or replace them every few years.
Click here to see on Amazon.com
Quick Release Trolling Motor Bracket
We have listed the top trolling motor plugs, which are perfect for all of your boating needs. You just need to choose the best one for your motor. Now let’s take a look at one quick-release trolling motor bracket, because what good is a plug to disconnect your motor without a quick-release bracket.
What is a quick-release trolling motor bracket? Well, it is a device that allows your trolling motor to be quickly removed from and reattached to your boat deck.
MinnKota MKA-21 Composite Quick Release Bracket for Terrova and PowerDrive motors
Quickly remove your electric-steer, bow-mount trolling motor with the Minn Kota MKA-21 quick release bracket. The bracket is more of a set of two composite blocks that nest inside one and another.
One half of the block is mounted to the motor while the other half is attached to the boat. First, set the motor on top of the block attached to the boat. Then slide the bar through the holes in the side of the blocks to connect them firmly.
For larger size motors, you will need a larger block, but the MKA-21 is the most common size bracket. Everything you will need is included except a small padlock to retain the bar and prevent theft.
Click here to see on Amazon.com
Conclusion
Trolling motor plugs can make your life easier by making it easy to remove your motor, organizing your wiring, and providing you with a junction point. We hope our list of the Best Minn Kota Trolling Motor Plug helps you choose the right plug for your 24 volt trolling motor system.
Enjoy!
