Trolling motor woes

[bucktail]

Wondering if anyone out there has good knowledge of electric trolling motors.

Used mine on the weekend for the first time.

 

Over the last couple years it seems mine is losing power!

I know my larger size isnt helping it along but it seems to have a 1/3 the power it always used to have.

 

Its a 24 volt non maximizer bow mount minnnkota , its about 7 years old.

I have two almost new Optima trolling batteries hooked up. Voltage is 24 volts to the unit.

 

I have checked under the prop for line and or debris, the one thing I notice is the grove the setpin sits in on the propeller is getting worn, is it possible that the prop isnt spinning all the time or do motors just lose there umph after so many years?

 

Man this is a big ticket item that I dont have cash to replace this year!

 

Thanks

 

darren

[bushart]

How are your batteries wired---you may still be running 12 volts?

[mbac31]

That could be the problem. Batteries wired up wrong. These motors do loose their umph like anything else. I burned up one last year from use. I was just have it serviced. Much cheaper than replacing. Grant Mills at Boat Tech in Pickering does a great job of that. Aikmens does also. Most likely needs the bearings replaced or just contacts maybe need cleaning. I have mine serviced every off season so that they are fine. Could just be the hook ups need to be cleaned. I do this each year. Even the plate contact under the pedal I have cleaned to make sure all contacts are clean and free of gunk.

[bassdreamer]

My buddy was having a simular problem last year and his was fixed by changing the foot pedal ?

[ecmilley]

check all your connections for corrosion, again it may be the contacts in the motor itself or footpedal and I have dealt with boattech before nice guy

[FISHINGNUT]

I was having the same problem I replaced the foot pedal and seemed to fix it cost me about $100. sure alot cheaper than a new electric

[Garnet]

Dirty contacts are your most likely cause. Take everything a part and wire brush until shiny then coat with white grease.

 

Doesn't matter how new your batteries are get a load tester ($39) Princess Auto and test.

 

Grant must love this yearly service idea.

[bucktail]

Ok I am really going to show my electrical ignorance now.

 

My 2 feeds coming from the batteries are both reading about 13.3 volts.

 

I checked my connection to the plug and I have 2 feeds of 13.2 volts going into the 3 prong plug, Now when this goes to the motor where are the voltages combined for 24 volts??

 

Is there a place I can check maybe on the footpedal to see if it is getting 24 volts. Or is it only in the head of the motor where it is combined.

 

Man I must sound stupid.

[bushart]

Depending on your relays---your plug should have 24volts at the plug---the motor won't double it.

 

I guess the plainest way I can put it----test where you connect your motor to---you need to read 24v (if you have a 24v motor)

[dwebb]

Ok I am really going to show my electrical ignorance now.

 

My 2 feeds coming from the batteries are both reading about 13.3 volts.

 

I checked my connection to the plug and I have 2 feeds of 13.2 volts going into the 3 prong plug, Now when this goes to the motor where are the voltages combined for 24 volts??

 

Is there a place I can check maybe on the footpedal to see if it is getting 24 volts. Or is it only in the head of the motor where it is combined.

 

Man I must sound stupid.

 

 

you need both batteries hooked in series to get 24v you with have one feed one pos"red" and one neg "black, connect the red to the pos on one battery the blk on the neg on the other battery and go from pos to neg with another cable on the two remaining posts this will get you 24v if you need 12v you would hook up another cable to to the neg one just from one battery and that would go to the centre pin you will get 12v from one pin to the centre pin and 24v from the two outside pins

[Ron]

Hey Darren,

 

IF this is a Minn Kota, you should only have 2 wires coming out of the TM. You need to rearrange your battery connections to obtain 24 volts. This is done by disconnecting all wires first.

 

Step 1: Disconnect all wires going to trolling motor batteries.

Step 2: Connect positive wire from trolling motor to positive terminal on battery #1.

Step 3: Connect negative wire from trolling motor to negative terminal on to battery #2.

Step 4: Connect negative terminal on battery #1 to positive terminal on battery #2.

 

This will give you 24 volts to your trolling motor.

 

BEFORE YOU DO THIS, BE SURE YOUR TROLLING MOTOR IS ACTUALLY A 24 VOLT SYSTEM.

 

If you have any accessories added onto these batteries, be sure to only connect to the positive and negative terminals ON THE SAME BATTERY.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Cheers, Ron...

[Pigeontroller]

I'm pretty sure a 24v motor won't run on 12v...

[lew]

Here's a couple wiring diagrams Darren.

 

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/community/inthefield/fieldguides/guidebooks-story-1.jsp;jsessionid=2S1ZNMOZTKMR3LAQBBICCNNMCAEFCIWE?hierarchyId=20017&oiPage=fieldguides&title=Marine+Battery+Wiring+101&contentId=wied_wiring101_052708&cmCat=boating_2009_022509-email&_requestid=11747

[danbouck]

[msp]

If this is the correct way to set up a 24V system then how should a dual bank charger be hooked up ? Do you only hook up the charger to one battery to charge both ?

[Rattletrap2]

My dual bank charger is connected with each bank feeding each of the batteries separately. The batteries then have a large gauge "jumper" installed between the negative of the first and the positive of the second as shown in Dan's diagram. Works fine!

 

A 24 volt motor will operate on 12 volts, just not very well!

 

The nice thing about the Maxxum series is that they use heavy duty foot pedals. They have rugged switches and should not be a problem like they were on the electronic versions.

[Garnet]

This is the standard 24v setup, Skeeter's are wired different and the plug converts from 12v to 24.

[bucktail]

Thanks guys!!