Can I bypass the speed control of trolling motor?

Longman

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Oct 12, 2015
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Speed control stopped working. Can I bypass the speed control and apply 24V to motor directly?
 

gm280

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:welcome: aboard Longman, great to have you join us...

What type and model is your trolling motor? And you say your speed control stopped working. I take it your TM is a 24 volt type. And depending on the layout of your TM you can remove the speed circuitry and bypass it. But then you only have one speed and that would be wide open. Post more info and manufacture and model and better ideas can be offered once we know what you are dealing with. But the simple answer to your question is YES!
 

Longman

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Oct 12, 2015
Messages
9
:welcome: aboard Longman, great to have you join us...

What type and model is your trolling motor? And you say your speed control stopped working. I take it your TM is a 24 volt type. And depending on the layout of your TM you can remove the speed circuitry and bypass it. But then you only have one speed and that would be wide open. Post more info and manufacture and model and better ideas can be offered once we know what you are dealing with. But the simple answer to your question is YES!

​Thank you very much! It is Johnson's BFX4TPV, 97. I believe speed control is PWM. In the beginning it stopped working at low speed and would only run on highest speed. Now it stopped working at all. But I can measure from brush that both red and black wire has 24V to ground, and it is 0V between red and black. Both controller module and speed control assembly are expensive. I don't know which part is wrong. It is an old TM and I don't want to spend more money to repair. So I am thinking about bypass speed control but keep on/off switch working. I haven't figured out a proper way to do it.
 

gm280

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Jun 26, 2011
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14,585
​Thank you very much! It is Johnson's BFX4TPV, 97. I believe speed control is PWM. In the beginning it stopped working at low speed and would only run on highest speed. Now it stopped working at all. But I can measure from brush that both red and black wire has 24V to ground, and it is 0V between red and black. Both controller module and speed control assembly are expensive. I don't know which part is wrong. It is an old TM and I don't want to spend more money to repair. So I am thinking about bypass speed control but keep on/off switch working. I haven't figured out a proper way to do it.

I looked up your TM and it seems they made two versions (actually also a high thrust and a standard thrust version) with that setup. One was with the PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) and one called standard with set speed control using a rotary switch. If you have multiple wires going to the foot section you could use a switch to control the different speeds. But if you have only two wires going to the foot control, then you would only have a wide open setup if you remove the PWM controller unit.

If you have more then two wires going to the foot section, you can use the different wires for different speeds. Black wire will be the return or ground, while the other colors will be for different speed. So it depends on how many wire are going to the foot section. Post a few pictures of your setup. JMHO
 

Longman

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Oct 12, 2015
Messages
9
I looked up your TM and it seems they made two versions (actually also a high thrust and a standard thrust version) with that setup. One was with the PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) and one called standard with set speed control using a rotary switch. If you have multiple wires going to the foot section you could use a switch to control the different speeds. But if you have only two wires going to the foot control, then you would only have a wide open setup if you remove the PWM controller unit.

If you have more then two wires going to the foot section, you can use the different wires for different speeds. Black wire will be the return or ground, while the other colors will be for different speed. So it depends on how many wire are going to the foot section. Post a few pictures of your setup. JMHO

​I bypassed the whole foot control to connect TM directly to +24V. I have to add a hand flipped on/off switch because the original on/off switch is on foot control. It is not so convenient and it is constant speed. But it runs again. Thank you gm280!
 

gm280

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Longman, was there only two wires going to the foot section or more?
 

Longman

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Oct 12, 2015
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There are red, black and green wires go to TM. My pictures are over size limit so I can't upload to here.
 

gm280

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There are red, black and green wires go to TM. My pictures are over size limit so I can't upload to here.

So I understand there are three wires going to the actual motor in the foot. I think that is because it is probably a 12/24 volt trolling motor and therefore three wires for that option. And that makes sense.

As for posting pictures, you have to keep the picture size under 400 kb. If you try to push it much further in size, it will not allow it. But you can use a program to resize them. I use to use mspaint and was resize all of mine until I finally set my camera to take lower resolution pictures. I still get quality pictures but with a straight transfer ability now as well. Just an option. JMHO
 
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