Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....Updated

BonairII

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I have an older Powerdrive V1 trolling motor. The motor and foot pedal were working fine yesterday. Well, I bought a used copilot for it and plugged it in today. It would start the prop, but wouldn't steer the motor. After trying to reprogram the remote, I gave up.

Here's the big problem.....read slow so you can follow what's going on.

Now when I plug in the foot pedal(copilot not attached) to the motor...it steers the head left/right just fine, but now won't turn the prop. I can hear a "click" when I press the momentary and/or "on" button, but the prop doesn't move.....

If I plug the copilot back in to the trolling motor....and plug the foot pedal into the copilot, I CAN get the prop to run....but lose the ability to steer the motor left/right.

The seller is willing to take the copilot back, but if I send it back to him..I'll be left with a trolling motor that I can turn left/right, but can't run the prop.

Anyone have any clue what's going on with this?
 

Star

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Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

you may have dirty pins on the plug and socket of your old motor. They are not easy to clean!!!! I used a fine brush with contact cleaner for the male plugs. Then used 300 grit wet sand paper rolled to fit around the pins until you can see clean metal. The female sockets are the hard part. I used a small gauge straned wire that fit in the pin hole without distortng it. While flooding the hole with contact cleaner twirl the wire between your fingers to loosen dirt and corrosion. Do not open the pin socket by using too much force. After working on the for over an hour I coated the pins with electrical paste for improving conduction used in wire conections.
 

BonairII

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Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

Dirty contacts was my thought at first too. It just seems too coincidental that my foot pedal is now having problems right after trying to use the copilot on my trolling motor.

One thing I forgot to mention is that I can hear a "click" on the control board when I press the momentary and/or "con" switch, so power IS reaching the control board.

I can't wrap my head around how that my foot pedal will steer the motor only when plugged in(no copilot), and will turn the prop just fine only when the copilot IS connected....but lose steering functionality.

The fact that ALL functionality is actually there(just not simultaneously) makes me believe that the male plug coming from the trolling motor control board must be fully functional.

Just seems like an odd coincidence that the female plug from the foot pedal starts acting up immediately after trying copilot.

I'm going to try and clean up the foot pedal plug, but I don't have much faith that that's the issue.

With the price of replacement parts, I just can't start throwing parts at the trolling motor without knowing the cause.
 

Star

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Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

BonairII,
I have had an AP55 for six or so years. I know the complete system and how the copilot interfaces with the foot pedal. The control voltages at the different pins determin which system is in control. When I first installed my copilot it run fine untill I hit rough water. The prop would stop turning for no reason. The autopiot light would stay on so I was't looseing DC to the system. I wasn't using the foot pedal but I had left the plastic cover on the empty foot pedal socket. The system of voltage sensing was reading enough voltage accross the socket pins (plain water) to switch to a foot pedal that wasn't even there. After I removed the water and let it dry out it has worked fine. The possibility is that the V1 use different voltages than the V2 iand is not compatible with the copilot. Take the number off the underside of the head and the phone # and call Minn Kota Support they are great!!! Their replacment parts aren't cheap but a working TM is worth $500 in my book. Good Luck!!!! DON'T forget a loaf of bread costs $3.00!
 

BonairII

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Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

BonairII,
The possibility is that the V1 use different voltages than the V2 iand is not compatible with the copilot.

I have the copilot "legacy" model that is made for my older V1, so that's not the issue. I called a reputable online Minn Kota replacement part dealer and told them my situation. The guy was great to deal with. He said he has NEVER seen this problem in all his years dealing with Minn Kota. He said he knew a "higher up" in Minn Kota and was going call him and find out what was wrong with my TM.
He also said that he would sell me a new control board....and if it wasn't the problem, he would take it back no problem. He told me to expect a call Monday or Tuesday from him(after he talked to the Minn Kota guy) then we would go from there.

For the time being I "ghetto rigged" a handle on the TM, so I can turn it manually when I fish this weekend. Is there any chance I'll damage the steering motor if gently I steer it manually?
 

Star

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Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

That shouldn't be a problem just apply slow even preasure when you move it. There is a big ratio to the small motor shaft. I am 90% sure that it is a plug corrosion problem. You were very lucky to find a Good Dealer. Minn Kota direct phoe support staff are als very good, but they wouldn't send a control board that could be returned. By the way motor steering power doesn't go through the control
board!!!
 

BonairII

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Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

By the way motor steering power doesn't go through the control
board!!!

If that's true, then I don't know how to explain why I'm getting the malfunction(s).

I took apart the pedal today. It was a little dirty, but nothing too bad. I cleaned every contact point etc and reassembled it. I also cleaned up all plug pins so they were nice and shiny. Same problems exist.

Just not making sense how I can be losing a function(i.e steering) then regain that same function by plugging in the copilot....but losing another function as a result. And vice versa.

If steering is NOT run thru the control board, then how am I losing steering then gaining it back just by plugging in Copilot?
 

BonairII

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Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

Update:

Talked to Tim Howland(he really know his stuff from what I hear) at Minn Kota. He was baffled as to what would cause the intermittent control problems and had never heard of such a glitch. He had me test the foot pedal with an ohm meter...and it tested fine, so he figures that the copilot MAY have shorted out something in the control board. It's only a guess on his part though.

He asked me to send him the copilot and the control board, so they could test them. Apparently, there's no test I can do to verify a copilot problem.

I ordered a new control board from Jason from Northland Marine because he's the guy I talked to about my problem... and was an absolute pleasure to deal with from the beginning.
 

Star

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Messages
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Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

Yes you cleaned the foot pedal plug but did you clean the original minn kota socket that it plugs into? not the copilot plugs
 

BonairII

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Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

Update:

I installed the new control board and the trolling motor(and pedal) have been working well. Going to send the copilot and control board to Minn Kota...they want to test them to see how copilot burned out my control board.
 

jimbowe88

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Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

Re: Minn Kota Powerdrive and Copilot problems....need help fast!

Update:

I installed the new control board and the trolling motor(and pedal) have been working well. Going to send the copilot and control board to Minn Kota...they want to test them to see how copilot burned out my control board.

Hi; I have the exact same problem with a TM I just purchased. Can you please tell me the results from Minn Kota. I want to fix this, I just do not know which way to go with it. Thanks, Jim
 
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