Trolling Motor Just Died Where do I start?

jdelbarone · Sep 25, 2011

My Min Koto Trolling motor was working then stopped. No grinding or noises, just stopped. The light on the top works so it is getting power. I checked the foot switch anyway and it works. I cannot check the round speed control on the foot switch and am not sure if it makes sense that it is that. The prop moves freely. I am at a loss. Can anyone point me in a direction to get this fixed before the next tourament.

Thanks

bassman284 · Sep 25, 2011

Re: Trolling Motor Just Died Where do I start?

Which model?

fucawi · Sep 26, 2011

Re: Trolling Motor Just Died Where do I start?

if it was me I would remove the box from the top of the shaft and you will see a thick red and a black going down to the motor ( and other wires) put 12v to these wires and see if it runs. If it does not you have a problem at the bottom end ..If it does run problem is with the control gear.
Never run with the unit out of water as it burns the shaft seal which allows water into the bottom unit and put a spot of engine seal expander on the oil seal when you take the prop off after use ...

Silvertip · Sep 26, 2011

Re: Trolling Motor Just Died Where do I start?

It would help if we knew what Minnkota Model you have. Controls are very different and at this point we have no idea if you have a bow mount, stern mount, Electric steer, cable steer, or RF controlled. Give us something to work with.

fucawi · Sep 26, 2011

Re: Trolling Motor Just Died Where do I start?

still a motor on the end of a stick with two wires to its brushes

Silvertip · Sep 26, 2011

Re: Trolling Motor Just Died Where do I start?

fucawi said:
still a motor on the end of a stick with two wires to its brushes

That is true and testing for motor operation by direct connection is a valid test! But there are electronics in those motors that shouldn't be messed with unless one understands what one is bypassing. With an electric or RF steer, nothing happens if one or more control functions go south in the controller. On a MinnKota Power Drive for example, the switches are membrane types including the variable resistor for speed control Those who plant their size 16 feet on the pedals with authority tend to rupture the membrane. That then allows moisture on the circuit board traces and the end result is a non-functional control. Unless one knows what motor we are taking about, a lot of discourse is speculation.

fucawi · Sep 27, 2011

Re: Trolling Motor Just Died Where do I start?

provided you get your + and - the right way round and dont have the batteries connected it should be fine to test it directly ....There are electronics in the controllers not in the motor.

Working on it ....How many posts for a Supreme Mariner ?

Silvertip · Sep 27, 2011

Re: Trolling Motor Just Died Where do I start?

Sorry -- but the foot control for a Minnkota Power drive has a small PC board in it with membrane switches and slider type speed control potentiometer. The control circuitry is in the motor. Here is a picture iindicating the ruptured membrane. The white stripe is the membrane for the speed control. The dots are siimply membrane switches activated when the foot controls are stepped on. The relays and are in the motor head and steering is in the mount. There are no electronic components in the foot control unless you have an RF controlled motor which is why it would be nice to know which motor the OP has. The OP asked for help. Let's give him some.

jdelbarone · Sep 27, 2011

Re: Trolling Motor Just Died Where do I start?

You guys have been Great!
I took the top off pretty simple just 4 screws and they she lay, a broken red wire at the top of the shaft tube. I found out that this motor has been worked on before. There was a splice at the bend just as the wire goes down the shaft and that is where it came apart. I will just replace the whole wire from the connector at the top to the motor. Seems pretty straight forward.

Thanks to all who have replied and I am sorry for not giving all the info at the start of this thread but at the time of writing I did not have it and was looking for a general direction to see how deep I wanted to get into this.

I have not put it back together so who knows I may be back.

fucawi · Sep 27, 2011

Re: Trolling Motor Just Died Where do I start?

KISS

I will get to be an admiral one day if I keep making posts like this one......

jdelbarone · Sep 27, 2011

Re: Trolling Motor Just Died Where do I start?

After replacing the broken wire today which was pretty easy it still did not work. So I tested the wires at their connections at the top, nothing, so I took the plate off from under the foot pedal and tested the wires coming out of the control board, nothing, so I tested the wires going into the control board, something. So I guess the broken wire sparked against the metal tube and shorted the control board. So now I need to replace the control board. The saga continues.

Silvertip · Sep 27, 2011

Re: Trolling Motor Just Died Where do I start?

I hate to keep asking you for which Minnkota motor you have but unless you give us that information you may end up replacing a control board only to have it damaged because of some other problem, or you could still have the same problem because the control board was not the issue. If you tested the foot control, how did you do that? And you said you had "something" going INTO the control board. What is the "something".

jdelbarone · Sep 28, 2011

Re: Trolling Motor Just Died Where do I start?

Sorry, here are the stats:
Min Kota Fortrex Digital Maximizer 101 lb. thrust 36V
I tested the power wires coming from the battery going into the control board that is under the foot pedal at the connections and got power. I then tested the the conections coming out of the same board that go to the the motor with the switch depressed and did not get any power. So my assumption is that the board needs to be replaced. It makes sense that the spark from a broken wire shorted it out.
The small bulb light at the top of the unit, (where the arrow is that tells you what direction the prop is in), lights up when the switch is on but that power source looks separate.

jdelbarone · Sep 29, 2011

Re: Trolling Motor Just Died Where do I start?

Ok now I am officially stumped. Called Min Kota, talked to a tech, told him what and where I tested. He said control board. So I just replaced it and nothing but the little light on top of the motor. Totally stumped now. Any suggestions beside calling an authorized dealer.

Trolling Motor Just Died Where do I start?

Cadet

Commander

Banned

Attachments

Supreme Mariner

Banned

Supreme Mariner

Banned

Supreme Mariner

Cadet

Banned

Cadet

Supreme Mariner

Cadet

Cadet