Minn Kota Endura 55 running backwards

[Len Dog]

I have some Minn Kota Endura 55's, I put them on my rental boats for fishing. I have been having quite a few of them that have been coming in not working especialy in windy conditions. Usualy when I tear it down I will find the speed control switch is melted or the brushes are melted solid into there housing. I have been changing switches, brushes & there housings along with seals in the lower unit. The switches are labeled as to which wire to put wear, the brush housings are not.
Here is my problem, after rebuilding them I have had some of them that will run in reverse. ie instead of 3 speeds in reverse and 5 speeds in forward they will have 5 speeds in reverse and 3 speeds in forward? If I reverse the leads on the battery negative on positive and positive on negative the motor runs correctly? I have double checked the switch where these leads connect and they are hooked up properly according to the labeling on the switch.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Len

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Minn Kota Endura 55 running backwards

If you've had the motor apart, the plate the brushes were installed on can be installed 180 degrees from where it should be. Also, connecting the two blacks together means you do not have a correct connection. The original RUN/CHARGE switch did the series to parallel connection so the batteries could both be charged using a single 12 volt charger connected to the troller plug or one of the batteries. By connecting the two blacks them you cannot possibly have both 12 and 24 volts. By the way, the run/charge switch is nothing special. Go to Radio Shack and choose from about three styles. If the system is wired the way you say, measuring orange to black or red to black should both measure 12 volts. Your motor is not wired that way in that it uses only the red/black or orange/black for 24/12 volts respectively. The motor does not use orange and red at the same time. 24 volts requires a series connection of two batteries. 12 volts requires selection of just one of the batteries, or both of them in parallel. With the black from both batteries tied together you cannot achieve series connection.

**This was posted by SilverTip in another forum. Perhaps it can help.**

 

[Len Dog]

Re: Minn Kota Endura 55 running backwards

Fireman thanks. I better add a little more info. The motor is a plain transom mount 12v motor. There is no run/charge switch just straight red & black off of the motor leading to a single battery. I also did try the plate that hodl the brushes in both positions and the motor ran backwards in both positions.

Thanks

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Minn Kota Endura 55 running backwards

That doesn't change anything. You need to turn the housing containing the brushes 180 degrees and wire the unit properly.

 

[Len Dog]

Re: Minn Kota Endura 55 running backwards

Thanks everyone,

So simple in the end as always. I checked and re checked and everything was wired correctly, I tried changing the housing containing the brushes 180 degrees and it was tough to stretch the wires that far it didn't seem right and still didn't work. & finally figured out that I had the magnet shell in upside down, as soon as I flipped the shell end for end everything worked correctly.

Thanks for the help!

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Minn Kota Endura 55 running backwards

You had the magnet housing rotated 180* the wrong way. I guess by flipping it end for end, it accomplished the same thing. But I would be concerned if the magnets are centered in the housing or offset, on my 70# motor the magnets are offset. If the magnets are centered, you should be fine.

BTW, when I rebuilt my 70# motor I did the same thing, got the magnet housing 180* off. I didn't mark where it was before taking it apart... :facepalm: