minn kota trolling motor not running right

[sstumpf]

i have recently bought a stratos ski fish boat that is 21ft it came with a 74lb minn kota maxxum trolling motor and it doesn't move the boat like it should. there has been a number of people tell me that that trolling motor is big enough for my boat and it should move it just fine, there has also been people tell me that my trolling motor is not running as fast as it should. i have put new batteries on it because the other ones were old and wouldn't take a full charge and that helped a little but people still say it is running too slow for a 74lb. so does anybody know what mite cause that or what is wrong with it. i have my speed turned all the way up to 5. thanks

 

[Barnacle_Bill]

Re: minn kota trolling motor not running right

Pull the prop off and check for fishing line wrapped up in behind it. Check all your electrical connections to be sure they are clean and tight.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: minn kota trolling motor not running right

You are giving us nothing to work with. What wiring system do you have? All we know is that you have 24 volt motor and two batteries. Running too slow says they are wired wrong. Boat manufacturers used many different wiring schemes to accomodate these 12/24 volt motors. As a result, folks not familiar with them wound up butchering the systems. So here's the deal: 1) how many wires run from the batteries to the conntor at the bow? (Hint: the answer will be two, three, or four_). 2) Is there a 12/24/RUN/CHARGE switch on a panel at the bow? 3) How do you currently have the batteries wired. Pictures or a diagram is helpful. 4) Do you have a two terminal, three terminal or four terminal trolling motor plug? Remember we can't see your boat so its all about details, details, details.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: minn kota trolling motor not running right

^^^ Heed ST's advice, who know's what the PO did to the boat, maybe that's why they got rid of the boat?

Besides the possibility of the wiring being all jacked up, you could have loose or corroded wires, switches, connectors. This could limit the amount of power that the TM receives and make it run slow. Also, thin wire can limit the amount of power delivered to the TM, what gauge is the wire from the battery to the TM, and how long is the wiring run?

As ST said, we need pics and details...

 

[sstumpf]

Re: minn kota trolling motor not running right

hey took the boat out today and thought that i would run it by the marina to have them look at it because earlier today i put a volt meter on it and i was only getting 12 volts to the plug. so they looked at it and it was set up as a 12/24 volt system where it can change between the two. so i just had them wire it in a series so that it was a full time 24 volt system and it runs great now, it will move the boat a lot faster. so thanks for everybodys help, but the problem is solved.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: minn kota trolling motor not running right

Another butchered 12/24 system. But as long as you are happy that's all that matters. The next owner will have to deal with it.

 

[KVH]

Silvertip: trolling motor again please

Silvertip: trolling motor again please

Silvertip,

Trying one last time to be sure I don't waste money on a new Trolling Motor: Mine is a 12/24 Evinrude, switch at the foot control, good batteries, tight clean connections, nice and fast appearing out of the water, but a dud once I lower it into the water. I do believe I once crossed the wires. It's a four wire set up at the batteries. The plug is a four prong one.

Is there something I can try as far as the wiring setup to check if I've got proper voltage and correct wiring?

 

[sstumpf]

Re: Silvertip: trolling motor again please

Re: Silvertip: trolling motor again please

what i did it got a volt meter and checked at the plug to see how many volts i was getting.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Silvertip: trolling motor again please

Re: Silvertip: trolling motor again please

Now I need to ask you what changes the marina made to the wiring. Before things were changed I could have helped straighten this out. Now I have no idea what the situation is. See what I mean about folks butchering these systems.

Since it USED to be a four wire system, one pair of wires (POS and NEG) from each battery went up to the four terminal receptacle at the bow. The motor typically has THREE wires in the cable that has the mating plug on it but obviously a four termiinal plug was still needed. Running on 12 volts, the switch on the foot pedal connects the batteries in parallel which connects the 12 volt and ground wire in the motor harness. For 24 volt operation, the foot switch connected the batteries in SERIES to provide 24 volts to the 24 volt and ground wires in the troller harness. You didn't mention what the wire colors are on the motor harness but that typically is red, orange and black but some are red, white and black. Siince white and black are both considered ground by those who typically engineer stuff, the geniuses at the motor manufacturing decided that one of those would be used for 12 volts. You need to determine which is which. Red and black is probably 24 volts. White and black is probably 12 volts. I really think the marina still has your motor operating on 12 volts even though 24 volts is selected. Again, I have no idea what they did so you need to unravel that.

 

[sstumpf]

no mine is running great now, i am running off of 24 volts and i have no problems. all the marina did to mine was take off the two leads that were not being used on one of the batteries and connected the negative off the battery that was being used to the other battery and then made a jumper cable go from the negative of one battery to the positive of the other so it would be wired in a series now there are two leads that are being used going to the bow of the boat. KVH has a question for you Is there something he can try as far as the wiring setup to check if he's got proper voltage and correct wiring?

 

[wifisher]

Re: minn kota trolling motor not running right

He could try a new thread instead of a hijack.

Just sayin.

 

[sstumpf]

Re: minn kota trolling motor not running right

^^^^ not a big deal because i have mine figured out and fixed

 

[wifisher]

Re: minn kota trolling motor not running right

I know, it is just a little harder to read the thread when it jumps around.

Glad you solved your problem.

 

[sstumpf]

Re: minn kota trolling motor not running right

I know, it is just a little harder to read the thread when it jumps around.

Glad you solved your problem.

yes i agree it is a little harder