Posts: 2754
Location: Mauston, Wisconsin | schrump - 8/29/2008 7:59 PM
Here's my problem..I have a Minnkota 24 V trolling motor, the 4 prong receptacle crapped out so I bought a new one. Unfortunately there was no wiring diagram with the new one. It is a Marinco 4 prong plug, I hooked it up and had half power and figured it was only running on 12 volts. Tried a couple other configurations and get nothing. My boat was used and has four wires running from the batteries (not wired in sequence like I would have done it myself). My question is how should I hook these up to make them work? I was able to isolate each batteries connection and hook them up to the corresponding positive and negative and still have no power to the trolling motor. I reset the breakers and still nothing no matter how I hook the system up. Anyone have any suggestions what to try next? Thanks in advance.
1. What do you mean by: "the 4 prong receptacle crapped out"? Were you having the same problem, i.e., half power?
2. Assuming both batteries are good and fully charged. The first step in solving the mystery is to identify the problem, i.e., is the problem the wiring, the circuit breaker or the TM itself? What is the model # of the TM? Does the TM itself have 4-wire or 3-wire cable? What is the color code of those wires?
What is the color code of the battery wiring to the new receptacle?
f.Ex. Battery #1 Neg (-) = Black -> Pos (+) = Red
Battrey # 2 Neg (-) Black w/white stripe -> Pos (+) = Red w/white stripe
First disconnect the TM receptacle & plug.
3. It's entirely feasible that one of the circuit breakers is defective. The easy way to test them and both sets of battery cables to the TM receptacle is to load test. You can do this with an gadzillion candle power spot light or an old automobile 12V headlamp (bright headlamp). Disconnect all the wires at both ends and carefully connect one set at the TM end to the test light. Then connect the other end to the appropriate battery. Repeat for the second set. If one of them won't light the lamp or the lamp is dim you need to backup.
Take the lamp to the battery and hook it across the terminals, if it doesn't light or is dim, the battery is the problem. If the light is bright, the circuit breaker is the most likely culprit.
If you have a good bright light from both sets of wires, the supply circuits are OK and you're on to step 4.
Step 4- Verify the wiring interface (Marinco receptacle) is properly wired. If you don't have the original manual, call Minn Kota and get one or get a wiring diagram from them. Rewire the system to their diagram.
http://www.minnkotamotors.com/support/customer_service.asp
Step 5 - If it's still not working you probably have a TM problem. Did you remove the prop & check for fishing line. It's also possible that the TM controller may have been damaged from your earlier wiring attempts.
Good luck.
Al
Edited by ESOX Maniac 9/1/2008 11:23 AM
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