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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | This Friday my Powerdrive didn't want to work right.
When it isn't working, it won't turn right or left, nor will the prop turn.
**If I manually turn the motor left to right by hand, the prop will spin until I stop turning the motor. I need to turn it fairly quickly for prop to spin. Turn slow and nothing happens. NOTE: I need to actually spin the "turning" motor with the collar on the shaft engaged in the "motor" part of the unit. Need to feel the resistance and hear the "whine" of the motor when turning manually. If the shaft is loose and I turn it, no go. I'm trying to think of a better way to describe this...
The connections from battery to motor are good. The battery status lights work, so there is power to the unit. It has worked off and on, but mosty off... When it works, everything works (prop spins, motor turns L/R). When it doesn't, nothing does. It worked for a few minutes when I went out today, but then when it quit, it never started working again.
I don't believe it is the foot pedal. I hooked up a different pedal to it and same symptoms. I believe there is something wrong in the black "motor" box, where the motor that turns the unit on and off is.
One of the last times I fished, I drove home - only about 15 minutes, in a torrential downpour. I've fished in all day rains plenty with no trolling motor trouble, but I have to wonder if water got in to something and is causing gremlins.
There are 4 machine screws that go into that black box the shaft goes through. I took them out, but it didn't seem like I could seperate that black box. I'm guessing it might have some gasket sealer or something holding it together, and there isn't much of a gap to wedge anything in there. I didn't want to try to hard and break anything.
Has anybody had something like this happen? Any advice? I have a trip coming up in less that 2 weeks and will need this to be reliable by then. I'll either have to figure something out quick or take it to a repair shop. Might not be bad piece of mind for my upcoming trip to take it to a shop (I would actually like it to be fixed for the long holiday weekend coming up too).
Let me know if you have any ideas!
Thanks,
Tucker
Edited by curleytail 8/28/2011 10:44 PM
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Posts: 291
Location: Minneapolis | I've had similar problems off and on. Sometimes I need to get a new control board for the head of the motor. Sometimes the coiled power cord between the base and head needs tweaking. This weekend, my motor would turn right but left was iffy. After manually turning the motor head like you described, it worked both ways.
My motor is old enough (7 years) I'm not willing to spend much on repairs. Let me know if you figure anything out definitively. |
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Posts: 247
Location: Uxbridge Ontario | The contact button on the boats get stressed and or corroded over time and just stop working properly. You can usually get them to work intermittently for a while, but they will be toast soon.
Time for a new peddle, or you can replace the board like mentioned above. Peddle is around $100, the board is about $60. I just picked up a new board today. |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | Thanks guys. I called a service center and they said it sounded like it probably needs a new board.
I don't believe it is the pedal. This pedal is only a couple months old. I hooked it up to my old pedal (which doesn't turn left, but should do everything else), and no difference.
This motor is about 5 years old, but well taken care of and in good shape. I think it will be worth a $100 or so board. Will be bringing it in tomorrow. Will let you know what I find. |
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| I agree with the board diagnosis. |
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| my foot pedal starting acting up as well. Sometimes won't turn left. I have since started to blow it out with high pressure air from my compressor before each trip and have not had a problem yet. We'll see how long this lasts. |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | Hi all. I am pretty certain this is not a foot pedal problem. Maybe you have to experience the way it acts to believe that yourself... I have experienced the junk foot pedal problem and it idid not behave like this. I'm sure all are different though. Also, I know the foot pedals aren't great. However, I have had this for 5 years, I fish probably more than the average guy, and I finally replaced one this year. Now I will probably go through one every couple months after saying that.
When the motor doesn't work, it doesn't even turn on with either of my foot pedals. When it does work, it turns on with either foot pedal. I think that in itself shows it is not a pedal problem.
Sled, if I took a hack saw to this one I would just be shelling out money to buy another of the same. I can't say I have had bad luck with this motor. Things don't last forever, and it has taken 5 years of plenty of use before I had to put a penny into this motor. Some people seem to be harder on stuff than others...
Tucker |
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Posts: 134
| Maybe two things to check here. Last weekend had the plugs or prongs on the trolling motor side of the pedal connection break off the wires and come apart. It was very strange. Moving along a nice weed edge and all of th sudden the trolling motor just stops. Turn the constant power switch to off, move the power from 4 to 6 to make sure it wasn't a bad contact and still nothing. A little wiggle of the plug connection and bingo... the trolling motor lights up. Figuring it was just a bad connection i pulled the plug apart to check if they were dirty or corroded and to my dismay two of the prongs that attach to the control wires had pulled out of the trolling motor side of the plug. While attempting to make a quick fix one of the metal prongs flew into the drink... a several minute minature temper tantrum occurred then.
Long story short, I made a phone call to the local Minn Kota repair shop to discuss options and the plug is wired directly into the main pannel. I removed the trim pieces from the trolling motor to see what kind of surgery we would be doing if i had to replace that main pannel and it didn't look bad. All connections where made with male/female friction fit connections and with a screw driver and some patients could easily be changed out. But, rather than purchase a $90 pannel on saturday morning i ran to the local hardware store and grabbed two nails and drove them into the missing prong slots and BINGO... it worked for the remainder of the weekend and is still working.
Based on your explaination, it could be a couple of different things. I am by no means an expert but the plug connections would be a place to start. If you can eliminate the plug/pedal you are left with the control pannel (circuit board) and the related connections. I would say, based on your need for a fully functioning trolling motor, you may want to consult a tech for advice. I would hate to spend the cash on a new main board only to have it be a bad wire or worn out motor/connection. The fact that it turns on after manual movement makes it sound more like a bad connection/wire than a faulty pannel. Either way i would be very interested to hear what the problem/solution end up being. |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | Thanks for filling me on on your experience Mike. First thing I checked was my circuit breaker - not tripped. Then I checked all battery terminal connections - everything solid. My Battery light status lights always work so there is at least some current coming from batteries to motor. Checked the pedal to motor plug connection - all wires straight and shiny.
When I got home I took all the panels off the motor and wiggled all the wires and made sure all connections to the control board were solid - all looked good. Took the "head" cover off the motor. Both main positive and negative wires were solidly connected. Wiggled and gently tugged on them going down into the motor and no change.
Removed the prop and rear cap to check for water, nothing in there. I didn't take the actual prop motor out. I've done it before and it's not rocket science but I didn't feel like pulling that out and trying to fit everything back in the brushes again...
Wiggled the thick pig tail wire, and no change.
If there is a bad or broken wire it is not visible without more major dissasembly. I drove through a very, very heavy pouring rain on my way home. Heavy enough to overfill and have water POURING out of my gutters when I backed into my garage. I just wonder if some water got driven into the control board and is making things wacky. I know it should all be sealed up but... Or maybe it just decided to give up after 5 years of use - certainly could be.
I took it to the shop on Tuesday. Their Minn-Kota guy was off yesterday, but back today so hopefully I can pick it up after work today. I probably would have just replaced the board myself, but with the trip coming up I figured it was worth having a tech look at it.
The only thing I don't like is that it works sometimes. It seems to usually work at home if it sits for a while. Take it out fishing and it quits right away. Thought it may be getting water in the motor casing, but that is dry. I don't think that would affect the L/R turning problem anyway. I won't trust that it has actually been fixed until I use it for a good weekend and have no issues.
I'm curious myself and will update everyone once I get it back.
Thanks,
Tucker |
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Posts: 247
Location: Uxbridge Ontario | $100 for the board?
I just got my board in Canada for $60 flat. The entire pedal from the right place should only be $100. |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | Got the motor back today. Their verdict was the control board. HomeTime, it's not the foot pedal board that was the problem it was the main control board for the motor itself.
They said they were able to get the motor to not function (I was worried it would just be working like it always seemed to be in my garage), and it was in fact the main control board. The board itself was $75, and 1/2 hour of labor was around $40. If it wre different circumstances, and I didn't NEED to motor to work in a week, I would have probably just gotten the board myself and installed a new one. I figured it was worth a little extra money to have a tech look the motor over this time.
The real test will be to see if it keeps working!
Tucker |
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| Deleted by Admin. |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | So you managed to get one thread deleted, and now you need to attack the other open Minn Kota thread also, apparently in attempt to shut that one down also?
It would be a shame if somebody were searching the forums for some useful information (that may be found in this thread), and it were deleted becuase somebody had to vent about the problems they have had with their equipment. I think you've made your point enough times that you can lay it to rest now.
Thanks,
Tucker
Edited by curleytail 9/2/2011 5:48 PM
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Posts: 32935
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Tucker,
This guy is unable to control himself, and will not be allowed to post here for awhile. Maybe he will eventually 'get it', maybe not. |
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Posts: 1887
Location: syracuse indiana | well i didnt see what he wrote, but he was bashing MK all i can say is they are good motors. i have trashed 2 MG's and my MK had deployed 2 different time going down the road and ground down the skeg a little and it still runs awsome. it wasnt snapped in the lock position when once i had 2 different people lock it in. now i do it and no one else. and i have had this motor for 3 years and im still on the same pedal(hope i didnt curse myself for saying that). they are all i will ever use....bill |
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Posts: 32935
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | jobu,
How many times do I need to answer this?
Bashing the company or product helps no one. You offered absolutely NOTHING to help anyone, just bashed Minn Kota several times. By the way, I run MotorGuide and highly recommend them.
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