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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | I have an older (2004) Powerdrive.
Sometimes (randomly) it stops working. Most of the time when it stops, I can still steer, it just stops turning the prop. I can hear a click when I hit the CON on button on the pedal, but it still doesn't work.
I have just wiggled the main plug and gotten things to go again.
Last night though, I could not get it to start at all. Still steered, but would not turn the prop. I was hearing the click when I turned it on though. When I got home, I tried again. Everything worked fine.
Any ideas?
I have next week off of work, and I was planning to go fishing all week. I really need to get something figured out. |
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Posts: 1828
| I have the same trolling motor. Went through two (both used) foot pedals last year that gave me the same business. It was only at certain speed settings.
Do you have a CoPilot remote to check if that works properly when the foot pedal is acting up?
Anyway, it sounds like dirty/corroded/faulty contacts in the foot pedal circuit board. A new foot pedal is $90. But I've heard guys say they've successfully cleaned theirs up and gotten them to work reliably again. |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | jaultman - 7/10/2015 7:30 AM
I have the same trolling motor. Went through two (both used) foot pedals last year that gave me the same business. It was only at certain speed settings.
Do you have a CoPilot remote to check if that works properly when the foot pedal is acting up?
Anyway, it sounds like dirty/corroded/faulty contacts in the foot pedal circuit board. A new foot pedal is $90. But I've heard guys say they've successfully cleaned theirs up and gotten them to work reliably again.
I do not have a co-pilot remote.
Where is the foot pedal circuit board? In the pedal?
The strange thing is sometimes wiggling the main power plug (not the pedal plug) would sometimes fix the problem. Extremely frustrating.
The other thing that is strange, is that the steer feature typically works. I can even hear the click when I turn the constant on.
I talked to a guy this morning that says maybe a seal is wrecked and leaks water in. I suppose that could cause intermittent random failure.
Edited by 14ledo81 7/10/2015 9:01 AM
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | if you truly want to eliminate the frustration there is only one answer = get a new different model trolling motor
those will make you crazy and they are consistent ... consistently unreliable. i wouldn't spend a dime trying to fix it ... |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | jonnysled - 7/10/2015 9:06 AM
if you truly want to eliminate the frustration there is only one answer = get a new different model trolling motor
those will make you crazy and they are consistent ... consistently unreliable. i wouldn't spend a dime trying to fix it ...
Thats what I was afraid of. With a simple Google search, I came up with many issues.
Are the newer powerdrives any better? |
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Posts: 1828
| 14ledo81 - 7/10/2015 9:00 AM
Where is the foot pedal circuit board? In the pedal?
Yes. Take a look at it and you'll clearly see how to take it apart, if you want to try to clean up the board. A couple screws and a couple little springs to take out from the bottom side.
14ledo81 - 7/10/2015 9:00 AM
The other thing that is strange, is that the steer feature typically works. I can even hear the click when I turn the constant on.
Exactly how mine acted. You could hear the relay or something trying to close circuit to the motor, but motor didn't get the power. Steering motor worked fine all the while. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | they have a chronic problem. some try to make it sound like there is a solution but there simply isn't a reliable or lasting one. most have gone to the terrova so the "problem" is not talked about as much mostly because so many have left and gotten other products.
best to just go get a new or used terrova if you are a minn-kota tilted buyer. i went motorguide and run both a cable and an electric interchangeably depending on conditions. the motorguide Xi5 is what i would buy if getting one of the "new" products out today.
there are some good used deals that come up occasionally if you keep watch on this board
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Posts: 620
Location: Seymour, WI | I had the same motor that you did and finally got rid of it for a Terrova this yr. The Terrova is a great motor and I think you'll love it.
IF you're not ready to take the plunge to a new terrova now then I would make sure all of your terminal connections ( the main power plug and the battery connections ) are clean and making good contact. I had the same issues that you did with mine. I cleaned and then slightly bent the prongs of the main power plug so I was sure that they were making clean contact. That will help some.
Also make sure your batteries and battery connections ( take the connecting wires off and look at the undersides) are clean and fully charged. I keep my batteries clean, but I had an issue once where there was corrosion underneath the wires that I couldn't see just by looking at the battery connections.
Hope that helps,
Grass |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | Update:
When I got home I checked every connection out. Found a little crusty green on the positive battery terminal. I cleaned that up good. Also found some fishing line wrapped around the prop spindle. The other connections looked fine though. Minn kota tech support told me to open up the lower unit to check for moisture/corrosion. It was dry and clean inside.
I could not get it to fail at all tonight. Gonna go fishing tomorrow. Hopefully all goes well.
Probably start saving to buy something different this winter. |
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Posts: 229
| I have used PowerDrive/AutoPilots for years. The only problem I have ever had is with the foot pedal circuit board. The way I fix this is either buy a new foot pedal or replace the circuit board in the foot pedal. I have had o do this a few times. In my opinion, these products are fine and not totally unreliable like was said on here. |
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Posts: 13688
Location: minocqua, wi. | get upwind of a reef and have it fail on you ... happened too many times to count. depends on where and how you fish i suppose. for some it will be the difference between wrecking your boat and not. |
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Posts: 4269
Location: Ashland WI | Anybody have thoughts on the newer powerdrives? Cabelas has one on sale right now for $399. |
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Posts: 1023
| I have owned three. They have been good motors but the pedals suck. I keep an extra in the boat.
I want an XI5 but can't justify it as my PD works fine now. |
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Posts: 300
Location: Minocqua, WI | 3 or 4 years ago I remember making a similar post about how bad the foot pedals are but for the V2. Now I carry an extra in the truck for backup and then I went further by adding some modifications to the pedal ----- like marine greasing all the pedal contact points to keep sand and dirt out, sealing the bottom of pedal so same won't happen too, and reinforcing the push buttons and contact points with sand paper so they're always making contact. Sounds silly but works. I'm now on year-3 with same pedal but the accelerator button is starting to go and wearing down to nothing.
Highly recommend the co-pilot remote. It's a $150 addition and well worth it. Won't get the hands-free fishing experience with it, but the remote offers way more speeds and accuracy than the pedal IMO. It's been a lifesaver. |
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