20 replies to this topic

[Bird dog]

I've been wanting to upgrade from a 12 volt to a 24 volt system for a while, but I kept putting it off. A few days ago, I stumbled onto a 70# Minn Kota Edge on clearance for about $200 off the regular price. The only catch was that it was a display model, and they had lost the owners manual. I thought I would be able to find the owners manual online somewhere, so I felt pretty good about the purchase. Well, I couldn't find the manual online, and I didn't want to call Minn Kota and wait for them to send me one, so today I decided to install my new trolling motor without the instructions. How hard could it be, right? I removed my old trolling motor and installed the new one plus two new batteries, and it went very smoothly... until I tried to turn it on. Nothing! I started troubleshooting, but everything appeared to be hooked up correctly. By this point, I'm starting to get worried. Did I hook something up wrong and fry my new motor? Was it damaged while on display? Were my two new batteries junk? I ended up pulling everything out, and starting over. Still nothing! I gave up and decided that tomorrow I would find someone to help me. A couple of hours later, I had to go out to the truck for something, and as I walked past the boat, I glanced over at my worthless trolling motor. The MOM/OFF/CON switch was in the off position the whole time. I feel so dumb.

[slonezp]

Don't feel bad. Totally unrelated. I get a service call today. A/C is not working in a large mfg plant in the tool & die room. Between the college educated engineers, plant maintenance, and tool and die makers who are running million dollar machinery, no one could figure out for the A/C to work you need to change the thermostat from heat to cool.

[quanjig]

Considering you had no manual Bird Dog, it could have been worse!


Slo.......... I bet they just dropped their heads and slowly walked away!

[Fishing Rhino]

I'm the biggest dummy I know. But, I'm hoping it's because I'm the only person I'm with 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365.25 days per year.

[nice_Bass]

I will try to go on plane at least twice this year with my tm down...

[Fishing Rhino]

I will try to go on plane at least twice this year with my tm down...

Is that a New Year's resolution?

[nice_Bass]

Is that a New Year's resolution?

Just replaced my tm so i guess it would be a resolution to not do it this year. Resolutions are meant to be broken however.

[scrutch]

I'm the biggest dummy I know. But, I'm hoping it's because I'm the only person I'm with 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365.25 days per year.

I guess you're right Tom! You aren't real smart... Sheesh! EVERYBODY knows there's only 365 days in a year! Wow! What a dummy!


(maybe a little tough to tell the self-deprecating humor in this post)

[Siebert Outdoors]

LOL, I'll do that atleast once on the road trip.

[ctf58]

Back up and slow down.
1. If you had a 12 volt system was the boat pre-rigged for 24 volts? Plug on the boat should say 12/24 if it is.
2. What model TM do you have? is it a true 24 volt only or a 12/24 volt version?
3. What are the wire colors at the connections on the TM itself not what is run in the boat? Should be Black or green, Red and some other color maybe Blue.
4. Take the trolling motor and 1 of the batteries and get about 2 pieces of wire about 6 feet long. For this purpose get a old indoor extension or better yet run to Walmart and buy a small roll of 12 gauge speaker wire it should be marked +/-. Make sure the TM is turned OFF. connect the "-" to the ground connection on the TM, should be Black or Green and probably marked "Ground". Then pick the either one of the other connections, Red if there is one and connect to it. then connect to the battery by stripping the other ends of your wires and twist them around the battery post. Set the motor to 12 volts and turn it on. If it works Great, if not turn it off and set the TM to 24 volts and turn it on. Turn the motor OFF. Did it work on either ? If so, Great, if not take the "+" wire off of the battery and then change to the other wire connection on the TM and hook the wire to the battery again and repeat 12 test then switch to 24 volt. One or the other setting should work with each connection on the TM. This will let you know that the motor works and and battery works. I'm guessing on the colors of the wire from memory and those are the common colors used.

4. If your boat was not pre-rigged for 24 volts you will have to pull a new wire up to the TM. If it were me I would see what gauge wire is there now and either match it OR unhook the TM wires at the battery and make a loop in the end of each wire. Then buy at least 8gauge wire in 3 colors or you can buy colored electrical tape and put 2 through one of the looped wires and 1 through the other looped wire. Make loops with these wires and tape the "slices" together tightly. Now you can use the old wires to pull the new wires in the exact same route as the old wire.

Sorry but there was no short way to right this. Be safe troubleshooting. Good luck
Clint

[ctf58]

4. If your boat was not pre-rigged for 24 volts you will have to pull a new wire up to the TM. If it were me I would see what gauge wire is there now and either match it OR ***go to the next size larger and then***unhook the TM wires at the battery

Sorry I was thinking faster than I could type at the time

[Daniel My Brother]

^5. Re-read the final two sentences of the original post.

[ctf58]

sorry for the post, just trying ot help while taking care of a 3 year old

[endless]

Lol I needed this today Bird dog thanks. But speaking of trolling motors one of these days I'm going to end up in the water cause of my stupidity. I'll set it on 5 to jet across the water just to get to a spot and forget. I'll stand up to fish just to step on motor to make a hard turn. I probably done this more than 15 times already.

I am glad that all it was Bird dog!! Have you taken it out yet on the water how you like it?

[Bird dog]

I haven't been able to take it out yet because it's been raining for the past two days. I'm pretty excited about it, though. Going from a 46# to a 70# should make a huge difference. Ctf58, I appreciate all the thought that you put into your post, but this was 100% operator malfuction.