I have a new Enduramax trolling motor that I bought 2 years ago. I still haven't gotten my plastic bass boat straightened out, so I've been storing the trolling motor.

 

For a while, I just left it attached to the front mount of the boat, but I finally took it off and put it in an old car I use for storage.

 

Is there any reason that storing it in a hot car would cause issues with it?

Should be fine 

Should be OK as long as the old car isn’t in the sun all day.

Tom

Decent chance Jeff Foxworthy 

could work with this one.

A-Jay

3 hours ago, WRB-2.0 said:

Should be OK as long as the old car isn’t in the sun all day.

Tom

It is in the sun all day. That's why I have concern.

If it has a transducer on it heat can destroy it.  As for the tm itself I don’t know.  Call M K customer service and ask them.

Just now, Jig Man said:

If it has a transducer on it heat can destroy it.  As for the tm itself I don’t know.  Call M K customer service and ask them.

No transducer. I'm scopeless at the moment.

 

I had not thought of asking Minnkota, thanks.

Car in the sun can reach 135 degrees killing children and pets!
Nylon max temp before it starts to creep (yield under pressure) is 105 degrees.

What happens to plastic that creeps is cracking in areas under stress like fasteners without metal inserts.

I wouldn’t store your TM in a hot car for serval days periods of time.

Tom

 

1 hour ago, WRB-2.0 said:

Car in the sun can reach 135 degrees killing children and pets!
Nylon max temp before it starts to creep (yield under pressure) is 105 degrees.

What happens to plastic that creeps is cracking in areas under stress like fasteners without metal inserts.

I would store your TM in a hot car for serval days periods of time.

Tom

 

?

32 minutes ago, Jig Man said:

?

Wouldn’t

Thank you!

Tom

Okay, I'll have to find another spot for it. Thanks.

 

Is the cold an issue for it?

Put it a closet in the house standing up. Done

The heat inside the car is probably not as hot as the sun baking on that black finish.  The corrosion/rust from condensation caused by the large temp changes would be more of a concern to me.  I don't leave my TM on the boat when I know it's going to sit unused for extended periods unless the boat is going to be stored in/under a shelter of some sort.

Get your boat sorted and put it on .  💪

I think I would be most worried about the seals in the lower unit in heat, expanding/softening into a size that no longer blocks/seals the armature gap.

Okay, well, the trolling motor has been in the car since last winter sometime, so it's endured some heat so far. I will pull it out and find another spot for it.

 

Other than rain and rinsing it off in the rain barrel, it's never been in the water.

A trolling motor is not totally sealed.  The shaft between the motor and the head is open so the motor is still exposed to condensation on temp swings but being stored inside an old vehicle is better than outside.  I have an old Endura transom mount I bought when they first came out in 2011 for my jon boat to use in small ponds and kept it stored in a metal shed for long periods of time.  When I would take it out to use it, I would have to spin the prop by hand a couple of times to get it to turn but ran fine once I did that.  I started storing it upside down so condensation couldn't settle in the motor housing, and I quit having to do that.  I don't see the old car as being a problem but if you have something a little more temp stable, it would probably be better.

12 hours ago, Junger said:

I think I would be most worried about the seals in the lower unit in heat, expanding/softening into a size that no longer blocks/seals the armature gap.

This

 

After every outing I remove the prop and clean all debris from around the prop shaft and make sure the debris is removed from the seal as well.

 

I also use a synthetic lubricant on the seal and shaft once it dries out. This keeps the gap between shaft and seal lubricated for next outing, and prevents the rubber from drying out and cracking or shrinking and changing shape over a longer time period.

 

I also use that 100% silicon rubber sealant around the motor's joint and where the shaft meets motor. Just adding an extra layer of sealing that is easily removed next time I pull the motor apart it peels right off.

 

One more thing to check is the prop pin through shaft. The stronger the motor, these can bend easily and snap in half while on the water when you need it most. I pull them out and check them and if bending slightly I hammer it back straight because these pins are designed to snap if bent too far. So a slight bend can be bent back straight and keep on going maybe for a little while longer. Its best to keep a few extra of these handy as well as a prop removal tool just in case.

 

I like making my own custom trolling motor setups and rebuild all my own motors. .

 

I now have a 12v/55lb thrust, a 24v/80lb, and just acquired my newest project a 36v/110lb I think it is. All of them are now modified with new electronics packages.

 

Some years ago the shop did a clean up and clean out and tossed out a bunch of old motors laying around which is how I got the 80lb motor. It had digital electronics for variable speed control down inside the motor to keep it cool. But when water or moisture gets down into the motor that electronics package down there corrodes and fails, especially in the saltwater motors its faster fails.

 

So I pulled the motor apart gutted all of the old electronics out of it and turned it back into a straight motor and soldered power wires directly to the brushes and ran my own variable speed control electronics mounted under the front deck.

 

One of the interesting things about trolling motors is that there is not much difference between saltwater and freshwater trolling motors. The motors and seals are all the same just painted different colors. The differences are all the other stuff. They sure like to epoxy the electronics in sealed up packages no one can work on. That's why proprietary electronics get trashed and after market electronics are chosen instead.

 

My new forward/reverse switches on deck is an old court reporter recorder footswitch used to control audio tape recorders in court. I chose it because of how low profile it is and size of switch pedals. I am considering using a guitar wah wah type of pedal for my speed control.

 

I can't wait to get the 110 installed. Its gonna be fast. My backseat boater is gonna have to hang on. Heck they had that problem with the 80.

 

Take a look at what saltwater does to a trolling motor variable speed control

 

 

This was replaced with a sealed precision variable with a different taper.

 

The new motor drive reversible variable speed control electronics package. This one comes with a motor brake circuit so I can go from full speed forward to full speed backwards instantly if I have to. Neat feature to have in motor controls. Minn Kota has never added a brake circuit. So I did.

 

This little beauty right here cost under $40 way back when and handled 12-60 volts and maximum of 70 amps average with surge capability over 100 amps.

 

 

 

Ah, there they are. The all important seals. This image shows the motor brushes circuit board with corroded burned up factory electronics still attached but new power wires are already installed.

 

 

Here the old electronics have been removed and brush circuit board nearly done. Gotta cut out some more useless minn kota junk before installing. You can see that old burned up electronics is epoxy sealed. Did not help it one bit. All the heat built up right there in that white ring on the left side of this image. The open electronics is the new replacement motor driver package. It never even really got warm running full speed across a lake. Had much better heat dissipation once attached to the heat sink cover box.

 

Something very important I would like to point out in the image below. Minn Kota did something down in this motor that was in part behind it failing. Look how the motor drive electronics delivers full power to brushes. This is a saltwater motor now, and you can see the attachment is done with 2 screws. That's it. A bad connection from my perspective. Mine are soldered directly to brushes. Huge difference.

 

And you can't see it but those aluminum stand off's that deliver power to the motor have 2 more screws to make the power connection down inside all that epoxy. Not too good! Subject to heat build up and bad connections.

 

And also notice the speed controls up on deck the boater is using go through that small reddish 4 pin connector on circuit board. All of these connections are subject to corrosion and bad connections. I eliminated all of it.

 

And presto. The free 24/80lb motor out of the garbage can is rockin and rollin again ready for new paint job. I think the trolling motor in parts for new seals cost under $10. New motor drive package under $40. So pretty cool getting an 80lb thrust customized trolling motor for around $50 with a little hard work.

 

 

Storing these motors in appropriate environments is the best for them. Heat accelerates moisture damage, especially salty moisture can ruin good trolling motors here in Florida real fast. I get my free motors because guys don't do what is necessary and honestly many don't want to. So right straight into the shop with them. Just fix it. How much? Thanks. I'm out of here. Can't be fixed? No problem. Keep it. I'll but a new one. See ya!

 

I think a good suggestion is to pull props after each outing. Clean shaft down to seals carefully. Maybe use something to keep rubber seals lubricated, check prop pins and straighten them if needed, and maybe you can get further down the river without failures. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure here.

 

If you do not do what is necessary to make sure your trolling motors are well cared for and maintained, it just might be my next project motor. One man's trash is another man's treasure.  😎

52 minutes ago, Way2slow said:

A trolling motor is not totally sealed.  The shaft between the motor and the head is open so the motor is still exposed to condensation on temp swings but being stored inside an old vehicle is better than outside. 

 

Yep. Done on purpose too. You and I both know they could seal those up if they wanted to.