Minnkota not running full speed

[quacksmackMN]

Just picked up a used Minnkota Vector 80lb trolling motor off hsolist for the bowfishing boat. It runs off 24v vs the 12v system the boat was originally wired for but I put a 24v plug in the boat and wired 2 12v batteries in series and got it working. First time on the water it ran great, full speed was crazy fast and we ran at about half speed all night. Only issue was if we got into thick weeds and the prop started getting wrapped up it would pull too much current and trip the breaker in the boat. The next day I bypassed the breaker to prevent it from tripping as a temporary fix since I couldn't get a larger one in time. Got out on the water and the motor barely moves the boat when turned up to full speed. Both batteries had been hooked up to the charger all day. The battery meter on top of the motor read 100% power. Pulled the power head apart to check for debris and everything looked clean. Any ideas whats wrong with it? 

[delcecchi]

If that is old school motor there are a bunch of resistors in the motor part that is in the water.  If it was drawing too much current you could have burned out something.  Take a multimeter and measure the resistance across all the wires going to the motor part from the top of the motor. 

If it is one with electronic speed control, then that isn't the problem. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[quacksmackMN]

Its a newer motor with electronic speed control I believe

[Cheers]

are you sure you have 24 volts when you hooked up the breaker again ? Is there a chance you re hooked you reversed the wire or put it on the wrong terminal

[BartmanMN]

Do you have in line fuses on the positive connection for each battery?  If so, are either of them 'popped'?

[quacksmackMN]

7 hours ago, Cheers said:

are you sure you have 24 volts when you hooked up the breaker again ? Is there a chance you re hooked you reversed the wire or put it on the wrong terminal

 

4 hours ago, BartmanMN said:

Do you have in line fuses on the positive connection for each battery?  If so, are either of them 'popped'?

No inline fuses, there has to be 24v getting to the motor because the battery gauge on the motor head read full power. Thats the part that confuses me the most.

[Duffman]

Did you take off the prop and check for any possible fishing line being wrapped up?

[quacksmackMN]

4 minutes ago, Duffman said:

Did you take off the prop and check for any possible fishing line being wrapped up?

Yes, everything was clean.

[EBass]

Call the Motor Clinic in Bloomington (952) 881-0898 - it sounds expensive to me.  I would try another set of batteries if you could to rule that out.  Sounds like it's only running on 1 battery.  .02

Edited May 4, 2016 by EBass

[delcecchi]

or take your multimeter and measure the voltage while running the motor even just in a plastic tub of water.   Measure as close to the motor as possible, perhaps on the back of the socket.   I am sort of suspicious of those meters on the trolling motor.   Or the battery could have a problem when loaded. 

[Hoey]

I had a similar problem with my Minnkota, it would only run up to about half speed.  Took into a shop and they found the brushes and windings all corroded due to a seal leakage.  

[quacksmackMN]

6 hours ago, delcecchi said:

or take your multimeter and measure the voltage while running the motor even just in a plastic tub of water.   Measure as close to the motor as possible, perhaps on the back of the socket.   I am sort of suspicious of those meters on the trolling motor.   Or the battery could have a problem when loaded. 

I will do that. The motor itself is in perfect shape, I checked brushes, bearings, etc. I'm thinking its an issue either with the batteries or with the circuit board in the top of the trolling motor.

[delcecchi]

Let's hope it is a bad connection somewhere that got fried when running without breakers

 

[ClownColor]

On ‎5‎/‎4‎/‎2016 at 4:57 PM, quacksmackMN said:

I will do that. The motor itself is in perfect shape, I checked brushes, bearings, etc. I'm thinking its an issue either with the batteries or with the circuit board in the top of the trolling motor.

Not sure if my story will help but this is what happened to mine...

I was running my MK in heavy wind all day when I started noticing a slight burning smell. Only caught it when the wind was right. I later pulled my MK power head and noticed the wires were charred at the connection from the shaft wires to the power head. This all steamed from an old worn out BATTERY! It was the end of the year and I was going to replace the battery before next spring...one trip away!  Anyways, I was looking to replace the PDV2 power head with IPilot. I was worried that I ruined the whole motor. I cut away the charred wires and replaced the power head with IPilot and has been working great since. "If" it is your power head (circuit board) it's very easy to replace and you can order online.

Moral of my story...batteries!