Trolling motor

Pork that is interesting.  I called Minn Kota regarding replacement parts for my motor and they told me replacement pedals for my motor are no longer available.
 
Makes me a bit upset as the first problem occurring with my motor was slow turning to the left. Then, replacement pedals were available for less than a $100.00 but Smart asz me thinking I would pull a fast one, had to tear the pedal down, where I found corrosion on the snap switch.
 
Last time I had the boat in the water (over a year ago) I had the same problem of the clicking but no go.   However, a few choice words and some temper tantrum dancing upon the pedal brought about a miracle  and no further problem.  My motor has the feature where the speed increases gradually which is great as it prevents me from being thrown, off the bow of the boat, in the event the speed selector is full up and the motor is at a right angle to the boat.  I mean who thinks to first check the condition of the trolling motor when a guy must suddenly stomp the control pedal moving his boat  to retrieve a lure from a new found snag.  Anyways, I'm suspecting the no go may be associated with the speed control located inside the pedal somewhere.
 
This season awaits replacement of a battery before I hit the water, so I'm not knowing what to expect.
 
I'll likely hook the motor to my battery charger, switch to "Start" position and stomp on the motor pedal before spending money on a battery.   Not likely to be replacing the trolling motor if the pedal fails this year. 
 
I sure hope you are successful getting your problem fixed.  I'll be waiting to hear.

Thank you guys for the info.
 
Going to take apart the pedal and see if there are some corroded leads.  Something in my skill level.
 
Understanding EMitch's message is above my skill level!  Ha, ha.  I think I am following though at least somewhat (after reading 3 times).  Neat to hear how the pedal's electronics work.  It sounds like there is a relay inside of the control board, that is pulling power and not giving to the output side (or possibly one of the B+ side items).  On the DVOM, it is giving nothing on the output side.  There are actually 16 other wires coming off of the board, so assume a few are considered B+.  7 to the foot pedal that are encapsulated in the board, by some sort of plastic resin, so unable to test those at the board.  I assume each could be tested at the pedal.  I will try that when I take apart the pedal this evening.  As noted about the board being encapsulated, if one of switches, MUX or one of the other smaller transistors or whatever they are on there is bad, it would be a chore to dig it off.  I'm guessing possible, but would be a job for someone that really knows electronics and sure about pin pointing the issue.
 
Hopefully loose connection in the pedal!  If it is something inside of the board, I am fine spending the $120 to replace.  From what I have read, Minn Kota motors are known to blow these boards.  If I can get another 13 years out of it for $120, that is a win by me.  If inside the pedal and free, even better!!! 
 

C'mon, Porktown, we're waitin' on the report. Is it gonna live, or are ya gonna put a board on it? Inquirin'' minds wanta know!

Tore apart the pedal and everything looked to be in place connection wise. Of course it could end up being the board in the pedal itself... Put my order in for the control board and supposed to be here in a few days. Will post an update when it comes in, modify and install.

I hope not double. I hear you though. I will be very thankful if the new board works! My gas motor problem last year couldn’t have been more frustrating. Tore the carb apart 3-4 times, replaced every fitting and find out I had bad oil... Hoping not a repeat. The trolling motor is more of a luxury. I have a smaller one that I can use from my 12’ tin can. It’s under powered and not as much control, but works. Would like this for walleye season opening. So I can troll and not catch anything for a few hours before going panfishing... Speaking of frustrating!

BT. There was a bunch of line on it, which I thought was going to be an easy fix. Got it off and nothing. Took the motor out of the casing and ran a few internet tests on it that it passed, including power directly to it. What a pain to get that thing set back in with the spring loaded contacts and magnets... It looked like it was staying dry inside with no signs of rust. Hoping it stays that way. Not sure how water doesn’t make it in. I greased it up so hopefully makes a seal at the bushing.

BeenThereDoneThat.
Pork I do not envy you, having to disassemble and reassemble a trolling motor.

I do however, congratulate you for challenging a trolling motor, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the true fisher. Its annual mission: to explore strange new worlds. To seek out new electronics and stupid fish. To boldly go where no angler has gone before! 🙉


I got my fingers crossed for ya the new circuit board fixes the problem.

Is that a fancy way of calling me cheap?  
 
Ha, ha.  Thank you for the encouraging words though.  Should know by the weekend.  I have a laundry list of items that I need to pick up at the hardware store for it too.

BTDT is correct, you are brave attempting the trolling motor repair thing. Back in the day when I worked at two different boat dealerships, each started by servicing trolling motors, but each also stopped rather quickly because even for seasoned boat mechanics, sometimes what was wrong with a trolling motor became an unsolvable mystery that in the end took longer to diagnose and repair than could be fairly charged to the customer. And this was in the days before too many boards were involved.

Best of luck!

Haa ha... I knowed you was joshing all along.

Small world, I bet I learned the same words you did as my dad came home from work, only to work on a car, washing machine, etc. Even gooder, dad was a member of IBEW out of Butler.

I too learned a great deal while hinderrrr.... helping my dad. Problem being yesterdays technology is obsolete today. Heck, a relay in your trolling motor would have been the size of the trolling motor.... back in those days. 🤔Well OK, half the size.

I don't know how guys like emitch deal with working on cars today. Hell I couldn't find a voltage regulator if I had to and when did they start putting a coil on every sparkplug???

As for the internet, I'm sure I've saved the cost of wifi for the year, in researching & repairing things around the house.

Heck.... I research any major purchases for days before I buy. Not looking for reviews mind you but available "how to repair" videos🤗

I agree with any major purchases right now but you might have fun, cutting pictures of trolling motors from your fishing catalogs and taping them around the house. The country will be back in full swing by Christmas.

Me, I'd never buy another electronically controlled trolling motor. I'll take the manual steering bow mount from now on.

Speaking of me, I need to figure out why me ain't out fishin?

I'm tryin' to get my boat ready for the walleye opener, which is Saturday. Unfortunately, I got called back to work on Monday, then they changed the schedule again, so I had yesterday off, but now have to work up thru and including Saturday, then have Sunday, Monday and Tuesday off. I'm installing a timer on the livewell. Had to use a 2 1/4" holesaw to get up through an aluminum panel, then a 1 1/16" hole through the upper part of the livewell for the spray head. That part seems to be goin' alright, but man, the plumbing is gonna be tight. The timer has manual and auto, from 45 to 120 seconds every 10 minutes, but it is not fused, so I'm takin' power from the original livewell switch, which is fused, to power the timer. To fill the livewell, I just open the valve at the bottom of the well and turn the pump on with both switches. Problem was that you had to run the pump continuously or the water would all drain back into the river through the valve. Now I'll be able to fill the well and shut of the valve, and then just set the timer to aerate. It'll spit the excess water out the overflow. To drain, shut off pump and open valve. Supposed to rain a lot this week. Hope the river ain't high and muddy for the upcoming weekend.
 
Oh yeah, looks like I'll be fishin' with and expired boat license. Mailed money order in for it back in March, and it has yet to come. Tough luck, but I'm goin' anyways.

I reran plumbing when I redid my floors a few years back. Not fun at all. The tight spaces from the stringers and having to line up.

My part came in. Not as advertised by YouTube jerk... Spent 3 hours trying a few different things. Can’t figure it out. Old board is definitely busted, or at least my voltage tester seems to confirm... The new board just doesn’t operate the same way. It shows voltage after the relay, which the old one doesn’t, but for some reason doesn’t turn the motor? I tore apart the bottom unit again to be sure that it was good. Ran the volt meter, good. Ran the motor straight to the battery and ran great. Thinking to just get a switch and manual knob and make it a tiller! Although I am sure not that easy. I’m sure a few more hours the next few days.

The new board relay is showing voltage.  But if I keep the pedal switched to "on" and keep the meter on, the voltage slowly slips.  When I have it attached to my motor, it gives a slight movement of the prop, but then nothing.  Which is more than my old board did, just giving a click.  So, I am assuming from that, my pedal switch is working (turning it on and off), just wrong control board.  So, I guess not as universal as the guys on the internet are suggesting!
 
The new board has fewer wires too, which I am pretty sure is just not set up for the auto pilot, which I don't use.  There are wires for the steering, but only goes one way...
 
Pretty sure just $120 down the drain.  But will tinker with it a bit more before I completely concede on that.  
 
I tried some other "hack" that supposedly has the motor to run at full RPM, by combining the negative leads, but didn't do squat.  Which honestly, I have no idea how it would work, if my relay isn't switching from off to on.  I haven't tried with the new board.  Might be next on my tinkering.
 
Another Youtube temptress idea is to make a switch box using a 40A DC speed controller with on and off switch...  Not sure if I am game to waste another $50...
 
 

Sorry... lost my internet.

Here is a link to info that explains the Maximizer.

Not sure about the speed control your motor uses but I'm hoping the article will shed some light and maybe open up a new door in helping getting your problem fixed.

https://pumpupboats.com/m..kota-digital-maximizer/

Porktown, these are things that can happen to electronics. Lack of use, (particularly on something that operates in water or in a moisture rich environement), causes corrosionl. That's why I had suggested the judicious use of the digital volt ohm meter, and a strong load testing device. What I mean is that a volt meter can show correct voltage when only a couple of strands of wire are carrying the load, but the wire cannot conduct sufficient current to make a unit run. I remember more'n 20 years ago, I'd get a call at home from somebody, (usually after they buried their 4WD Ford Explorer with electric shift transfer case and found that it would not go into 4WD). Takes two people to fix it. One to sit in the vehicle and constantly rotate the switch, and one under the vehicle with a hammer to beat hell out of the shift motor 'til she goes. Once you'd get it to shift, you engage it a dozen times or so, and you're good for another year. They are simply electric motors with brushes and an armature. Brushes would literally be galded to the armature. I've had a few vehicles over the years that were towed in, no crank, no start, and I'd find that the communication Bus was down. Disconnect the battery, reconnect, and vehicle would start. Give the Powertrain Control Module a sharp rap with my pocket knife or a screw driver handle, and the engine would die like you shut the key off. Could do it consistantly several times. Time for a new PCM. And those things are very robust! Consider the millions of Mopar Minivans on the road. Know where the PCM is? In front of the left front wheel just behind the front bumper fascia. I've seen them corroded white from weather and road salt and they still worked. Matter of fact, the tranny controller was right beside them and I found one that had a hole eaten clear through it and it worked.
 
Once you get that trolling motor goin' good, put it through the paces in both directions at all speeds, just to get everything in there acclimated again. I would heartily suggest the use of di-electric grease on any wiring connection, be it a screw hold a power or ground, or a spade terminal plug in. Glad ya got it goin' again.

Lol Pork.....you're "turn this motha out" comment almost made me choke on my dinner tonight! Been to that point many times with a hammer in hand, and made it happen a few. Glad the troller is up and working for you at the moment. 👍