Minn Kota Fortrex Troubleshoot

I have about had it with the trolling motor system. I bought a boat used because it had a great motor (Yamaha VMax 150 HPDI) and it looked to be in good shape minus the clear coat. I have had so many issues out of the electric side of this thing. The control board will sometimes go in and out and you have to mess with the wiring on the back side of the panel at the console to get it back on. No biggie there jut need to replace some of those toggle switches. I completely rewired the whole trolling motor system to my Minn Kota Fortrex. It had a 4 wire system which I upgraded to a 2 wire 8 gauge system. I also updated the plug and receptacle to nip some of those issues in the bud. I also wired everything correctly for the 24 volt system. The trolling motor system is not running of the other batteries where the control panel is. Just these two batteries. It does have the circuit breaker but I can't figure out how to use a multimeter or anything else to find out if that is where I am losing power. I am tired of fooling with the whole thing. Need advice ASAP.

Loosing power from batteries to trolling motor plug??
Don’t quite understand what you are having trouble with.
Explain and I’ll for sure try to help.
Chuck


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Sorry I Was in a rush and not sure I explained in detail. Batteries are fully charged and new. Multimeter reads 12.8 or so in each. It’s wired for the 24 volt system and has worked the past 2-3 times after I completely rewired the system. The last time I went the whole thing was dead. Fooled with the foot control for a second and then it worked. And as soon as I put it back in the water dead again. Not sure if I did it correctly but the multimeter shows no power at the newly installed receptacle. If it gives a reading at the batteries it has to be the circuit breaker, receptacle, or the actual trolling motor correct? There should be nothing wrong with the receptacle as the wires are still firmly in contact and nothing is loose.


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A 12 volt test light will be a lot more helpful than a multi meter. The test light will add a load to the circuit that a multi meter will not. It with help track down the intermittent problems your are having with connections.

I would check voltage at each connection until I found where I was losing voltage

Great information. Tried to find one of the test lights at Home Depot and couldn’t find one. Figured I needed a multimeter anyway and that would take way let me know if the batteries were the problem or not. Didn’t know if the multimeter was capable of telling me if the connection at the circuit was bad or not.


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Yeah, that would be my guess.
Circuit breaker bad possibly,
Remove wires from outlet trolling motor wires are connected to. See if you have 24 volt to them. Reconnect the wires to receptacle and check there. If you’re good to that point it has to be the plug on motor or you can remove the plate under pedal and make sure everything connected well.
Also might be switch under button on foot control. Is it round or half mood shaped on your unit.
That will tell me what type switch it is.
Chuck.


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On high voltage a multimeter is great. On 12 volts not so much. I bought a test light from an auto parts store. It does have a digital display that shows the voltage. Lights up red or green to tell you polarity. It surely helped me sort out my recent rewire of my boat. The Fluke meter I have just doesn't do a good job on low voltage

Definitely getting power to and through the circuit breaker. Today it seemed like it got a little power to the motor but it quickly shut off before the propeller turned. I’m thinking it’s the foot control and not the receptacle and plug.


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Is the button on the pedal half moon shaped or round.


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Should have a constant on switch on the side of the pedal to take the momentary switch out of the circuit ( bypass)

Your right DSJ
Also if half moon shaped button magnet gets worn it will prevent contact with circuit and fail to turn on.
It’s an easy fix.


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Had my share of trolling motor problems. For that matter boats and wiring problems happily coexist. The best thing ever is dielectric grease prevents corrosion and headaches. It's and win win.

Try maintaining a houseboat!!!!
It can be a nightmare also.


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My buddies think I am anal because I Solder and shrink tube every connection on my boat and trailer
Knock on wood. I have very few problems. I’ve seen some wiring clusters on boats in my time and some from dealers.


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I am looking for a houseboat. I have an electrical degree. Welded and machined for a while when the electrical jobs dried it. I work in Maintenance for an automobile parts manufacturer. We cover everything from robotics to Plc's. I will eventually find one that needs some work and go from there.

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Originally Posted by Chuck Adams

Try maintaining a houseboat!!!!
It can be a nightmare also.


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Heat shrink makes a big difference. I like the kind that has the glue/ sealant inside.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chuck Adams

My buddies think I am anal because I Solder and shrink tube every connection on my boat and trailer
Knock on wood. I have very few problems. I’ve seen some wiring clusters on boats in my time and some from dealers.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chuck Adams

Is the button on the pedal half moon shaped or round.


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Attachment 401581



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Lose the plug and hardwire motor straight to batteries.

Sorry Hunter,
Just got in from bass weigh in and saw the picture of your pedal.
Take button out carefully using small screwdriver.
There is small magnet under button.
Check for excessive wear on it and sometimes it pushes into button and will not activate the switch.
Very simple and take your time. A new button can be bought if that’s the problem.


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Originally Posted by DockShootinJack

Had my share of trolling motor problems. For that matter boats and wiring problems happily coexist. The best thing ever is dielectric grease prevents corrosion and headaches. It's and win win.

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See you’re from Dayton
Lucky Dog.
I stay at Bluewater when I fish Chickamauga a couple times a year.
About a 5 1/2 hour drive for me.
Chuck


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I am 2 or 3 miles from there.

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Originally Posted by HunterD15

Great information. Tried to find one of the test lights at Home Depot and couldn’t find one. Figured I needed a multimeter anyway and that would take way let me know if the batteries were the problem or not. Didn’t know if the multimeter was capable of telling me if the connection at the circuit was bad or not.


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Learn to do voltage drop tests. This is the cadillac of electrical tests. You will need your meter.

If none of the above suggestions help. I would jump power straight to the motor and bypass the pedal and minn kota control board. When jumped out the blade should come on full speed.

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Ok so I haven’t had the time to get to work in the TM in the past few days but I do go out and occasionally try to give it power and each time it gets some power to it. I turn the switch to continuous and then it will power on for a few revolutions and then off again and off for good after that. The breaker isn’t tripping but when I checked it with the tester the bulbs light up. The connections on the receptacle seem to be firm and being as I just replaced them I don’t think that’s the problem. The switch idea is confusing to me because I don’t really know what I am looking for with the magnet. I definitely feel like the problem is somehow coming from the foot control though.


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I have a Fortrex that met it's demise on a big rock with the help of a bass boat running wide open into a no wake zone. I will look into the foot pedal at the switches

Folks a jumper is an electrocutions best helper but caution should be used, it can hurt things too as all safety elements are off the table. But I love my jumpers.

Electricians not Electrocutions.

A jumper can be an electricutions best friend as well. I watched to guys use a set of jumper cables to try to jump out the meter base on a gouse. They went from hot leg to hot leg. I surely thought that that jumper was going to be an electricutions best friend.

Thanks for bringing back a humorous memory

Update- I’m an idiot and after rechecking connections this afternoon I found that the wire from the battery to the circuit breaker was good and the wire from the breaker to the receptacle had no power. I’m thinking now that’s it’s definitely the breaker. Will order one and revisit the situation.


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Originally Posted by HunterD15

Update- I’m an idiot and after rechecking connections this afternoon I found that the wire from the battery to the circuit breaker was good and the wire from the breaker to the receptacle had no power. I’m thinking now that’s it’s definitely the breaker. Will order one and revisit the situation.


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Possibly an intermittent connection. Those are the worst kind to find. They can drive ya nuts. Good thing you found it.

Your not an idiot but did cautious research. Good job.

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Originally Posted by DockShootinJack

Possibly an intermittent connection. Those are the worst kind to find. They can drive ya nuts. Good thing you found it.

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You are correct DSJ, those problems are the worst. One thing I wanted to share, A friend of mine at the power plant had a Flute (multi meter) testing and went 240 volt check across a panel to a point on the other side to see if a feed was there. In the process he hit a 9600 volt lug in a hurry as that was the next test but not where he should be for this test. You can only imagine what happened to the Fluke and him. He lived but was badly burned. My point is that jumpers and meter leads need to be exactly where you want them. Hunter did a good safe job of tracing this out and asking for advice. I understand this is way off base voltage wise but once we make contact between two points the electrical current does not care It just goes. Be safe.

9600 is a lot of voltage. 480 going phase to phase is bad enough. 12/24 dc may be low coltage yet without fuses or breakers shorting a 12 volt battery with its potential for high current can make a mess as well

Sooooooooo when is the houseboat party :biggrin:juggle