Left but no right. Wait! Right but no left?!

[MajBach]

It's kinda hard to do a search for this type of issue so sorry if it's been covered previously.

A few days ago - only hours after looking at my Minn Kota and thinking "Nine years and it's never given me a problem...", it gives me a problem.
So, it's a 50 lb bow mount MK with and electrical foot control - not cable. A few years back I installed a CoPilot remote control (best investment for that boat ever!). For those of you not familiar, it installs onto the side of the motor, replacing a cover. It plugs into the foot cable adapter BUT also has a cable receiver of its own. In other words, it connects to the motor via the original foot control connection but you can still plug the foot control into the add-on thereby allowing the user to use either the wrist remote or the foot control without disconnecting anything. You'll see why this detail is important in a sec.
So anyway, after half a day on the water, it wont turn counter clockwise anymore. All other functions work. Initially I assumed it's my wrist remote but after taking it apart it looks fine. Next, I plug in the foot control into the receiver that comes with the CoPilot. It still wont turn counter clockwise. Assuming it's the CoPilot guts or a motor, I disconnect it and plug the foot control directly into the original connector - just as it was sold without the add-on. Surprisingly, it now turns counter-clockwise. Even more surprising is that it doesnt clockwise now! The guts of the Copilot are OK and there is no motor burnt out. So, any ideas?

Mucho gracious in advance!

 

[JB]

Re: Left but no right. Wait! Right but no left?!

It is clearly evil spirits. Look here for diagram that may help.

http://www.profisherman.com/minnkota/

 

[MajBach]

Re: Left but no right. Wait! Right but no left?!

Any other thoughts?

 

[hubes58]

Re: Left but no right. Wait! Right but no left?!

I have the same problem with my 2005 power drive.... I have brought it to the local approve shop, they could not find anything wrong, still happened, I brought it back this spring, they sent it to minnkota and they "fixed" charged me $25 for the shipping.... I thought it was great.... worked just fine...

This weekend, the 3rd time i used it, it happened again. I found it happened when I used the Auto Piliot ( picks a point and keeps the boat on a straight line, makes little corrections to keep you on course) I quit using the auto pilot and it seemed to work.

I dont know what to do either, bring it back for a third time, it only does it sometimes so they dont alway get it, Deal with it, I have a week long Canada trip coming, It sucks to be kicking your motor while trying to fish, or drop a grand or so on a new one......

 

[MajBach]

Re: Left but no right. Wait! Right but no left?!

I have the same problem with my 2005 power drive.... I have brought it to the local approve shop, they could not find anything wrong, still happened, I brought it back this spring, they sent it to minnkota and they "fixed" charged me $25 for the shipping.... I thought it was great.... worked just fine...

This weekend, the 3rd time i used it, it happened again. I found it happened when I used the Auto Piliot ( picks a point and keeps the boat on a straight line, makes little corrections to keep you on course) I quit using the auto pilot and it seemed to work.

I dont know what to do either, bring it back for a third time, it only does it sometimes so they dont alway get it, Deal with it, I have a week long Canada trip coming, It sucks to be kicking your motor while trying to fish, or drop a grand or so on a new one......

Your intermittent problem appears on the surface to be an electrical contact problem - like a pins or broken wire. Although the symptoms are the same, I am inclined to think mine is different. I have made contact with someone at Minn Kota and he initially thought I had a problem with the turn switches in both my foot pedal and my CoPilot. I found this hard to believe sine that would mean both devices broke within a few seconds of each other. Through troubleshooting, I have concluded my foot pedal works fine and the problem is within the drive. It still boggles my mind that the foot pedal will turn right but not left when connected in a daisy chain through the CoPilot but will turn left but NOT right when linked directly to the motor. Obviously means the switch in the trolling motor is fine but this result suggests to me the CoPilot and foot pedal are wired opposite to each other. The rep at Minn Kota cant figure it either.

 

[MajBach]

Re: Left but no right. Wait! Right but no left?!

Your intermittent problem appears on the surface to be an electrical contact problem - like a pins or broken wire. Although the symptoms are the same, I am inclined to think mine is different. I have made contact with someone at Minn Kota and he initially thought I had a problem with the turn switches in both my foot pedal and my CoPilot. I found this hard to believe sine that would mean both devices broke within a few seconds of each other. Through troubleshooting, I have concluded my foot pedal works fine and the problem is within the drive. It still boggles my mind that the foot pedal will turn right but not left when connected in a daisy chain through the CoPilot but will turn left but NOT right when linked directly to the motor. Obviously means the switch in the trolling motor is fine but this result suggests to me the CoPilot and foot pedal are wired opposite to each other. The rep at Minn Kota cant figure it either.

After consulting with a tech at Minn Kota and following a test procedure, I learned that BOTH my CoPilot and foot pedal kicked the bucket within 5 minutes of each other - bummer. Just a bad coincidence. Will have to replace both.