New Electric Trolling Motor DEAD !!

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

Went sailing yesterday on my brother in laws lake. No wind so it was more like a controlled drift than sailing. I dropped my Minn Kota Endura Electric Trolling Motor 40# thrust. I had the wires crossed to the battery and didn't realize it since it worked the motor has a reverse so I didn't realize I was twisting the handle throttle the wrong way. When I realized it I switched it back and it was working for a wile fine. Then it just died. I knew I had a fully charged battery and only used the motor for about 1/2 hr off and on. So what's the deal anyone out there know what to do is it shot?? Its only a few months old. Should I go back to Walmart and see if they will replace it - I don't have the receipt or anything - I can always just beg and throw myself on someone's mercy.

[shadow99]

Just a couple of ideas Joe, Does the motor have an overload protection breaker? Sometimes DC motors have alittle overload breaker or a fuse, if it trips &/or blows, to the open position, no go-go juice. Or are you sure you've got the wires hooked up correctly? I know, you checked that already, but check again. If you've got a voltmeter, you could check the battery 12-14vdc is good, less than 12vdc bad. You know oars are much more reliable.

Rick

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

Na no fuse the battery tested out at 75% charged - I'm stumped. By the way I have ores and yea they came in handy. I even amazed myself by catching what little air there was to make it back to shore and even tack around little. I'm serious there was no wind so I honed my light air sailing skills.

[ 09-30-2002, 01:55 PM: Message edited by: Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson ) ]

[shadow99]

You say the batteries 75% charged, but is it putting out 12 volts? You could have a dead cell in the battery, try another battery. Have you taken it apart yet, can you by-pass the throttle assy. switch gizmo and put 12 volts right to the motor, that would tell you if the motor is still good. You could "hot-wire" it for all out, all american, foot to the floor, high-speed boogy. Or just go back to using oars?

Rick

[paladin]

There is a way to prevent the reversed wires problem..install a bridge rectifier across the motor input terminals and then the other two poles go to the battery....no matter which way you connect it will be right...works great in the dark......also there may be a small protective fuse on the pc board of the solid state controller to protect the transistors....or sometimes a reverse bias diode serves the same purpose and you may have fried it.....

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

PROBLEM SOLVED !!!! This morning I popped into Walmart with the busted motor in tow. No receipt, no box, nothing, nada just the motor covered in slime and dirt. I figured what the hell. Went to Customer Service a place I notoriously don't get anything done. I explained that the motor just died and it only 3 months old. They said I had to go to the dept. where I purchased it. The guy in that dept. said simply is there another one on the shelf. I looked and yup there was he took that one out of the box gave me the new one and a receipt and said " HAVE A NICE DAY " smile.gif man I feel like I won the lottery that never happens to me. Got home and hooked it up to the battery and wirrrrrrrrrrrr were up and running again. I got to say Thank You Walmart yippee maybe Ill go sailing today smile.gif

[Buddy Sharpton]

I know the little business guys hate the big boxes, but that kind of customer service on defective goods is the rule- they make you happy with the best price up front, and they can be liberal with exchanges, simply charge back the supplier and have him have pick up the "bad" ones no quibbles. That's the deal you have to make as a manufacturer to get Wal Mart's sales volume. It will weed the incapable manufacturers out quickly. And keep customer's from hassling with the small time retailers and even chain boat stores when you don't need a deep selection or something "tricky". Marketing 101...and can we sell you groceries, film processing, and some CD's on your visi? Thank You for Shoppping.