Trolling Motor is Bipolar

[basscrusher]

So tonight I took out my Bass Raider 10.  TM is Minn Kota Endura 55.  Right after shoving off I turned on the motor to find that forward was reverse, and reverse was forward.  Went ahead and fished.  I last used the motor Tuesday, and it worked normally.  Have not messed with it since -- no disassembly or anything like that.  Pretty sure I had the wires to battery connected properly as well.  Any ideas?  Also, the motor stopped working about 50 yards from the ramp when coming back in.  Not sure if the battery died or TM died.  If the battery died it did so quickly -- only was out for 5 hours.  Would running the battery as I did (reverse as forward) drain the battery faster?  Gotta wait til morning to see if TM works, once I've charged battery.

 

If anyone knows what's going on here, chime in.  Thanks!

 

 

[12poundbass]

Sounds like you had your wires crossed at the battery. I did that once but noticed it right away and corrected it, so I had no issues.

[BaitMonkey1984]

6 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

Sounds like you had your wires crossed at the battery. I did that once but noticed it right away and corrected it, so I had no issues.

Agreed. I have done this once before, as we all have. However like 12pound bass I realized my mistake instantly and corrected the issue. Despite immediately fixing the situation, I would not be surprised that running the motor with the leads reversed would drain the battery quicker then normal. I would charge up the battery and bring it to Advanced Auto Parts anyways to check the health of the battery. 

[basscrusher]

Hooked it up again this morning, made sure the wires were connected properly, and when I put it in forward, the prop spins counter-clockwise.  I believe this means it's running in reverse.  So in other words, still doing it, and crossed wires NOT the problem.  

 

 

[Bluebasser86]

16 hours ago, basscrusher said:

Hooked it up again this morning, made sure the wires were connected properly, and when I put it in forward, the prop spins counter-clockwise.  I believe this means it's running in reverse.  So in other words, still doing it, and crossed wires NOT the problem.  

 

 

Did you do any work on the internals of the motor? I switched the polarity once when I replaced the seals in the motor.

[WRB]

Most trolling motors don't have a foreward and reverse switch, my guess would be the switch rotated 180 degrees.

Tom

[basscrusher]

6 hours ago, Bluebasser86 said:

Did you do any work on the internals of the motor? I switched the polarity once when I replaced the seals in the motor.

No.  The only thing I've done is spin the head around so I could mount the motor to the bow instead of the transom.  And I did that when I got it 2 yrs ago.  It worked normally for those 2 yrs up until Sunday night.

 

Based on my research across the rest of the web, I agree with your assessment that the polarity got switched (probably).  I'm just trying to figure out how it happened.  I didn't do anything to it from Tuesday night (when it worked normally) up until I took it out Sunday afternoon.  

 

Then I have to figure out how to get it back to normal.  The descriptions of the fix that I read elsewhere were a bit unclear to me.

[12poundbass]

10 minutes ago, basscrusher said:

No.  The only thing I've done is spin the head around so I could mount the motor to the bow instead of the transom.  And I did that when I got it 2 yrs ago.  It worked normally for those 2 yrs up until Sunday night.

 

Based on my research across the rest of the web, I agree with your assessment that the polarity got switched (probably).  I'm just trying to figure out how it happened.  I didn't do anything to it from Tuesday night (when it worked normally) up until I took it out Sunday afternoon.  

 

Then I have to figure out how to get it back to normal.  The descriptions of the fix that I read elsewhere were a bit unclear to me.

So what happens if you were to switch the wire at the battery? Does it correct the problem? I'm not implying that's your fix more less curious. If the polarity is reversed when the wires are connected properly, what would happen if you reversed them. 

[basscrusher]

2 hours ago, 12poundbass said:

So what happens if you were to switch the wire at the battery? Does it correct the problem? I'm not implying that's your fix more less curious. If the polarity is reversed when the wires are connected properly, what would happen if you reversed them. 

it would run normally.  Which is what appears to have happened this morning when I intentionally crossed the wires and turned on the TM.  Granted, this is out of water, in my garage, so I'm having to go by the "eye test" and by the assumption that clockwise = forward.

[12poundbass]

4 minutes ago, basscrusher said:

it would run normally.  Which is what appears to have happened this morning when I intentionally crossed the wires and turned on the TM.  Granted, this is out of water, in my garage, so I'm having to go by the "eye test" and by the assumption that clockwise = forward.

Hmmm. I have no clue (I'm no expert either). I'd give the manufacturer or a repair place a call and see what they think. 

 

Let us know what you cone up with.

[basscrusher]

12 minutes ago, 12poundbass said:

Hmmm. I have no clue (I'm no expert either). I'd give the manufacturer or a repair place a call and see what they think. 

 

Let us know what you cone up with.

I'm taking it out tonight to see what happens (also because there's a good bite I stumbled onto Sunday).  I'll post my findings.  If it continues to act weird, the way I see it, I have 4 options:

1)  try to take it apart and fix it (a friend who has fixed TMs for different problems has offered to help).

2)  get it repaired at a Minn Kota warranty center (I heard this can take a while)

3)  intentionally cross the wires and run it that way (several people have said this doesn't hurt anything)

4)  try to sell this one on Craigslist to someone handy, and buy a new one.  While this may sound like the most fiscally irresponsible option, I must admit that I've wanted to upgrade to the Endura Max for some time since it supposedly extends battery life considerably longer and has a battery test button.  Those things are super-helpful on a Bass Raider.  I bought my Endura C2 shortly after getting my Bass Raider in Feb of 2015, not realizing that DSG would start carrying the Endura Max a few months later.  Had I known, I would have waited and got the Max when it became available (I had a really old Endura 36 to hold me over until then).

[Ratherbfishing]

Red goes on positive (+), black goes on negative (-).  (I'm just being a smart alleck).