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RazorCat.
Check the cables on the pulleys and make sure you did not pull it off one of the pulleys. The newer stainless pulleys help also.
If your buying a new troller I think the 36 is the way to go. Can never have to much , but may end up needing one day if you dont. Not that much price difference . I would just use a 3 battery setup if I was small water most the time. You should be fine without adding #4 battery. Same wires up front will work, jus add jumper in back. There is a page on here somewhere showing you the way to wire batteries.
If 24 suited your uses well, then stay 24 volts. The maitenance of one less battery, one less charger to worry about. It saves money and frustrations. If you need more torque then fine, though most dont. The newer 24 volts are as strong as the older 36 trollers.
I second that! If you dont need it save the money and frustration.
Unless you find a smoking deal on a 36 stay with the 24
On my previous 18ft boat I had a 24v troller. On my current boat(PIV) I have a 36v troller. There are pros and cons to both. 24v – Pros, less boat weight , one less battery to replace and maintain. Cons, less power under windy and strong current conditions, takes longer to recharge batteries, could be a sticking point when resaleing a boat that size. 36v – Pros – More power under windy and strong current conditions, can go longer without a recharge if no power is available on a over night trip, will charge up quicker due to less battery draw from each battery, will help in resale of the boat. Cons, Weight, extra battery cost and to maintain. After having both a 24v and 36v troller I would never go back to a 24v unless I went back to a 18ft boat.
The batteries are alot better now also……I have ran a 24V on my last 2 boats and have never had an issue…Especially if you are running newer batteries like PM1s…
I have had problems with both Minnkota and Motorguide, but I have had less trouble with Minnkota. Knock on wood!! I also fish bodies of water where there is a lot of current and wind so I always go with a 36 volt system. I dont think one battery is going to kill your performance that much and even if you lose 1 or 2 mph you are still out running the other brands of boats on the water. Most people now dont run wide open from spot to spot unless fishing a tournament. The great thing about a 36 volt system is you have a lot more running time on the batteries. Last edited by GarryHagins on May 26th, 2013, 9:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Thanks gary do you find the minnkota easier to steer the motor guide I have has a very stiff pedal. Wondering if I went with minnkota it might be better in that regard.
Ive had both makes both in 24V. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Over all, I like the Minnkota. Only thing I dont like on it is the foot pedal but this TM has never broken down on me. The Motor Guides (2 of them) did break down quite often but were usually easy to fix once off the water. As many others have had the opposite experience. Pick your poison.Hope to see you at Chipmans soon. Looked for you last time up.
I like the feel of the Minnkota foot control better than the Motorguide. I find it easier to use. I have always had problems with the cables on the Motorguide and if you try to adjust it then it seems to have more problems than before. My daughters operate the Minnkota trolling motor and dont have any problem and they are 13, 10, & 8. One thing I always do on my trolling motors is strap them down every time I store them to go from one place or the other. I have seen too many people have problems with trolling motors when they dont strap them down. Good luck.
Motorguide has come a long way in their dependability and smooth operation. The last 10 months it looks like Attwood has them dialed in better. It sounds like the motor control head, which is located in the foot.
If I go to a 36 volt system my 24 volt lester charger will not work I would imagine. Do most guys charge a 36 volt system with a on board charger. I really like my lester it charges fast and deep.
Personally, Ive always owned MinnKota in the past and had very good luck with them. I currently own an MG Tour 82 Digital and couldnt be happier. Runs as quiet as the last MK I had, built tough, and has a low profile which I like on my Sabre FTD. Ill own another. As far as your issue with your MG it sounds like it could possibly be a bad rheostat (dial on the side of the foot pedal) maybe. A friend of mine had one go bad and it simply had some dead spots on the dial where the motor wouldnt run if you set it on that mark on the dial. Could be a bad module if its a digital. Might search BBC forum for some possible causes. Shouldnt be too expensive to repair either way. Good luck and Happy Memorial Day.
My experience is similar to Razorcat. The last MG I had was in 1994, and I had it for one year and hated it. Have had MKs since 1995 with very good success. However, my new 2013 was an inventory boat, and had already been rigged with an 82 MG Tour Digital. Changing it to a MK would have meant a little reconfiguring at the bow with the graph, drilling a couple of new holes for a ram mount, and I was reluctant. So, at my dealers encouragement, I stayed with the MG, as he also said that they make a much better product than they used to. I am pleasantly surprised, and, so far, I am really happy with it. I particularly like the smaller profile of the foot pedal. However, time will tell as far as reliability. With the size of your boat, I cant see why you would need a 36 volt system. I would stick with the 24 volt with high quality batteries.
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