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  1. #1
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    ULTERRA trolling Motor 36 volts low voltage

    Okay if I have low voltage on my Ulterra and it wont stow can I hook my jumper cables to my CRANKING battery then to the bank of trolling motor batteries long enough to to stow the ulterra and put boat on trailer ? How do I hook jumper cables on the 3 trolling batteries from cranking battery . Thank You

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    #2
    I believe you would have better luck with responses if you would post your question in the GENERAL FORUM UNDER ELECTRICAL/WIRING/TROLLING MOTORS.
    ​The General Forum is the very first forum at the very beginning/top.

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    #3
    If you posted somewhere else I am wasting my time ,but do you have lights on your ulterra? What does your remote say the battery status is? If you have no lights check the breaker. Bob

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    #4
    No 12 volts jumped to 36 will not work unless you have one dead battery. If one is dead then you can jump it and it may work, but I doubt it will. There is a manual store procedure in the user manual. It will probably have to be done that way.

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    #5
    Thank you for your answer .

  6. Electrical/Wiring/Trolling Motors Moderator CatFan's Avatar
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    #6
    Quote Originally Posted by 1sharphook View Post
    1. Do you have an Ulterra?
    2. Have you ever tried jumping an Ulterra that would not stow because of low voltage?
    1. You absolutely would gain nothing by jumping a single 12v battery into a 36v string. Many things could go wrong trying to do so.
    2. Brad might know a LITTLE more than an Ulterra owner.
    If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
    nothing else matters.​

  7. Member
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    #7
    I do know the manual stow procedure . I was trying to find a way to boost the voltage and amps just long enough to get the trolling motor to stow without having to lay on my belly out on the lake trying to manualy stow motor . I have never had a issue with it not stowing but if a battery goes bad it may not have enough juice to stow it . I am going to ask a tech at minn Kota >Thanks

  8. Electrical/Wiring/Trolling Motors Moderator CatFan's Avatar
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    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by 1sharphook View Post
    My testing reflects differently. The TM battery actually charged...similar to how my charger operates when I plug it in. Have you ever tried this?

    Have you ever tried jumping an Ulterra that would not stow because of low voltage?
    No, but I was an electrical engineer for 35 years and I know how electricity works. Charging a single battery is a trivial waste of time in a 36V system, and the odds are strongly in favor of damaging something when you start jumping between the systems.
    If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
    nothing else matters.​

  9. Member
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    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by 1sharphook View Post
    1. Do you have an Ulterra?
    2. Have you ever tried jumping an Ulterra that would not stow because of low voltage?
    No I do not but I am an ASC and I would recommend you try to not do what you are thinking because it could create more problems. Namely smoking the main board.
    Low voltage tends to make the Ulterra loose it memory and not function correctly.

  10. Member
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    #10
    This is all very interesting but if you are worrying about running low on power, get bigger or better batteries. Or just monitor the batteries through the remote or buy a Victron AMP counter to be very accurate. Bob
    Another thought, buy a quick disconnect mounting base for the Ulterra you can release and just lay the motor on the deck till you get back to port and charge it.
    Last edited by bobcoy; 09-10-2019 at 08:51 AM.
    Tell me where has a slow movin' once quick draw outlaw got to go

  11. Member
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    #11
    Sounds like the typical too low volts on the trolling batteries and a jump with the start battery brought them on line so the charger sees them. You could possibly put the start battery in parallel with any individual battery to restore T/M voltage but the opportunities for disaster are myriad. In dire straits a man has to do what a man has to do but I think I'd stick with manual override.
    Like my old high school GF used to say, you've gone too far when you need to jump TM batteries to get them on line.

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    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by 1sharphook View Post
    1. Do you have an Ulterra?
    2. Have you ever tried jumping an Ulterra that would not stow because of low voltage?
    I do not have an Ulterra either, but as most know I also am an ASC for MinnKota, Motorguide, etc. and Brad's answer is spot on. You will not gain anything by jumping to one battery. Keep all batteries properly charged and if you're running out of battery during the day, I would suggest finding some larger capacity batteries.
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  13. Member lpugh's Avatar
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    #13
    "Will require a thousand tests to get a good one by an amature and then they will be an expert" - Leon Ralph Pugh
    Thank You Leon Pugh

  14. Member
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    #14
    Many thanks for yalls thoughts and help . I do know the manual stow for the minn koda Ulterra . The best thing to do is maintain your batteries when they check water garavity and load test if one shows weak replace all three at one time if one is weak on load test . Thanks again