Garmin force voltage ?

[2dwoods]

I just put a force on and I'm running it on 24v ,I have brand new batteries Duracell group 27 , I charge with minn kota 15,5 amp per.
So with full charge I run it on about 3 on the scale and my voltage light goes yellow almost in first 15 min and will go red pretty quick if I'm on it steady so my ? Does the fact I'm running 24v instead of 36 mean the motor sensing low voltage with only 24 (it does seem to last the day fishing but haven't used it in big wind yet) and is it harming the motor running with low voltage .I can't find anyway to switch it from 1 to other so I guess it's done internally

[wiel0059]

What size wire do you have running to the TM (and do you have a plug in the middle)? I'm wondering if its getting low voltage due to wiring? I took my 'factory' 8 AWG on my boat that I used for my previous Ultrex and swapped it to 4 AWG per Garmin's recommendation and some posts I'd seen on here.

I have two Group 31's (so 24V system as well) and have been running my Force for about 2 straight months now. I fish 4-6 days a week, when its the 'after work trips', I've been going about 3 trips before I re-charge my batteries (2-2.5 hours each trip) and I've never gotten a yellow light. I run it on about 40-60% most of the time - never use the remote, and am on the TM a lot as a bass guy only. In that sense, something seems very off with yours.

[2dwoods]

Thanks I'll agree it goes yellow in first 15 min I'm wondering how good charge I'm getting it takes 2 days for my 5 amp per bank charger to complete which seems slow also .I used to run fortress a couple days no problem but no light to watch either

[wiel0059]

From personal experience, my Force (I don't fish any different than I did with my Ultrex) draws far less power than my Ultrex did. I used to charge them after every two trips as they would be getting low - my batteries after a few days of running with the Force (5 amp charger as well on my Group 31's) is charged, to be totally honest, within 2 hours every time. Perhaps it is a charge issue to your point - that seems crazy long lol.

[2dwoods]

I'll keep messing with it, I only have 8 running up there so I'll probably change that.
I like the motor so far it's quite and a lot stronger than my 80 fortrexx

[ajw18]

There’s a setting on the remote that you can adjust to display voltage at the trolling motor. After I put my Force on I was having a very similar issue as the OP. Remote was showing 25 volts right off the charger then dropped down to about 22.5 after 5 minutes. I pulled the batteries and one had a bad cell. I’d been planning on getting group 31 AGM Energizers anyway so went ahead with that despite Interstate replacing my bad battery under warranty. Now I have well over 25 volts all day and the light on the trolling motor never leaves green, even after a full day of hard use.

[2dwoods]

I'm going to have to check my batteries.fished today went yellow in 5 min,I also ordered some #4 wire to run up front ,mine only has 8

[Rmc949]

Talked to Garmin on this...

My 31s were bad. Had them load tested and failed. Habe not gotten the yello light since.

Told #4 was not necessary. I have #6 and that is all Garmin has ever seen in a bass boat.

[Ann-Marie]

The quicker your batteries charge the less capacity they have to be filled and the quicker they will discharge.

[wiel0059]

I'm going to have to check my batteries.fished today went yellow in 5 min,I also ordered some #4 wire to run up front ,mine only has 8

Their CS is truly amazing (I've had a few issues over the years, they have always gone out of there way to resolve them above my expectation). However, some of their inconsistency lately is sort of puzzling (mainly on the Force and LS issues). They specifically told me to go with 4 AWG when I talked with their team before installing mine as I knew the 8 I had wasn't enough - others on here and many on the main Garmin Electronics Facebook Group have posted they were told the same thing. You and others were told 6. I guess its who ya get lol.

[2dwoods]

I'm going 4awg and yesterday I fished fully charged 3 hours came home checked each cell and almost all dead with one of those float checkers so charged over night and couple hours apiece on a garage charger and checked cells all showed good ,so I fished today yellow in 5 min.lasted all day even saw it go red if I was on it for 5 min solid at 40% .with my minnkota charger it takes 2 full days to charge ,I know that something wrong putting a meter on the charger tomorrow

[Rmc949]

I will say I'm questioning my batteries and charging more than ever since I switched to this Garmin. I bought the voltmeter to try and figure it out.

[2dwoods]

Back with my results ,I ran #4 wire all the way to plug and my light stayed green all day today never saw yellow ,got home pulled tm plug out and put my volt meter on it and read 25.3 problem I believe solved
I also put it on 90% and was cruising it would have blowed by my 80 lb fortrex.