My Ultrex - dead after 3 months

[Fx20 2011]

Well I'm going to call it the Ultrex Curse. It stopped me dead in the water today. It was not pleasant either as I was in extremely low water with a little wind. We had just enough water to put the 250 down to move the boat to deep water. I have absolutely no power at the switch. I checked the income voltage coming into the control panel and it's 36 volts. After talking to the local approved MK warranty repair shop he also suspected control board. He said he is busy and for me to call back Monday to set up an appointment to check the board. He also said he has 5 in his shop waiting for control boards on back order.

Of course that's not good. I now how two choices. I found new control boards for $350. I can buy it and install it myself on my dime. I also can just go buy another TM on stock ar another store. They have Garmin and Lowrance. I could just try and find the old bullet proof fortrex.

Then I could just wait have this Ultrex fixed under warranty and then sell it to another fool.

If I was a smart person I would have kept the Fortrex and bought power pole

[Bradrodfish]

It is suspect it is a control board. What do you call the control panel? Do you have a power plug on your troll motor? What kind of breaker do you have in the battery compartment?
I am more inclined to say you have an issue with power even though you say you have 36 volts.

[Fx20 2011]

I meant control board not panel. In any event the board has power at 36 volts where they attach to the incoming wires inside the foot pedal. The 0n and off switch is getting no power. Checked three ways just because. Added new switch. Just connected the wires together and a meter. There is no power going to the switch. Thus it is the control board unless im missing something.

I was moving along just fine, never hit an obstruction. The motor just lost all power. No smoke, no smell, no tripped breaker. Of course no power light on the foot peddle.

Hey if you have a suggestion I'm all ears.

Total hours on the motor is extremely low as I did not use it for the 8 weeks I was recovering from surgery.

Not really all that mad as much as disappointed. But enough to consider replacing the Ultrex with something else.

[Bradrodfish]

You will not read power to the switch as you expect to. If it took a pretty good lick I suspect you did something to the motor. You may have sheared the pin or broken the prop shaft. If this is broke it would probably would have fell off. The incoming wires to the control board can be jumped to the motor wires when the motor wires are removed from the connectors on the board. if the motor runs then it is the board if it don't run then it is the control board.

[Fx20 2011]

But I didn't hit anything with the Trolling Motor.

[sooner magic]

This is exactly why I keep my Fortrex. But I love my ultrex !

[paul40269]

That sucks. What kind of plug are you using? I had a brand new plug that only lasted a year before I was having off and on issues. I wired direct and problem was solved. Hope you figure yours out, but I'm sure those other brands have issues of their own. They don't make shit like they used to.

[josie201]

Jump around the control board like posted

[Fx20 2011]

Not sure what your saying?

OK let me review in more detail.

I was trolling and it came to a complete abrupt stop. No lights working on foot pad.
1.) Batteries full.
2.) Breaker works. Tested.
3.) 36 volt at the female receptical. Wire connections fine.
4.) Male plug checked, connections fine.
5.) Power checked at the control board on income power leads. It read 36 volts.
6.) Changed power switch, no power.
7.) Used jumper on power switch leads, no power to foot pedal.

Not sure how to test any more of the control board. What I know the board is getting 36 v. The off and in switch is getting no power.

[Fx20 2011]

OK, my reading comprehension. I could not get around the part about hitting something. Duh. I now see what you so gloriously tried to tell me. I give it a shot tonight, thanks.

[jigheadworm]

Trollingmotorparts .com has it for $250

[Fx20 2011]

TM fixed, I'm an idiot.

OK so I went and jumped the wires and nothing happened. My heart sank as now I thought the motor was screwed up. While I had it apart I though I would check everything again. We had checked everything with a meter at my buddy's house. Well no power coming in from the power leads. No power at the receptical. I don't know what happened with orginal meter readings. But my meter showed nothing. So now it's somewhere between receptical and batteries. OK this is where I'm an idiot. My system has three breakers at each positive connection. Yep I didn't check the other two, well one was tripped.
So I now have a fully great working Ultrex. I just feel a little stupid today.

Thanks for the suggestion to jump to connections. I would have never double checked everything.

[st041986]

You have three positives? How does that work? Mine just runs on one positive, one negative and the jumpers that connect the batteries in series. The only breaker sits on the positive wire between the receptacle and the battery.

[Lowerider58]

You have three positives? How does that work? Mine just runs on one positive, one negative and the jumpers that connect the batteries in series. The only breaker sits on the positive wire between the receptacle and the battery.

Some boat manufacturers put a circuit breaker in the jumpers that went between the TM batteries and another one on the output of the 3rd battery where it runs to the plug at the bow or direct to the trolling motor.

I hope the way I worded makes sense.

[Fx20 2011]

You nailed it Lowrider. I found out that my buddies Nitro from 2019 is the same way. I think all Bass Cats are the same way too.

[catdude28]

I think all Bass Cats are the same way too.

Yes they are