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  1. #1
    Member Somata's Avatar
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    Jan 2013
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    Trying to help a buddy diagnose loss of power...Motorguide Tour

    I have a buddy that just had an issue come up with his trolling motor set up and he's trying to figure out if its the charger, battery, motor, or some combination thereof.

    He has a 109 lb Motorguide Digital Tour, 2015, on a 2015 Basscat Cougar. This weekend during our club tournament, he lost a good bit of power early in the day; prop would turn but not really move the boat. It turned like that, barely able to hold the boat in the light wind, for the rest of the day.

    He has a weird set-up, with 3 batteries total...a 31 series for starting/accessories that is tied in to two 27 series deep cycle to give the 36 for the troller. Seemed weird to us when he bought the boat last fall, but after talking to a Basscat rep at a show this winter, it sounds like there are quite a few boats that have this setup.

    He's run through some volt checks on the charger and the batteries, and it seems like one or both of the trolling batteries might be the culprit, but does this kind of loss of power suggest any issues with the motor itself?
    2019 Bass Cat Caracal, Mercury 225 Pro XS 4 stroke


    For Northern IN/Southern MI action and BCB love, follow me on instagram: @professorbeard

  2. Electrical/Wiring/Trolling Motors Moderator CatFan's Avatar
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    #2
    Sounds like batteries all the way.
    If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
    nothing else matters.​

  3. Member
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    May 2013
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    #3
    Although that set up is not suggested, one of the better ways to do it is with a good quality 31 AGM for the shared battery, and two other wet 31 deep cycles. Mike Whitten does it on his Cats successfully.
    2019 BCB Classic
    Merc V8 200 4S

  4. Member Somata's Avatar
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    Jan 2013
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    South Bend, IN
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    #4
    After some more over the phone testing with him last night, sounds like it's definitely the trolling batteries. I think the 31 he has now is an AGM. If it were me, I'd just get 3 new batteries to run the troller seperate, but I think he's going to go with two 31 series...
    2019 Bass Cat Caracal, Mercury 225 Pro XS 4 stroke


    For Northern IN/Southern MI action and BCB love, follow me on instagram: @professorbeard