REMEDY for MG Xi5 pedals draining batteries

[alabamaphoenix]

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[alabamaphoenix]

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[FishinDad]

Alabamaphoenix I just wanted to extend a really big thank you for this post. I installed the switch in the foot pedal this winter and it is awesome. No more replacing batteries every 10 minutes. You saved my sanity.

[alabamaphoenix]

You are very welcome. I have received a lot of help from the BBC boards, and I try to help when I can.

[dkdaws]

the switch fix (see what I did there) is a game changer for xi5 foot pedal. Super nice to flip it on and the pedal gives you that beep. Nice not to have to hold down any buttons.

[zelmo]

The batteries on my new pedal lasted 2 weeks so I guess I'll do this modification. Has anyone figured out what it is that drains the batteries?

[alabamaphoenix]

Several have said the "Chinese Parts". Probably some issue in the circuit board. It seems that the earlier made pedals did not have this issue. Motorguide knows this problem exists, but don't want to admit it, or make an effort to fix it. The added switch works. I have been on the same pair of batteries since installing the switch last year. Rick, let me know if you need help with the switch install.

[zelmo]

Thanks. I ordered the parts. I'm not going to take the pedal apart until I'm ready to do the job. It sounds fairly straight forward, but I appreciate the offer.

Do you remember what size wire is used?

[alabamaphoenix]

I matched the wire used in the battery compartment. I think it is 20ga.

[zelmo]

I modified mine in almost the exact same way as alabamaphoenix except i un-soldered the wire from the battery terminal and ran that wire under the circuit board and soldered it to one terminal of the switch. I then soldered a new wire to the battery terminal and ran that wire under the circuit board and soldered it to the second terminal of the switch. Heed his warning regarding mounting the switch as high as possible in order for the switch to have enough clearance between it and the bottom plate. I also used a step drill for the hole and the final hole size was 3/4" for the switch I used. The switch I used also had a plastic locking tab on each side of the switch which I cut off with a pair of dikes because I didn't want to enlarge the hole to accommodate them. The switch is a tight fit so is not going anywhere even without the tabs. There is also an alignment ridge on the side of the switch which prevents it from rotating in the hole. I used a small file to create a notch in the hole to line up with the ridge.

I got the switches and will work on this later today. It appears to me that the tabs you cut off recess into the switch when you push it in and wouldn't require a larger hole. I am going to drill a hole in a scrap piece of plastic and try it before I cut them off. Since I too got 6 I can experiment.

I am more concerned with the alignment ridge. To accommodate that the slot will wind up being very close to the outer edge of the switch. Seems like that will be a spot for water intrusion. If there is some flexibility with the orientation of the switch it can be rotated some if one spot has problems turning it off accidentally.

[mak747]

I got the switches and will work on this later today. It appears to me that the tabs you cut off recess into the switch when you push it in and wouldn't require a larger hole. I am going to drill a hole in a scrap piece of plastic and try it before I cut them off. Since I too got 6 I can experiment.

I am more concerned with the alignment ridge. To accommodate that the slot will wind up being very close to the outer edge of the switch. Seems like that will be a spot for water intrusion. If there is some flexibility with the orientation of the switch it can be rotated some if one spot has problems turning it off accidentally.

Hi zelmo,

The switch that I used appears to be designed for mounting in a thinner walled piece than what the foot pedal is made of. The tabs would not recess and spring back out properly. I cut them off and have no issue with the switch popping back out.

I filed out the notch for the alignment ridge with a small file and it is covered by the collar of the switch. As tight as the switch fit I don't think it is really necessary to have and could be filed down smooth if you wanted.

[zelmo]

You are correct. When I started working with the switch I found that the tabs did not recess very much and I cut them off. I also took off the alignment ridge.

As I measured the available space in the pedal I became very worried about clearance - there is no margin for error. One side of the pedal has an indentation for the directional switch magnet to engage the reed switch so I decided to drill the hole on the other side just to have a little more room.

An issue with that decision was that the circuit board has a component that interferes with the connector tabs on the rocker switch. That problem was solved by mounting the switch sideways and bending those tabs before soldering on the wires.




On my boat that orientation won't be a problem. I fabricated some spacers to put the pedal in a position I like in the TM tray. There is velcro on the spacer and the pedal so I can adjust where it sits in the tray and accidentally bumping the switch won't be a problem. If it does come loose it will turn the pedal on, not off. That is what I wanted.



BTW - I tested batteries. I still had the first set that had died and they measured 1.12v. The new batteries read 1.6v. The batteries that I had put in a week and a half ago were at 1.21 so they were just about gone. As I worked on this I can see why MG is in no hurry to incorporate this fix. It will require new tooling on the pedal's molds to be able to run the wires. In today's world of economics they aren't going to do that until absolutely necessary.

Sorry about the picture orientation. I forgot about the iphone glitch.

[zelmo]

It has been a year since I made this modification using the switches from Amazon. I was going to use a couple that were left over from the park of six and it hit me that they are not waterproof.

I haven’t had any problems with the one I put in the foot pedal but it really doesn’t get wet. Has anyone else experienced any issues with the switch not being waterproof?