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  1. #1
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    Feb 2018
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    Murfreesboro, TN
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    How to tell if Talon is UP/Down besides the light?

    Question for all with Talons. The lights are really hard to see during the day unless you get up close. Has anyone figured out another way to determine if the talons are up/down? I was thinking about making some kind of flag that would raise when the talon is deployed and lower when it is stowed. Don't want to reinvent the wheel though. Has anyone already done something similar or know of a product that does it? I know the ignition alarm can be rigged to sound an alarm, but nothing beats a visual indicator and the lights are just too hard to see during the day.

  2. Member
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    Mar 2014
    Location
    Ottawa Canada
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    #2
    do you have the green wire hooked up? Between the lights and the green like, you’re in pretty good shape as if the wire is hooked up, the Talon will put off an audible alarm if it isn’t up all of the way.

  3. Member
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    Feb 2018
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    Murfreesboro, TN
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    #3
    I have the new 2018 Talons. They make an audible alarm and have blue depth lights. Problem is that the lights are difficult to see in the day and the beeps can be hard to hear at times. Nothing beats a visual where you can instantly tell they are up/down regardless of where you are in the boat.

  4. Banned
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    Jul 2017
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    Western Iowa
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    621
    #4
    youve got something wrong if you cant see the blue lights they are very bright and been visible for me for 5 weeks of fishing already this year, mostly at falcon in blazing sun, maybe the lights are adjustable and you have yours turned way way down?

    the audible if you turn on the key is crazy loud, maybe theres a volume and youve got it low

  5. Member
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    Feb 2018
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    Murfreesboro, TN
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    #5
    no, nothing wrong with the volume or lights. It just not sufficient.

  6. Banned
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    Jun 2009
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    Lake Ivie, Texas
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    #6
    Sounds like you need an air horn and spotlights

  7. Member
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    Feb 2018
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    Murfreesboro, TN
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    #7
    can't be the only one that struggles with seeing the lights. If anyone has managed to put a visual indicator on the poles would be great to hear what you did and how you did it. My thoughts are to rig up a spring latch that will raise and lower a flag or something similar.

  8. Banned
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    Jul 2017
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    Western Iowa
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    #8
    yes your the only one they are very bright the blue cant be missed, now the RED if you have a issue is very hard to see in the bright sun. even the green saying ready to use is impossible to not see.

    Not to mention they sound an alarm when they get to the top of retraction and if you put your key in they also sound a crazy long buzz if you hooked up the green wires to a keyed ignition source

  9. Member
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    Feb 2015
    Location
    Columbia SC
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    2,270
    #9
    If they are fully deployed to anchor, rock your boat and it will feel like you are on a stump when you go down.. If there are not all the way up, you will feel a wobble once you increase speed.

  10. Member
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    May 2008
    Location
    Pierre Part, La
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    4,295
    #10
    The green wire on the talon is for the purpose of letting you know if the unit is deployed or stored. If you hook it up the way it is described in the installation manual then it will give you an alarm when you turn the ignition switch on for starting you motor. This alarm will come on if the unit is deployed.

  11. Member
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    Feb 2018
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    Murfreesboro, TN
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    228
    #11
    When you are using the anchors to load/unload the boat there is no alarm, because the motor is running. The lights are not bright enough to see. Not much way to tell if the talons are up/down in those cases. The only way to get an audible alarm is to turn motor off/on. Even then it not the easiest to here when several boats are at the ramp and everyone's motor is running. If you are not having the same problems then you must not be using your talons much and probably not using them at all for loading/unloading at ramp.

  12. Banned
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    Jun 2009
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    Lake Ivie, Texas
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    #12
    I use my Talons atleast 4-5 days a week from January till October, use them every time I load and unload and multiple times during the day.nthe lights are the brightest blue and the alarm is damn sure loud enough to hear over my Mercury. Something is either wrong with your lights and alarm or something is wrong with your eyesight and hearing. I have never heard nor read anything about any of the issues you are having with lights and sound.

  13. Go With God ! scotti509's Avatar
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    Jan 2008
    Location
    Spokane, Wa.
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    378
    #13
    Mine are bright enough that I can tell what lights are lit. I have heard the warning sound isn't very loud though. Atleast on the gen 1 Talons.
    Scott Inman

  14. Member
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    Feb 2018
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    Cataula, GA
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    #14
    I've left mine down on a couple of occasions because I spaced that I had deployed it and couldn't see the light from the driver side.

  15. Banned
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    Jul 2017
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    Western Iowa
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    #15
    Quote Originally Posted by mrc View Post
    When you are using the anchors to load/unload the boat there is no alarm, because the motor is running. The lights are not bright enough to see. Not much way to tell if the talons are up/down in those cases. The only way to get an audible alarm is to turn motor off/on. Even then it not the easiest to here when several boats are at the ramp and everyone's motor is running. If you are not having the same problems then you must not be using your talons much and probably not using them at all for loading/unloading at ramp.
    I use mine all the time it actually sounds like you don’t own some yet or something.

    All you have to do is hit the up button one time. You can hear them seat in the up position and can hear the beep beep beep telling you they are up. If they are already up it beeps.

  16. RIP Evinrude 1907-2020 JR19's Avatar
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    Feb 2005
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    Columbia, KY
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    12,612
    #16
    The alarm always lets me know mine are down. Even if you did not have the alarm hooked up you would definitely know they're down as soon as you put the boat in gear. If the talons were on the bottom you would feel the resistance. Per: cleaning instructions in my owner's manual I deploy mine out over deep water and idle. When doing this the back of my boat vibrates terrible. There is no way I would not know they were down. As for the light I have no issues seeing mine. It does not matter if they are up or down...if in doubt just hit the button and see what happens. If there're up and you hit the up button nothing will happen. Same for the down position.

  17. Member
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    Feb 2018
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    Murfreesboro, TN
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    #17
    If we could see and hear it, we would not be posting here for options. So glad you don't have that problem, but quit knocking those of us who do. I am still looking for options

  18. Member
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    Jul 2012
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    Round Lake, NY
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    #18
    My dang lights blind me.
    Attached Images Attached Images

  19. Member
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    Jun 2015
    Location
    Murray KY
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    601
    #19
    You have problems with your talons or you just expect Minn Kota to put a spotlight on the talon to blind you. I have bought 2 sets of talons the past 2 years, use them at least a half dozen times every time out including at the boat ramp to load & unload every single time and have never had one instance where I could not see the light. Half the time I don’t even look at the blue lights, push the foot switch and I can hear them fully retract.

  20. RIP Evinrude 1907-2020 JR19's Avatar
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    Feb 2005
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    Columbia, KY
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    #20
    Quote Originally Posted by mrc View Post
    If we could see and hear it, we would not be posting here for options. So glad you don't have that problem, but quit knocking those of us who do. I am still looking for options
    My intent was not to knock you with anything so if my reply came off that way then I am sorry. If you go back and read my reply I gave two different options. One when in doubt hit the button. If it's down and you hit the down button nothing will happen, same for up if you hit the up button and it's up nothing will happen. Other option was once you start the boat there will be an alarm if its hooked up. In the event you do not hear it and you try to move the boat I feel that 100% without a doubt you will feel the resistance if they are down.

    In my opinion it would be overkill but if your looking for options then you could always wire in an emergency strobe light into the system. Here is a set of two. I would mount one at the bow and one at the console. https://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Em...y+strobe+light

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