Does the Minn Kota Maximizer shut off at high speed?

[MichAngler]

I bought an Ultrex and Solix at the same time a year and a half ago and I’ve gotten interference on my graph right from the start

I also bought another solix for the boat this spring and it does the same thing

Yes I can tweak the graphs and limit it

This is just something I’ve noticed

As soon as I go to speed “10” the screen clears right up like I shut the motor off

I see interference from speeds 1/2 to 9-1/2 but as soon as I go to 10 the screen clears right up

I’ve tested this by dialing up the pedal, hitting the rabbit button as well as dialing up the remote to 10

Only thing I can think of is that MK has programed the motor to bypass the maximizer at speed 10

If that’s the case I would give up time on the motor to see a better image

[Bill Reynolds]

The Minn Kota Maximizer uses a PWM (pulse width modulation ) controller to vary the speed of the motor. This controller generates a digital square wave that varies the width of the “on” pulse to increase the voltage. When you set the dial to 100%, the pulse is on constantly, which is essentially an analog signal. The interference you see is RFI that is generated by the pulsing digital circuit so at 100%, no pulse - no interference.
The Ultrex has a fused ground wire inside the head that is intended to eliminate or reduce the RFI. Suggest you remove the top of the head and check to be sure fuse is not blown.


This video explains PWM:

[MichAngler]

I checked the fuse is good

Strange thing is that you should see an increase in interference as the speed changes

Yet I see the same amount from 1/2 to 9-1/2 but as soon as I go to speed 10 it’s like I flipped a switch and shut the motor off “I get perfect images”

But as soon as I go back 9-1/2 the interference return

[Bradrodfish]

There are numerous fixes for this issue. Google it and try one at a time. Interference is interference. matters not when and where or how.

[MichAngler]

There are numerous fixes for this issue. Google it and try one at a time. Interference is interference. matters not when and where or how.

Wow that’s like saying Cancer is Cancer matters not when and where or how

I can eliminate most of it by tweaking the settings
All of which I’ve learned here from the good BBC people and can’t be found on google

I’ve tried chokes, ferrite rings, routing the cables, disconnecting the charger only thing I haven’t tried yet is the HB choke TC1

This is an observation with the hopes of putting light on what might cause this particular interference because as like cancer the more we know the better we can deal with it

[Bradrodfish]

Wow that’s like saying Cancer is Cancer matters not when and where or how

I can eliminate most of it by tweaking the settings
All of which I’ve learned here from the good BBC people and can’t be found on google

I’ve tried chokes, ferrite rings, routing the cables, disconnecting the charger only thing I haven’t tried yet is the HB choke TC1

This is an observation with the hopes of putting light on what might cause this particular interference because as like cancer the more we know the better we can deal with it

Well I wasn't trying to be a smarty, just trying to state a fact. Sounds like you tried most. Since you tried all, then you may as well try the Choke. Some time you will not always illuminate all noise. You have to just try different things until you are happy with what you get.

[MichAngler]

Sorry for barking

This is just one type of noise that seems a little different

I can eliminate a lot of this noise but with the amount of interference and the fact that it doesn’t increase or decrease and that it clears up completely buy just going one speed higher shows it’s a controllable issue that we shouldn’t have to deal with

The TMC1 is getting hard to find these days but I also have a few other tricks to try

I guess I was hoping that someone had figured out a way to turn off the maximizer

Hopefully we won’t have to deal with this type of noise in a couple of years with the leap in battery tech that is headed our way there should be no need for a maximizer

[CatFan]

Turning off the Maximizer is as easy as setting the motor to 100%. The Maximizer is your speed control. PWM is the only efficient way to vary motor speed, but unfortunately fast pulses generate high frequency RF. If there was a simple alternative it would be on the market.

[azhohar]

Wow that’s like saying Cancer is Cancer matters not when and where or how

I can eliminate most of it by tweaking the settings
All of which I’ve learned here from the good BBC people and can’t be found on google

I’ve tried chokes, ferrite rings, routing the cables, disconnecting the charger only thing I haven’t tried yet is the HB choke TC1

This is an observation with the hopes of putting light on what might cause this particular interference because as like cancer the more we know the better we can deal with it

MichAngler - I have the same problem on my front Lowrance HDS-12 Gen2 graph. I've had vertical line interference with my Minn Kota Fortrex and now my new Ultrex. It clears up when I am on max power 10 setting but below that I have vertical line interference. I have tried everything I know except buying and installing a different brand's (e.g. Hummingbird) foot pedal choke. I left the Mix 77 ferrite choke rings on my Sonar Power and Transducer wires and on my trolling motor Power wires, all inside the front cavity behind my bow console panel. I figured they wouldn't hurt but they haven't reduced the vertical line interference.

With different sonar settings I can dial down some of the vertical line interference but not a lot of it. I thought I read about Minn Kota also having a choke that installs on the underside of the trolling motor foot pedal. Do you or anyone else have information on whether or not this is true, how to buy, and install it?

[SoonerFan]

MichAngler - I have the same problem on my front Lowrance HDS-12 Gen2 graph. I've had vertical line interference with my Minn Kota Fortrex and now my new Ultrex. It clears up when I am on max power 10 setting but below that I have vertical line interference. I have tried everything I know except buying and installing a different brand's (e.g. Hummingbird) foot pedal choke. I left the Mix 77 ferrite choke rings on my Sonar Power and Transducer wires and on my trolling motor Power wires, all inside the front cavity behind my bow console panel. I figured they wouldn't hurt but they haven't reduced the vertical line interference.

With different sonar settings I can dial down some of the vertical line interference but not a lot of it. I thought I read about Minn Kota also having a choke that installs on the underside of the trolling motor foot pedal. Do you or anyone else have information on whether or not this is true, how to buy, and install it?

If this is the choke you're talking about, it for sure won't fit under your pedal. It's a real chunk as you can see in the picture...probably weighs a pound. Plus, the wires are short and don't mate well with the much heavier 8 ga coming from the batteries. I have had to completely re-route the TM wiring so I can stash the choke behind the bow panel.

I was having severe interference on my Helix 10 SI G2N from the Ultrex. After trying all the re-wireing tricks, I called MK to order one of the ferrite rings. They were out of stock at that time so she sent me the choke. I went ahead and ordered the bigger mix 77 ring from Amazon and installed both the choke and the ferrite ring at the same time. The interference problem cleared up completely but I don't know which component to credit for the success.

[Lou r Pitcher]

Would appear the interference is from the higher frequencies of the pulse transitions resulting from the Maximizer's chopped signals driving the motor in the lower unit. The lower unit of the Minn Kota housing when un-grounded is somewhat of an effective antenna allowing release (transmittal) of the interference and that interference is likely either being picked by the power cable of the sonar or its transducer cable. Adding choke filters to the wrong cable will not reduce the effects of the interference. You must know which path (cable) of the sonar unit is bringing the RFI into its signal processing circuits or your efforts will be futile if adding additional filters to a sonar cable that actually has no RFI. It is simple to determine which has the RFI with testing with a spare battery and spare transducer.

The fuse inside of the head of the trolling motor is part of a simple circuit making the housing of the lower unit to be at the battery's negative power potential thus making the housing a Faraday shield. A good Faraday shield normally is very effective at containing the release of any RFI being generated from passing across it.

You may have a defective grounding circuit even though you indicate the fuse is not blown. Though rare, fuses can be defective without being blown. Or the grounding circuit may be open/defective at some point in the trolling motor head, shaft or lower unit.

[Joe4d]

To answer your question. Yes Mximixer turns off at high speed. That is the whole way it makes high speed. You seem to not understand how your motor works.
It is a DC motor,,, no restance inline and NO SPEED CONTROL,, motor turns the same speed all the time.
Put it on low,, it turns on a brief time then turns off, as u add speed settings all it does is increase the on time.
At 100% it is ON,, so not turnign on and off.
Seems the on and off is what is causing u issues

[ezfishn]

If this is a Link model and using an ethernet switch, have you tried disconnecting the ethernet cable from the ethernet switch to see if that eliminates the noise? There have been a few posts where users have had to run an external ground to the ethernet switch port being used. Personally, I believe in those cases the switch was not actually the source of the problem but the ground would help eliminate it.

[MichAngler]

If this is a Link model and using an ethernet switch, have you tried disconnecting the ethernet cable from the ethernet switch to see if that eliminates the noise? There have been a few posts where users have had to run an external ground to the ethernet switch port being used. Personally, I believe in those cases the switch was not actually the source of the problem but the ground would help eliminate it.

This is one of the few things I’ve yet to try but I do have a jumper wire rigged so I can test grounding the switch the next time out
The smaller chokes don’t seems to do anything so I ordered the larger type 77 ring
My biggest problem is I can’t find one of the TMC-1
I’m going to call both MK and HB tomorrow and see if they can help

[SoonerFan]

This is one of the few things I’ve yet to try but I do have a jumper wire rigged so I can test grounding the switch the next time out
The smaller chokes don’t seems to do anything so I ordered the larger type 77 ring
My biggest problem is I can’t find one of the TMC-1
I’m going to call both MK and HB tomorrow and see if they can help

https://humminbird.johnsonoutdoors.c...957.1523659351

It appears that HB has them in stock. When I called HB CS about this problem, they sent me the TMC-1 no charge, next day delivery.

[MichAngler]

That says “Out Of Stock”

I just hope they have a couple stashed away for people having this issue

[SoonerFan]

That says “Out Of Stock”

I just hope they have a couple stashed away for people having this issue

Sorry, I didn't look close enough to catch the fine print. Call them. If they don't have any, you might check with John Jones.

[MichAngler]

Follow up

I installed the charger choke and the common ground and I have to say the noise got worse

Now here is a twist

I set the dash unit to run 800hz and kept the bow unit set to mega and the strangest thing happened

You look at the dash and there is no noise on the right SI but lots of noise on the left SI

Yet looking at the bow I see no noise on the left and tons on the right only when the trolling motor is on WTH?????

I’m beginning to think that the motor somehow is allowing the units to pick up crosstalk from each other

I’ve yet to get to install the Ferrite Ring but I’m not very hopeful