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  1. #1
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    MinnKota Ulterra Issue/Question

    So I know this is a saltwater trolling motor question but I figure someone here may have the experience needed to help with the situation. I have a MinnKota 112 Riptide Ulterra that I bought from Russell Marine Products. I got a great deal on it from them and would highly recommend using them.

    I've only had it about a month or so and this weekend was the first real test I put it to, using it for any extended period of time. After about 6 hours of use the motor started acting crazy. It would turn off and not respond to the controller. If you waited a few minutes it would respond and you could stow it. This essentially ended the trip. I called MinnKota and they said the motor is extremely voltage sensitive and that what I was describing was low voltage to the motor. I have 3 brand new group 29 batteries solely dedicated to this trolling motor. MinnKota says they need to each be outputting 12.8 volts or the motor won't function properly. I checked when I got home and they were all outputting 12.7 volts at the time. I guess my questions is what are my options here? How do I ensure maintaining that voltage? Buy bigger batteries? I know MinnKota makes a 3 bank alternator that I could use because I do have to use my big motor a lot here, but would that get me the extra charge I need to make it through the day? I've never had an issue like this before so I don't really know what to do.

    TIA.

  2. Electrical/Wiring/Trolling Motors Moderator CatFan's Avatar
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    #2
    I’d call MK back. They are feeding you a line. 12.8V would be more than most any battery provides. The highest voltage on a commonly available conventional flooded cell I know of is the Trojan at 12.72V. Most conventional batteries are 12.65V at full charge.
    If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
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  3. Banned
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    #3
    I have the same batteries and run my ulterra all day long with no problems. I have learned to rotate the motor back around to unwrap the cord off the shaft before I stow it, my cord has hung up inside the shroud a few times and made it jam up.

  4. young angler 188Musky's Avatar
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    #4
    Were you using the pedal, or the remote?

    The remote may need batteries.

    What the Minn Kota tech told you about voltage is misinformation.

  5. Member
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    #5
    Quote Originally Posted by 188Musky View Post
    Were you using the pedal, or the remote?

    The remote may need batteries.

    What the Minn Kota tech told you about voltage is misinformation.
    Using the remote with a brand new battery in the remote. The motor itself will shut off and become unresponsive. When you try to turn it back on manually it will beep but nothing else. After waiting about 5-10 minutes it will then turn on.

    The biggest issue outside of it not functioning properly so you can use it is that this is the auto stow/deploy motor and if it won't turn on then you can't stow it which is a massive PITA.

    The tech was insistent on the voltage and that the motor was fine. I was also told that if I took it to a service center and they couldn't replicate the problem then I'd have to foot the bill for their time, which, fine I get it, but that's really not a cool piece of info to be told while you're floating around with a $2600 anchor hanging off the front of your boat.

  6. Member Mizzou211's Avatar
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    #6
    I have an Ultrex, which I also got from RMP, that had a very similar "unresponsive" issue. I took it to RMP and they troubleshot it with MK on the phone. The culprit wound up being the controller in the head of the TM. RMP replaced it and I haven't had a problem since.

  7. Bob G's pool boy
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    #7
    Do you have 36v at the plug?

    12v each battery isn’t necessarily 36v at the plug. Someone may have a jumper wire wrong.


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  8. Member
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    #8
    Quote Originally Posted by billspence View Post
    Do you have 36v at the plug?

    12v each battery isn’t necessarily 36v at the plug. Someone may have a jumper wire wrong.
    I had over 36 at the plug, can't remember the number off the top of my head.

  9. Member Mizzou211's Avatar
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    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by CatFan View Post
    I’d call MK back. They are feeding you a line. 12.8V would be more than most any battery provides. The highest voltage on a commonly available conventional flooded cell I know of is the Trojan at 12.72V. Most conventional batteries are 12.65V at full charge.
    Fully agree with CatFan on this. No way any company would design a 36VDC system that required 38.4VDC to operate properly.

    Mercury Optimax's are voltage sensitive too, but no issues seen until the input voltage drops below 11.4VDC. At least on mine...

  10. Member
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    #10
    Heavier gage wire from batteries to motor maybe.
    I have had to run new wire a couple times over the years. 6 ga. does a good job.

  11. Member
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    #11
    I guess when I get home I'll call MK back and try to walk through it with a tech.

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    #12
    Hi there i also own an Alterra - just a thought have you tried the reset sequence at the power button described in the manual? That has cured any minor issue i've encountered.

  13. Member
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    #13
    Quote Originally Posted by NHBTJOE2017 View Post
    Hi there i also own an Alterra - just a thought have you tried the reset sequence at the power button described in the manual? That has cured any minor issue i've encountered.
    I have. I still get a motor that shuts down or I get a "motor error" on the controller.

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    #14
    I realize this is an ancient thread, but did you end up solving the problem? I an currently in the same situation... I just had that "it's gotta have 12.8v from each battery" phone call with the tech. It's a freaking 12v battery in a 24 volt system, how one earth could you "require" more than 24 volts???!!!!

  15. Electrical/Wiring/Trolling Motors Moderator CatFan's Avatar
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    #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Brianjmuth@yahoo.com View Post
    I realize this is an ancient thread, but did you end up solving the problem? I an currently in the same situation... I just had that "it's gotta have 12.8v from each battery" phone call with the tech. It's a freaking 12v battery in a 24 volt system, how one earth could you "require" more than 24 volts???!!!!
    12V is nominal. 25.3V is the minimum for a 2 battery series connection. 12V is a dead battery.
    If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
    nothing else matters.​

  16. Member
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    #16
    Thank you guys, I appreciate you taking the time to help. I'm right in the edge I think. I measure 25.3 (and have no trouble) this past 2 mornings with boat at home. My trouble has only appeared the 2 times I took it to lake @ 5am, so a combination of 50degrees and 45min of batteries shaking on the ride seems to have crossed the linens wouldn't deploy motor. I'd keep checking it and sometime around 10 am, after batteries had settles and we're at 80degrees outside it would start working and keep working. I also have "suspect" AWG rating 10' extension cable from amazon so that gets ruled out today by switching to 6 awg to completely cross that off the list. It's possible that cable added to my "perfect storm" of low voltage situations... but of course, since I didn't have a meter in the lake (I didn't think I'd need to troubleshoot my new $$$$ motor) AND I can't replicate the problem, this is all educated guessing...

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    #17
    UPDATE- I had a perfect storm of issues that made my problems appear. I learned that my Amazon 8awg 10' extensions are more like 10, and also Aluminum conductors so not helping either! I overshot with my replacement order - purchased 4awg copper, it was also predictably skimpy and took the 6awg connectors perfectly...meaning that I successfully overshot to reach the 6awg cabling that can now completely be ruled out.
    Here's where I failed further... My aluminum boat had no wiring in it, so I was using the Minn Kota "trolling motor power center" battery box that I already owned- It's been flawless for years with the MK Enduro I that replaced with the Ulterra. Because I have a second boat, I bought another of those MK power boxes to make it easy to move batts between boats- they also provide the 60amp breaker I need in each boat... this seemed like an easy solution to move the battery back and forth from boat #2 over to boat #1 temporarily... til spring when purchasing new batts makes sense. I didn't think having 2 breakers in line would cause trouble (I still don't) However, When I took my batteries for load test, the power center box ALWAYS made batteries register "FAIL REPLACE BATT" on the load tester... somehow circuitry inside is reducing available amps down to 30-40. It never dawned on me that the MK box would cause the MK motor to misbehave, but there you have it... replaced with real wiring & breaker and problems vanish. I still am amazed that everything in the boat could reach a sunny day temperature that made things work, compared to 60degree mornings where nothing worked. That's a Farmers Insurance commercial right there.. we know a thing or two because we've seen a thing or two! LOL Learning curve complete!