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Minn Kota Frequently Asked Questions
•What are the benefits of a bow mounted
electric motor ?
•What
about shaft length selection ?
•Can
my Minn Kota trolling motor be used in saltwater ?
•How
important is battery selection for electric motor usage
?
•What
is Amp Draw ?
•What
gauge wire should I use for my trolling motor
•What
are the benefits of Minn Kota’s Maximizer ?
•How
does Maximizer compare to a speed coil ?
•Electric
motor power ratings are in pounds of thrust. How do
I determine the thrust requirements for my boat ?
•What
is thrust ?
•How
does thrust compare to horsepower ?
•How
does thrust compare to speed ?
•How
do I convert thrust into horsepower ?
•Why
buy an AutoPilot ?
•What
is the warranty on Minn Kota trolling motor 's ?
•What
do I do if I experience prop vibration ?
•Does
your company offer a program for licensed guides ?
•Do
you have a repair center ?
•Can
I get replacement parts ?
•How
can I get technical information about my Minn Kota trolling
motor ?
•Can
you send me a catalog ?
All the information is from www.minnkotamotors.com
What are the benefits of a bow mounted electric
motor ?
Boats do not tend to go in a straight line. Because
of this, it is much easier to pull a boat than to push
a boat. It is also easier to move the bow of the boat
sideways compared to moving the transom. Therefore,
a bow mounted electric motor allows for much greater
boat control and positioning. If quick response boat
control and positioning is what you are looking for,
a bow mount electric motor is a must.
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What about shaft length selection ?
Choosing the correct shaft length is important so that
the angler’s electric trolling motor does not
cavitate. The rule of thumb is that the center of the
trolling motor section should be submerged 9".
In general, shaft length selection is more critical
with bow mount motors versus transom mount motor 's.
Most boat transoms are similar in their distance to
the water, and Minn Kota ’s standard transom shaft
lengths should be adequate. With bow mounted motors,
there is much greater variation in shaft length requirements.
Minn Kota has developed a Shaft Length Selection Guide,
shown in the Minn Kota Bow Mount and Transom Mount Product
sections. This guide requires the angler only to know
the approximate distance from the boat’s deck
to the waterline.
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Can my Minn Kota trolling motor be used in
saltwater?
We designed a special line of trolling motors for use
in salt or brackish water. The Minn Kota Riptide trolling
motor 's have stainless steel hardware and an advanced
painting process for improved corrosion protection.
Using any of our standard Minn Kota motors in saltwater
may dramatically reduce the life of the motor . To extend
the life of your motor , thoroughly rinse the motor
with freshwater after every use in saltwater and store
indoors. Never leave the motor submerged in saltwater
when the boat is moored.
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How important is battery selection for electric
motor usage?
The battery is a critical element of your electric
motor system. A high quality deep cycle marine battery
should always be used. Unlike automobile batteries,
deep cycle marine batteries are designed to be run down
to a discharged state and then recharged. (To extend
the life of your battery, always recharge after use.
Most trolling motor batteries fail due to lack of charging.)
To help take the mystery out of battery selection and
to make sure that you are getting the most out of your
electric trolling motor , Minn Kota has designed its
own series of deep cycle marine batteries.
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What is Amp Draw?
• Amp draw is the measurement of electrical current
drawn from a storage battery (or battery), while the
trolling motor is being operated at maximum speed.
• Minn Kota 's published amp draw figures represent
actual on the water conditions (with all of the motor
's wiring, switches and circuitry in the electrical
system as the test measurement is taken).
• Approximate length of running time when operation
a trolling motor at full power can be determined with
a motor 's amp draw and the battery amp hour rating.
Example: A single 120 amp hour, 12 volt battery and
a 12 volt trolling motor drawing 20 amps at the highest
speed setting will run for about 3.4 hours.
• The formula for the calculation is as follows:
.85 A.H.R. = Hours of running time.
(A.H.R.= Battery Amp Hour Rating)
M.A.D. (M.A.D. = Motor Amp Draw)
• As the speed setting is reduced the motor amp
draw is also reduced.
• A motor drawing 30 amps at high speed may only
draw 5 amps at the slowest speed. The same motor that
will theoretically run about 3.4 hours at high speed
will run for over 20 hours at the slowest speed.
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What gauge wire should I use for my trolling motor
If the incorrect gauge wire is used, there will be
a voltage loss to the trolling motor causing a decrease
in power and heating of the wires.
Follow the steps and the chart below to determine the
proper wire gauge to use.
Step 1.
Determine maximum amp draw of your trolling motor and
round up to nearest 10.
Step 2.
Measure distance from the battery to the power outlet
or trolling motor connection.
Step 3.
Take the determined length (Step 2) and multiply by
two.
Step 4.
Select a gauge of wire you think may be applicable.
10 AWG is a good starting point.
Step 5.
Consult the Voltage Loss Chart to determine voltage
loss per foot so you may match the wire gauge to be
used.
Step 6.
Take the Determined Length (Step 3) x 2 = Doubled Length.
Take the Doubled Length x Voltage Loss = Total Voltage
Loss.
Step 7.
Work through equation to determine best gauge wire to
be used. The best gauge selection will be matched with
the lowest voltage loss.
For optimum performance, voltage loss should be between
zero and one, but no greater than one.
Example: You want to run 20 ft. of wire in your boat
, and the maximum amp draw of the trolling motor is
37Amps.
Step 1.
Round up the amp draw from 37 to 40Amps.
Step 2.
20 ft. of wire which is needed.
Step 3.
Take 20 ft. x 2 = 40 ft.
Step 4.
Starting with 10AWG. Check the chart above for 40Amps
and 10AWG.
Step 5.
.0408V is charted for the voltage loss.
Step 6.
Take 40 x .0408 = 1.632V - Not acceptable over 1V
Try 6AWG. In working through the equation it equals.064
- which is under 1 volt, which is acceptable.
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What are the benefits of Minn Kota ’s
Maximizer?
The Maximizer offers two primary benefits: infinitely
variable speed control and more running time on a battery
charge versus a five speed control motor . The infinitely
variable speed control feature allows the angler to
adjust his trolling motor to just the right power setting
for the conditions he’s fishing. The Maximizer
is electronic circuitry that uses "Pulse Width
Modulation" technology to apply the correct amount
of current to the trolling motor unit. Basically, no
current is wasted - giving the angler up to five times
more fishing time between battery charges.
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How does Maximizer compare to a speed coil?
How Speed Coil Motors Work
• Electrical loads are hooked up in series with
the motor such that power from the battery is split
between supplying the trolling motor and supplying the
additional loads(speed coils).
• Power from the battery is fairly constant regardless
of the speed setting. Therefore, on speed 1 for example,
more power is diverted to the speed coil than is supplied
to the motor . This makes the overall motor assembly
quite inefficient.
• Extra power consumed by the speed coil produces
heat, much like an electrical heating element. The heat
is then transferred through the trolling motor housing
to the water.
• That is why speed coils are located in the lower
motor unit.
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Speed Coil Analogy
• You are driving a car at full speed. To slow
down, you brake with one foot while continuing to keep
your foot down on the gas pedal. By doing this, you
continue to burn gas (power) while causing the brakes
to heat up.
• Same theory applies with a speed coil motor .
The power supply is still constant, but is diverted
to the speed coils for the lower speeds which reduces
efficiency and run time.
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How Maximizer Works
• Since speed coils reduce the power going to the
trolling motor , the Maximizer was designed to, eliminate
this inefficient speed control method by using rapid
on/off switching. The Maximizer is simply a switch that
turns the connection to the battery on and off 20,000
times per second.
• If 'on' time is longer compared to 'off', the
trolling motor runs receive more power. If 'off' time
is longer, the motor gets less power. Since there is
minimal power lost to accomplish this, the overall trolling
motor is very efficient.
Maximizer Analogy
• You are driving a car fully accelerated. To slow
down, you lift your foot off the pedal to decelerate
allowing only the proper amount of gas (power) to be
used. This burns less gas than the first analogy and
does not heat up the brake system.
• Same theory applies to the Maximizer. Only the
necessary power to go the desired speed is delivered
to the trolling motor providing extreme efficiency and
longer running time.
Maximizer Benefits
• Extended Trolling Time
• The Maximizer speed control saves valuable power
over a conventional speed coil motor .
• The Maximizer allows more fishing time on your
battery charge, up to five times longer running time
per battery charge, compared to the 5-speed switch.
• With infinitely variable speed control, the Maximizer
allows for proper speeds to be set and maintained while
trolling lures for proper presentation.
• Virtual speed adjustments for changing conditions.
• The Maxmizer allows for fine tune speed adjustments.
• The Maximizer allows the user to control boat
speed more effectively in changing environments.
Soft Start
- A feature of the Maximizer, it limits how fast the
motor can go from "off" to "on".
- Soft start helps increase the motor 's life.
More Powerful Motors
• Maximizer electronics allow for more control
of higher thrust motor 's.
• A standard 5-speed switch does not hold up as
well under the same conditions.
Momentary/Constant Footpedal Switch
This feature allows the user to switch power on and
off while keeping the preferred speed setting.
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Electric motor power ratings are in pounds of
thrust. How do I determine the thrust requirements for
my boat?
Thrust requirements are determined by the size
and weight of your boat. Refer to Select
A Motor in the product section. This guide
is established under normal lake fishing conditions.
If you frequently fish in heavy winds, rivers, or adverse
weather conditions, you may want to consider a higher
thrust electric trolling motor. It’s always better
to have too much power than not enough!
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What is thrust?
• Thrust is a static measurement in pounds
of our motor 's pushing or pulling power.
• Minn Kota 's published thrust ratings are laboratory
measurements taken by using a load cell and with voltage
equivalent to a fully charged battery (or batteries)
applied directly at the motor brushes.
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How does thrust compare to horsepower?
• Horsepower is a measurement of "work"
being performed.
• One horsepower is a unit of measurement equal
to 550 foot pounds of "work" per second.
• There is no direct correlation of thrust to horsepower.
Contrary to what you may have been told, fifteen pounds
of thrust DOES NOT equal one horsepower.
• As noted in the previous definition thrust is
simply a static measurement of force.
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How does thrust compare to speed?
• "My buddy has a 36 lb. thrust motor, we
have the same size boat, yet his trolling motor moves
his boat just as fast as my 42 pound thrust unit. Why
is this?"
• Again, thrust is simply a static measurement
of pushing or pulling power, and higher thrust does
not necessarily mean greater speed.
• Speed is a factor of prop pitch and motor R.P.M.
• Given motor R.P.M. under load, and Minn Kota
's 4" prop pitch, the approximate speed that a
motor will push/pull a small boat can be calculated.
• The formula for this is
.85 (4x) x 60 = Miles Per Hour
12 5280 (Motor RPM = X)
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How do I convert thrust into horsepower?
Many people think that the more pounds of thrust
they are getting, the faster the boat will go. This
is not exactly true. With trolling motor 's and outboard
motors, boat speed (and acceleration) depends on horsepower
and prop pitch. By changing prop pitch, you can trade
acceleration for top speed. Our trolling motor 's have
props designed for maximum acceleration. When you hit
the power, the boat responds immediately. This also
allows you to hold the boat in high wind conditions.
Top speed with our motor 's and props is about 5mph.
Small boats will reach this speed with most of our motors.
Larger boats require our largest motors to approach
this speed. Comparing our trolling motor 's to gasoline
outboards is difficult because most outboard props are
designed for much higher speed.
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Why buy an AutoPilot?
• Autopilot allows anglers to concentrate
on fishing, not on steering or manoeuvring the boat.
• Autopilot eliminates 3/4 of the normal steering
time that is required when using traditional, non Auto-Navigation
motor 's.
• With its small footprint mount, the Autopilot
is perfect for boats with minimal mounting deck space.
• Standard in all Autopilot motor 's is a built
in Maximizer, for up to five times longer running time
per battery charge and infinitely variable speed control.
• For instant state-of-charge, all Autopilot motor
's offer a built in battery meter.
• Integrated within the mount, Autopilot has a
very effective breakaway system. The dual shock absorbing
breakaway system, along with the composite shaft and
tube combination prevent motor damage due to impact.
| Shock absorbing rubber pad
compresses upon motor impact |
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What is the warranty on Minn Kota trolling
motor 's?
Click here to see Minn
Kota ’s warranty.
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What do I do if I experience prop vibration?
• Props and shafts are not 100% symmetrical.
• Oftentimes simply removing the prop, rotation
it 180 degrees, and reinstalling it will lessen or eliminate
the incidence of vibration.
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Does your company offer a program for licensed
guides?
Yes, we do. If you are interested in our licensed guide
program, please send:
• A copy of your resume.
• A picture of yourself.
• A list of the other companies that you are working
for.
• A copy of your guide license.
• An estimate of the amount of time you have available
for working at promotions.
Send all of the above to:
Sam Heaton
Minn Kota
555 Main Street, Suite 022
Racine, WI 53404-1035
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Do you have a repair center?
We have over 400 repair center's. You can locate an
Authorized
Service Center for Minn Kota motor 's by
using our service center locator in the Minn Kota website.
Or in the U.S.A. call our toll free number 1-800-227-6433.
In Canada, call 1-800-263-6390.
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Can I get replacement parts?
Yes, we would be glad to help you with this. Please
contact us for replacement parts in the USA at 1-800-227-6433.
In Canada, call 1-800-263-6390.
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How can I get technical information about my
Minn Kota trolling motor?
We would be glad to help you with this. Please contact
us for technical information in the USA at 1-800-227-6433.
In Canada, call 1-800-263-6390.
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Can you send me a catalog?
For a catalog, please call 1-800-661-9086 or click
here!
For other product information, please e-mail us at motors@johnsonoutdoors.com
From www.minnkotamotors.com thanks Minn Kota for great
trolling motor FAQ
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