This is the rectifier/regulator I figured out after I got home from Ray Roberts yesterday. I got in the boat to take off and smelled electrical burning luckily. Looked back and saw a little smoke. It never caught fire but had I not smelled it it looks like it could have. It is an older boat and I often say I have not had any trouble out of the motor which is a 93 150 Fast Strike but I guess it is time for parts to start failing. Fished on the trolling motor only for a few hours and boated around 10 with the biggest about 3 lbs. Fish were getting active and biting good when I left at about 4 but had to get to a family party for the 4th. Be careful and take your safety equipment, you never know when you will need it!

Had the same thing happen back in the 90s on fork idling out of white oak except mine was on fire!!! 91 faststrike. I was focused on getting out of timber in the wind and kept saying to myself man someone is burning plastic in their trash pile..... got so bad I fianly looked back to see what was up to see my motor looked like the 1970s Houston mosquito man. Lol. Had to disconnect the battery to get it out. Fire extinguisher did not work until the source was eliminated. No damage to the motor itself other than the regulator. Ran that motor until 2005ish when I blew it up on Roberts so bad it pushed the carbs though the cowling. Guess when you think it's running a little raspy you shouldn't hammer down to blow out the carbon.

yikes, thanks for the reminder, i have been meaning to put in a master switch at the battery.

Had the same thing happen a few years ago on Athens. Had just put the boat on the trailer and noticed what appeared to be a little smoke or steam coming from under the engine cover. Walked behind the motor to sniff the air and could tell right away it was plastic burning. I lifted the motor cover off and could see the regulator was having a melt down so I told my Dad to grab the fire extinguisher while I climbed in the boat and undid the battery. Thankfully disconnecting the battery was enough and the fire extinguisher was not needed. Quick thinking also limited damage to just the regulator too.