I recently purchased a X5-80 varible speed, hand controlled, Motorguide trolling motor, When I place a momentary switch on the floor, it has a 2 or 3 second delay before the motor starts. As I fish a LOT of timber, I need the switch to activate instantly. I have tried 3 different switchs and they all do the same thing. Any Thoughts?

I have the foot controlled model and it has a slight delay but only a second at most.

lag is probably caused by the electronics in the head, try taking the hot (guessing you have switch on hot) off switch, touch wire to wire but make contact fast to avoid sparking. watch what the motor does, still slow then head causing it, instant then switches are slow.

what switches have you used?

It's not the switches you're using, it's the design of the trolling motor. When thrust started climbing on motors decades ago, anglers started throwing themselves out of the boat (particularly when the TM was pointed to one side of the bow). Early speed control was just a very inefficient resistor network, and power to the motor was instant when you pressed the button. Fast forward to digital pulse modulation as the way of controlling speed (which gives us the long run times), and a new feature was made possible - the ability to "soft start" the motor each time it was turned on. This meant that the motor speed got ramped up from 0 RPM to the set RPM in a short window of time, not instantly, to lessen the chance of throwing anglers off-balance. As long as you have a motor with digital speed control, you are NEVER going to get an instant response of the motor. You'll need to drop back to a simple motor (without digital speed control) for that, if it's even made anymore.

I've tried 2 Big Foot switchs and a motorguide switch. It seems like none of the dealers around the country know anything about them either. They all tell me that the foot control motors use them so the hand control models should be able to have a switch also, but since they are so new, no one has put one on anything yet, so information from them has been worthless. I can't get through to anyone at Mercury or Motorguide on the net. I sat forever on the contact number until it finally hung up on me. The areas I fish are loaded with stumps and I really would like to know if it is possible to wire in a switch. a 2 or 3 second delay doesn't seem like much, but it's just enough to run over stuff. Trying to use the tiller keeps you on the motor all day instead of fishing.

That makes sense to me. My current trolling motor will just about toss me over if I have it on highest setting and go to somewhere but foot slips on the pedal. Ive lost balance at least one time every trip. So far haven't gone overboard. I have fallen back and looked around embarrassed hopping no one saw it. Need to upgrade as I need the anchor setting.

The Big Foot switch is as simple of a switch as you can get. It's strictly a mechanical spring-action ON/OFF contact design. The switch provides continuity instantaneously. This means the power circuit is completed instantly. But what I think you do not understand is that power going into the power cord of the trolling motor doesn't simply flow to the motor at the bottom of the shaft where the propeller is. Power goes into a "black box" along with an input from the speed control selector. Electronic circuits inside that black box use the speed control input to decide how much power to SEND to the motor (as the motor doesn't get anything direct from the switch). This black box slowly speeds up the motor from off to whatever speed is set. It does this in a timeframe that allows a standing angler to maintain his balance. The trolling motor you bought will never give you instant start - it is actually designed to never do that.

Nichols Marine in McAlester, Oklahoma finally figured it out for me. The switch has to be wired inside the shaft after the head, and before the motor. This gives you an instant on, and off, at whatever speed the tiller is set for, without any lag. Works great.
Appreciate the posts.
Now I'm looking for an extension handle that bolts onto the shaft, seems like everyone is sold out of the Big Foot2 that everyone uses. May have to have one custom made.

with 15-20 mph wind I will lock down my big foot switch and use my hand control with variable speed and get instant power but I am at least leaning or sitting on pedestal seat.
Not having to work against heavy wind I am not bothered by the delay of using big foot switch.

If I am possibly causing damage to my digital head of trolling motor by locking my switch down let me know.