My Minkota t/m is about 4 months old. One month ago it started acting up. While in the 'on' position it would run about 3-4 seconds, then quit for 3-4 seconds and kept this up for a while. Then a month passed with no problem. Then yesterday it did this again. I can only guess that there is a short somewhere that comes and goes. Problems that are intermittent are hard to correct, so I thought I'd keep using it until it stops working...then the problem should be easier to find. Is there anyone out there who has any thoughts about this problem?

definitely a short in the line--you will have to test the line. Testing continuity in the line would be my first thoughts here. If it doesn't have that then you can just run another line to it and be done with it.

thats just my first thoughts though--who put the trolling motor in? a mechanic? yourself? try and trace the problem.

hope you get it fixed

Most likely a bad connection or bad switch rather than a short. A short usually refers to when something goes to ground therefore shortening the circuit. Shorts should blow fuses / breakers. However, sometimes short is used to describe anything wrong with the circuit.

Testing continuity in the line likely won't show anything. It obviously has continuity or it won't run at all. Wiring that has bad conenctions will often show continuity until they draw current. The problem seems to be that it won't hold up as it draws current. Usually a bad connection. I would check all connections including circuit breakers. Lots of times you can find the bad connection if you run it a while. It should get hot. Sometimes you will notice the insulation slightly melted where the bad connection is.

thanks Fishspanker +1

-- i was just going off what i would think to do first. obviously you have been involved in electricity and circuits before. I just didn't think about it being a switch as I didn't think there was one.

I had a boat once that had a splice in the power and ground wires under the deck. I had to redo the splices. The trolling motor motor was doing the same thing you described. You need to check all of the connections from the batteries to the recptical then from the plug to the foot control. If you have a loose connection it can cause a fire.

Is it a foot control? if so, it could be something as minor as the spring in the foot button.

It is a hand controlled Minkota. I have two deck switches, one left and one right. They are Big Foot switches that you can push for a little bit (like to control drift angle) or they have stirrups that can be used to give constant power. When the t/m was 'acting up' I put both stirrups on for constant power with no affect on the problem.

Are there any connections except at the batteries and at the bow where the power line connects to the back of the plate where the t/m power line plugs in?

Not sure if standard on MK or not but the wire connectors that were used on mine went bad and made TM do the same thing. Great big, (1" wide, 4-5 inches long?, light blue), connectors that snapped together. When they went bad (1 at a time over several months) they would not work when pushed all the way together but would work when pulled apart about 1/4 inch.

Same set-up as yours.

P_102

Sounds like automatic reset on the circuit breaker did you go to
a bigger motor and your drawing more current than before check
circuit rating against motor rated current