Trolling Motor Issues

[K D]

I have a 2011 Nitro Z7 with a motorguide 24v tour series trolling motor. Recently after fishing a few hours the power in the trolling motor drops dramatically seemingly all at once and then I have to just limp around. I have replaced both batteries, cleaned the terminals, cleaned the plug up front and the connections with no positive results. The other day I clicked the speed to 5 to cross a creek then back down to 3. After I did that the power dropped off and the trolling motor was barely moving the boat. Any suggestions? The batteries test good and are fully charged when I go out.

 

[jerry shack]

I have a 2011 Nitro Z7 with a motorguide 24v tour series trolling motor. Recently after fishing a few hours the power in the trolling motor drops dramatically seemingly all at once and then I have to just limp around. I have replaced both batteries, cleaned the terminals, cleaned the plug up front and the connections with no positive results. The other day I clicked the speed to 5 to cross a creek then back down to 3. After I did that the power dropped off and the trolling motor was barely moving the boat. Any suggestions? The batteries test good and are fully charged when I go out.

KD
You said you replaced both the batteries, however a load test on both is were I would start. Just cause there new don't mean anything now days.
Why I say that is because it sounds like one of the batteries is bad and has only a surface charge so when you put it on a load it goes down in voltage. The second thing could be the type of plug you are using, if it is one of the 2 or 3 prong push in kind they are junk and good for about a 40# motor. Those plugs loose a lot of voltage with the cheap connection. The only plug you should be using is the 3 pong twist lock type. There is more but you have to go through a process of elimination first.

 

[K D]

KD
You said you replaced both the batteries, however a load test on both is were I would start. Just cause there new don't mean anything now days.
Why I say that is because it sounds like one of the batteries is bad and has only a surface charge so when you put it on a load it goes down in voltage. The second thing could be the type of plug you are using, if it is one of the 2 or 3 prong push in kind they are junk and good for about a 40# motor. Those plugs loose a lot of voltage with the cheap connection. The only plug you should be using is the 3 pong twist lock type. There is more but you have to go through a process of elimination first.

Ok, I will take them out again and have them load tested, as far as the plug goes it is a 3 prong twist style, I did take that apart and cleaned the connections.

 

[Andrebass]

Are the batteries of proper size?
Make sure nothing else is tied into them batteries and make sure you are getting 24 volts at the twist plug.
Batteries can be wired paired and still have 12 volts or 24 volts.

It definitely sounds like it's battery issues.

 

[K D]

UPDATE:Had the batteries load tested this morning and the one I purchased in April had gone bad. It was at less than a 50% charge after coming off the charger less than 12 hours ago. I will put them back in and test them out on Saturday when fishing again. I did forget to provide some details, they are Size 27 and only connected to the trolling motor.