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Member
Posts: 238
| I heard from a fellow fisherman that he heard there was a lot of trouble with the Auto Pilot Minnkotas that have universal sonar, is this true or has anyone out there experienced this? Just curious, I have one thats about a year and a half old. Any comments? Or anything I should be checking?
Thanks
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Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | Eric,
Can you be more specific? I have an AP 80 AutoPilot/Universal Sonar that I used for the first time at the PWT. I had absolutely no problems and it performed flawlessly.
I know that they had a few problems in the past with the electronic compass. This problem always seemed to appear when the units were jarred in heavy waves. Most people have been using the RAM mounts for these units and this has taken care of the problem.
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| I always had great luck with mine. This year I am trying out a MotorGuide DS with remote, hope the luck continues. |
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| I've run the same AP 65 US for 4 years. The only problem I had was early on, running in a SSW direction, it would lose it's brain, and rotate. I took it to Ed Schilling in West Allis, and he calibrated the compass. It's been flawless for 3+ years now.
I'll have a new AP80US on my new boat this year. |
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Posts: 859
Location: Appleton wi | I'v had my AP 80 with build in x ducer and copilot for 11months. It worked flawlessly last year but the first time i went out this year in early april it just didnt work. I took into appleton service center and power supply and steering board were both blown. Dont know when it happen......maybe it was the jan. tow up to wausua at the yarcraft factory in the cold i dont know but i always keep power unplugged when i tow it so i guess its a mystery on how the boards went bad. All i know it worked late last fall. I was told that the power supply's were very common to go out on this units and it probally took out the steering board.Everthing was taken care of with warranty and both boards i was told have a new one year warranty.As far as the unit I love it and use it for trolling harnesses all the time.I tried motorguide or pinpoint 4 years ago and they felt useless for trolling in wind so I'll stick with auto pilot.
Edited by eye Lunker 4/26/2006 4:18 AM
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Posts: 2567
Location: Manitowoc, WI | I've used the Mionn Kota with Universal Sonar in the past and I have one again now. I've never had an issue unless the waves were 3-4'. The it would lose it's direction from time to time. |
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| BOUGHT MINE IN 2004 STILL CAN'T GET TO WORK RIGHT.MY GRAPH JUST FLASHES AND WON'T PICK UP THE BOTTOM.HAD IT IN FOR SERVICE OVER THE WINTER.NO CHANGE.WHEN I USE THE BOW MOUNT THE GRAPH GOES BLANK(ANY IDEAS?)I TOOK IT BACK WHERE I BOUGHT IT MR. MARINE HOPE THEY CAN FIGURE IT OUT. |
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Location: Jackson, Wisconsin 53037 | I've used the AP with universal sonar, and didn't like it. I always had interference on the graph, and the autopilot feature worked for a couple months. I have gone over to Motorguide, the PTSV. |
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Posts: 714
| Joe, Is there any chance you might have an air bubble caught under the transducer when you deploy your motor? If there are any air bubbles caught there, you won't get any signal to the graph. |
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Posts: 2393
Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | Joe,
Make sure that you have the right connecting cable between the trolling motor and sonar unit. What sonar are you using? Give us more info on trolling motor and sonar unit and we may be able to help.
FYI, Minn Kota supplies a grounding cable that can be used for those who are experiencing interference problems with the sonar unit. Most problems occur when people hook up the sonar to the same battery as the trolling motor. |
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| I had that problem and what i had to do was ground the ground to the boat instead of to the batteries pos and neg becuse every time i engaged the motor it broke the circuit. If you only have one battery then your voltage is dropping below 11 volts when yoiu engage the motor. |
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| SUNSHINE,
I HAVE A MINN KOTA 74 PD AP US 60" U SONAR GG.THE GRAPH I'M TRYING TO MAKE WORK IS A X28.I BOUGHT THE CORRECT ADAPTER CABLE THE MKR US6.I FOLLOWED BOTH WIRES BACK TO THE STARTING BATTERY,NEG AND POS.I ALSO BOUGHT THE GROUNDING CABLE,WHICH THE MARINA (MR. MARINE)HOOKED UP FROM THE STARTING BATTERY TO THE BOW MOUNT 24 VOLT SYSTEM BATTERIES.NEED HELP!! T5HIS DID NOT HELP.I WANT TO THROW THE WHOLE WORKS IN THE LAKE AND START OVER. THANKS JOE |
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Member
Posts: 238
| I havent had anything fail on mine, but since I own one I thought I would throw out the question to other fisherman that may have experienced problems... But yes I have heard that the compass in the head is what goes to wack after bouncing in the waves and goin down the road...Just keep it and see what happens I guess!
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Posts: 2393
Location: Waukesha Wisconsin | Joe,
I'm running out of ides for ya 
Are you sure that the graph works? |
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| I've had the same problem as Joe. I've tried 3 different sonars and all are getting interference. My sonar worked last year, but this year all are getting interference. Its just out of warranty, and it was a replacement for the Genesis. My next move is to put another transducer on as if I didn't have a universal sonar and run it separately. Geez, I hope it works.
Dan |
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Location: Green Bay, WI. | I also had issues with the universal sonar on my 65 AP with screen acting up on my X15. Also the transducer makes a clicking sound loud enough for me to hear it when the bowmount is deployed under water. If I can hear it you can bet those shallow water eyes can. My fix was adding a skimmer transducer, now I have the built in for backup.
But I wouldn't be without my Autopilot W/Remote Control for Handlining or Trolling. I can dance circles around everyone else when the tailpiping starts.
Pat
Edited by rangerpat 5/1/2006 10:22 AM
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Posts: 3899
| I have had no issues with my 65AP/US and interference. Had an X-51, and now I moved my X-15 up front this week, and it works fine. Not sure what is actually acting up. The AP, or the sonar. Perhaps take it to a Minn Kota repair guy, and swap out the transducer?
RangerPat dancing. Now that is scary! |
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Member
Posts: 182
Location: Green Bay, WI. | Hey Joe where are you located? I have an extra transducer for an X15 I think the plugs are the same 200KHZ. We could plug it in and see if it works then. I live in Green Bay, WI. Pat |
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