minn kota maintenance

[bomb]

hey guys,
my kota rt 55 ap has just returned from a service/repair job[again] and it now appears to working as it should.

i would like it to stay that way!so just wondering what you guys do as a maintenance program on your bowmount to keep it running smoothly,cos BLA tell me they rarely have any probs with minn kotas

i am a big believer in prevention is better than cure.so i always remove my bowmount from the boat when not in use or long distance travelling,always cover my foot pedal with a towel or bag if it rains whilst fishing and have taped the plug between footpedal and motor to prevent moisture and corrosion being an issue.

cheers
bomb

[Riverboyz]

Gday bomb,

I don't really have a maintenance program for my electric as such, i've had a few things that needed attention and have bought the parts and changed them myself.
It's pretty easy to look after, especially using the exploded parts list at the minn kota website.

My electric always stays attached to my boat regardless of where i'm going. I don't believe that taking it off while travelling changes anything, about the only that will change is keeping it out of the weather. But the instructions do tell you after using it in salt water to wash it with fresh water.

Just my five cents.

Cheers

Adam

[Nugget]

I have been wondering this too, I give mine a soapy wash when I get home along side the boat, Will dry where I can. I need to get another can of inox for spraying movingparts/screws. Can I wash/rinse my foot pedal without getting the buttons soaking? I sometimes get spray on the pedal and wonder whats the best method for cleaning it.

[Riverboyz]

I guess you could wash the pedal but there would be that chance of water getting in an shorting it, if theres one thing i can recommend for people to get for their electric is the copilot setup, easy to install and really good to use, especially if you have kids fishing with you.

I have a place that i could recommend for parts, pm me for the details. Not sure if i can post the website here on the forum.

Cheers

Adam

[mundz]

In the past i have a problem with one of my foot pedals and fortunately for me i live 5minutes from Bla in Brisbane. they had fixed my motor in under 24 hours and the maintenance guy told me the best way to clean the foot pedals is to teabag them in a bucket of soapy water. Since doing this i have had zero problems. For the main unit i simply sponge it with warm soapy water, hose off the suds then let it dry.

[nuzzy]

the pedals are designed to be washed down with fresh water, Minn Kota recommend doing this with a hose and then rest it at a 45 degree angle to allow the water to dry. The pedal is waterproof and only needs to be washed down to stop the salt building up inside it, all the switches are safe to wet down.

The only other maintenance that is usually required is to wash the prop/shaft down with water after each trip and to take the prop off to inspect for fishing line/seaweed every 20 hours or so.

oh, on a side note, do not use soapy water to clean your foot pedal or Kota, the detergents can eat away at the seals and you are doing more harm than good.

[bomb]

cheers guys for your input.

but the problem of what you can do to your bowmount ,and what you cant do is clearly illustrated above.mundz says the BLA guy told him its ok to use soapy water,but nuzzy claims soapy stuff can affect seals etc.all sounds logical to me!

this sort of confusion has lead me to have a nil maintenance program ,so i might just use plain old tap water.just worried that if mine lets me down again i might be inclined to unplug it from the battery and kick it overboard and go chase kingfish!

but what will i do with all my bream lures then?!

cheers
bomb

[Maccas]

I just put my pedal in a bucket of fresh water for 30 mins or so then hang it up so the water drains out and in 2 years never had a problem. In the MK manual they suggest to spray shaft with armourall to keep shaft friction free and sliding smoothly. I do it every now and then ......seems to work.