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Thread: Motorguide Xi5 trouble shooting - drops from anchor mode into standby mode

  1. #31
    Ausfish Addict disorderly's Avatar
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    Sep 2006
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    In the Jungle/Mission Beach Hinterland

    Re: Motorguide Xi5 trouble shooting - drops from anchor mode into standby mode

    Quote Originally Posted by Red October View Post
    You have certainly had a bad run with you MG.
    Aside from the spot lock deactivating randomly I hadn't had any other problems till the prop went AWOL....

    Hopefully the spotlock issue has been fixed with a new board...I have been told that many have needed this upgrade and that the issues of the old boards wont happen with the new ones...

    and I will certainly locktite the new prop before use...

    I also have minor issues with the MG remote control as I am sometimes not sure if I have actually spotlocked and cant see the light on the motor due to the sunlight.....this is a minor gripe though and may just be user error...

    Now that I have the motor I don't know how I ever fished before...it just makes life so much easier and fishing so much more pleasurable and precise....I really am in love with it...

  2. #32

    Re: Motorguide Xi5 trouble shooting - drops from anchor mode into standby mode

    Quick update for those who were following this thread

    after a long time off the water, i finally got all the stars lined up and went for a fish. deployed the new unit and followed the set up process and set of for the spot X for a quick fish. Happy to say the new unit worked well had one drop out of the gps in 7 hrs of fishing in wind and current.

    pick up a good feed of Pearlies and Snapper and got me head around the Jog feature which is a really helpful function when they go off the bite.


    hopefully some more spotlocking adventures to come.

    BigE

  3. #33

    Re: Motorguide Xi5 trouble shooting - drops from anchor mode into standby mode

    An update for those who have followed this thread and offerred advice and comment.

    went for an overnight fish at DI and worked the unit in spot lock mode for about 15 hrs and about 5 hrs continuious use and she was still powering strong went we pulled the pin to head home.

    overall very happy with the outcome , took a bit to get sorted but my deepest thanks to the Brisbane Marine team who worked with me and replaced the orignal dodgey unit and the new has been flawless, a good dealer is worth far more than a good deal.

    and no post would be complete without the customary fish pic.

    BigE
    Attached Images Attached Images

  4. #34

    Re: Motorguide Xi5 trouble shooting - drops from anchor mode into standby mode

    So what ended up being the problem mate? Did they fix it or just give you a new unit?

    ive got the same issue with my new 80lb motorguide. Been back to the shop and had the motherboard replaced. Just got it back today and hoping to try it over the weekend.

  5. #35

    Re: Motorguide Xi5 trouble shooting - drops from anchor mode into standby mode

    Photos didn't show apparently so did it all again (with photos) at post 49.

    Thank you to Ben 475


    Regards
    Ronje


    Top

  6. #36

    Re: Motorguide Xi5 trouble shooting - drops from anchor mode into standby mode

    Quote Originally Posted by mitch_wahoo View Post
    So what ended up being the problem mate? Did they fix it or just give you a new unit?

    ive got the same issue with my new 80lb motorguide. Been back to the shop and had the motherboard replaced. Just got it back today and hoping to try it over the weekend.
    Whole new unit.

  7. #37

    Re: Motorguide Xi5 trouble shooting - drops from anchor mode into standby mode

    Quote Originally Posted by Ronje1 View Post
    Thought this might be useful for fishos having dropout problems with anchor problems on electric.
    Copy of a post that I put up in another place last year after sorting out an "anchor dropout" problem.

    Haven't had any problems since.

    New curly cord and 2 little "jesus boxes" were $500 or so from memory.

    Hasn't been the best of weeks.

    Had just decided to do something about the H'Bird sidescan when I noticed that the MG "anchor" function was dropping out every few minutes. Persevered for the day (bl..dy nuisance though) and decided to have a look at home. Anchor dropouts have been a persistent intermittent problem for last 6 months or so that I kept putting off "until I had time".

    From observation, the electric would lose the satellite signal and then simply drop out of anchor lock position.

    Initial thoughts were which end was the signal loss? My end or "their" end. My end was most probable.

    Thoughts of complicated electronic repairs and/or shipping costs came to mind. Decided to do a bit of diagnostics before going to Motorguide rep in town.


    Put MG on fitted out diagnostics bench (tailgate of ute) with a battery.

    P7120036.JPG (3.68 MiB) Viewed 109 times


    When "anchor" function started dropping out I had a little H/Held GPS to test if satellites were problem
    . (Testing "their end")


    P7120038.JPG (3.56 MiB) Viewed 109 times

    Satellites ok ( 5 bars) so problem was internal
    . ("my end")

    Took off head covers to find it choc-a-block with electronics. Not. One little black box connected
    to a small curly cord which went down to the bottom unit.


    P7120040.JPG (3.81 MiB) Viewed 109 times

    Took off bottom control covers to find it about the same as the head unit. Practically empty. Looked at curly cord from top head unit connection into bottom little black box and found the problem.


    P7120043.JPG (3.88 MiB) Viewed 109 times

    Notice how the wires are exposed and frayed through from rubbing on the plastic housing. Shield wire was completely broken off and small control wires inside were also exposed. The broken shield foil would intermittently make connection to the other broken foil bits as the motor shaft turned around. THAT explained the intermittent nature of the problem.

    Then went to local MG people to see about taking in
    control cord with the black boxes on each end to get fixed.

    Turns out that this is common enough problem for MG to have a replacement kit available. Simply plug-and-play. You get the 2 GPS "jesus" boxes, connecting curly cord along with a new remote control unit. Don't know why a new r/c as all they do is get flat batteries once in a while.

    Anyway, inserted the new GPS "jesus" boxes top and bottom with the new curly cord, put covers back on and started it up. No more dropouts after 3 hours of running on ute tailgate so I declared it fixed.

    Interesting that the new little curly cords now have connectors on each end as do the black boxes so the curly cord can be replaced easily without having to replace the boxes.

    The black boxes don't move around so its the curly connection that's most likely to fail as it is constantly moving and rubbing.

    Hope thats the plan anyway.


    Couldn't find any kits like that for Minn Kota. Maybe they don't have those sorts of problems.



    Regards
    Ronje


    Top
    Thanks Ronje
    mine issue wasn't drop out of the gps ..... the unit would track back to the gps spot fine and would lock in very calm conditions , but it would switch back to stand by mode if it ever "arrived " at the identified gps spot lock location. I could go over a few hundred meters from a spot in the memeroy and it would take me straight back to the spot with no problems but would drop back to standby upon arrival at the spot.

    BigE

  8. #38

    Re: Motorguide Xi5 trouble shooting - drops from anchor mode into standby mode

    Fine Big E. A data processing issue.

    The little "jesus box" in the top unit is actually a second digital compass to give better position fix when in anchor mode. Stop the boat swinging around so much when in anchor mode.

    Earlier Minn Kota only had 1 digital compass with its GPS receiver and would wander all over the place when in spotlock. I believe that Minn Kota installed a second digital compass in newer units and performs pretty much the same as a MG in anchor/spotlock mode. So its much of a muchness.

    I think that one lesson out of these problems is that none of this stuff is of brain surgery complexity. A couple of little black boxes and a mother board inside the electric and lots of empty space.

    Doesn't hurt to take tops off things at times to have a look at what's housed inside. At least now, users of this forum can see whats inside an electric motor without pulling their own apart. Not much.

    One of the other common problems is burnt or melted power wires in 1 leg (usually the negative).

    Wire becomes corroded and ends up with a high resistance length of cable. High current (like an electric motor draws) passing through a high resistance produces heat and so the corroded wire heats up. Insulation or other fittings can char/catch fire. Corroded negative legs from batteries to o/b motor starters do the same thing.

    Had that happen on mate's boat in the NTs Roper River (crocodile country). Corroded negative battery lead heating up as starter motor was cranked, smoking and catching fire. S..t was trumps that day.

  9. #39

    Re: Motorguide Xi5 trouble shooting - drops from anchor mode into standby mode

    Quote Originally Posted by Ronje1 View Post
    Fine Big E. A data processing issue.

    The little "jesus box" in the top unit is actually a second digital compass to give better position fix when in anchor mode. Stop the boat swinging around so much when in anchor mode.

    Earlier Minn Kota only had 1 digital compass with its GPS receiver and would wander all over the place when in spotlock. I believe that Minn Kota installed a second digital compass in newer units and performs pretty much the same as a MG in anchor/spotlock mode. So its much of a muchness.

    I think that one lesson out of these problems is that none of this stuff is of brain surgery complexity. A couple of little black boxes and a mother board inside the electric and lots of empty space.

    Doesn't hurt to take tops off things at times to have a look at what's housed inside. At least now, users of this forum can see whats inside an electric motor without pulling their own apart. Not much.

    One of the other common problems is burnt or melted power wires in 1 leg (usually the negative).

    Wire becomes corroded and ends up with a high resistance length of cable. High current (like an electric motor draws) passing through a high resistance produces heat and so the corroded wire heats up. Insulation or other fittings can char/catch fire. Corroded negative legs from batteries to o/b motor starters do the same thing.

    Had that happen on mate's boat in the NTs Roper River (crocodile country). Corroded negative battery lead heating up as starter motor was cranked, smoking and catching fire. S..t was trumps that day.
    the photos aren't showing up for me.

  10. #40
    Ausfish Addict disorderly's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2006
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    In the Jungle/Mission Beach Hinterland

    Re: Motorguide Xi5 trouble shooting - drops from anchor mode into standby mode

    Yeah thanks Ron ..I was having that dropout problem but when I took it in they said they had replaced the gps unit..I havent had a real test of so far as when I tryed to use it ast trip I couldnt get the unit to switch on...took it in and they told me remote had corrosion in it..replaced the board inside the remote and I have it back but I havent tested yet..

    I asked them what I can do to stop corrosion inside the remote as I have a centre cab so it doesn't actually get wet...they said its pretty well sealed but I could vacuum seal it in a bag...….

    The more I see of these motors the more I think the wiring, connections and general build is just rubbish...lets hope with garmin and probably other competitors coming into the market that they raise their game for saltwater motors...

  11. #41

    Re: Motorguide Xi5 trouble shooting - drops from anchor mode into standby mode

    Quote Originally Posted by disorderly View Post
    Yeah thanks Ron ..I was having that dropout problem but when I took it in they said they had replaced the gps unit..I havent had a real test of so far as when I tryed to use it ast trip I couldnt get the unit to switch on...took it in and they told me remote had corrosion in it..replaced the board inside the remote and I have it back but I havent tested yet..

    I asked them what I can do to stop corrosion inside the remote as I have a centre cab so it doesn't actually get wet...they said its pretty well sealed but I could vacuum seal it in a bag...….

    The more I see of these motors the more I think the wiring, connections and general build is just rubbish...lets hope with garmin and probably other competitors coming into the market that they raise their game for saltwater motors...
    I went on barra charter in th NT last year. I was talking to the charter operator about his motorguide. He said he only gets about 6 mnths out of them before theres a problem. They get used all day everyday in salt water, its usually the motherboard that goes.
    He has minn kotas as well and both had the same problems.

    He said basically nothing is sealed on them, he pulls them apart and puts them back togeather with silicone grease.

  12. #42

    Re: Motorguide Xi5 trouble shooting - drops from anchor mode into standby mode

    Did the photos show up for you, ben?

  13. #43

    Re: Motorguide Xi5 trouble shooting - drops from anchor mode into standby mode

    You don't have to have it on the water to test it, Disorderly. You can do it on the boat like I did on the ute tailgate.

    How long have you had the unit? Its only recently that the blackbox units (digital compasses) were still hardwired to each other so they couldn't be replaced individually.

    Why don't you just take the top head off (there's only a couple of screws holding it on) and see if the curly cord is hardwired in. If it is then the bottom end will also be hardwired in and they're bulls...ing.

    If its got a connector that can be unplugged, then they might have.

    Have the boat in the clear a bit and drop the MG down. Let it sit until it picks up the satellites. Then put it on spotlock and see if it stays on ok.

    Those remotes are pretty well sealed. Just make sure that you have 2 spare AAA (I think) batteries on board. Alkaline types PLUS a small screwdriver to open it. I've only ever had 1 set go flat and thats in 6 -7 years.

    Here's the replacement harness with the 2 digital compasses I was talking about.

    https://shop.motorguide.com/products/8m0092070.html?

    As you can see, the top and bottom units are hardwired to each other so no changing units individually. The bottom unit has 2 other connectors but the top one hasn't.

  14. #44

    Re: Motorguide Xi5 trouble shooting - drops from anchor mode into standby mode

    Quote Originally Posted by Ronje1 View Post
    Did the photos show up for you, ben?
    No. Can anyone else see them?

  15. #45

    Re: Motorguide Xi5 trouble shooting - drops from anchor mode into standby mode

    Quote Originally Posted by ben475 View Post
    No. Can anyone else see them?
    As it is s copy and paste from another forum I doubt it very much, they would need to be posted here. P

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