Question on Power to Pinpoint

[GaryM]

Question on power getting to my pinpoint. I have a 4 prong plug, most common type I guess (sealed) unlike the larger size used in Rangers now which I believe you can take apart. Had trouble before and just needed to replace the plug from the motor. I turned the Pinpoint on and it gave 2 beeps and after that it would not turn on. I tried the wire connection from the plug where it meets the wires from the motor from previously replacing but it looked ok. I ended up cutting the plug off and touching the wires directly to my battery and the motor turned on so I think it must be a bad plug. The thing is I checked my power output with a voltmeter and when I touch my batteries (both separately cause it is a 24V system) the reading went all the way across with it set on DC 15. But when I touched the prongs on the receptacle where you plug the motor in it did not move all the way across like when I tested the battery power. In fact the bottom 2 prongs registered about 1/3 across the dial and the top two prongs did not register any movement on the voltmeter. Is this normal? I am not an expert on this but I am wondering if the receptacle plug is bad or maybe I am just losing power from my batteries to the outlet where you plug it in although everything looks in order. I have a trim button and livewell aeration button that also works off these batteries and there seems to be no power loss for these items, they work fine.

1) Do you think it is just a bad plug again.
2) Shouldn't my voltmeter register all the way across as when I touch my batteries for the plug receptacle prongs? If so why the power drop?
3) If I end up replacing the plug I was told before it would be better to have the system with the larger plug and receptacle used on new boats, I have seen them in Rangers. What is the brand name of these plugs/outlet so I can maybe convert over to avoid this in the future?

Thanks any info appreciated.

[perchjerker]

I'll take a stab at it.

I would say you are not reading the power at the 4 prong socket properly. You should have 12 volts at 1 pair, and 12 at the other. Your wires should be color coded something like this: Red and black to batt#1, orange and black with a stripe to batt#2. You will probably have to unscrew the socket from the boat to look at the wires to see how they are attached to the socket.The jumper that makes the series connection to connect the batteries and makes 24 volts is in the plug. I would take the plug apart and see if the jumper is intact, not loose or burnt.

Of course, I am assuming you have a system where you have four battery leads going to your socket, 2 from each battery. If you only have 2 leads and the jumper is at the batteries, well, you can disregard this post.

;-)

[Gary M]

Any idea of the plug name.

[Dutchman]

Most boats use Marinco connectors www.marinco.com/nema20ch.htm
If you're still in doubt contact the Pinpoint services at 1-920-929-5040 They have been great at helping out...

" Fishing is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope "

[Gary M]

THanks. I need to figure out why there seems to be a power drop off between the batteries and the plug outlet.

[Dutchman]

The positive end attatched to the battery's may have circuit breakers or inline fuses. I would start looking there...


" Fishing is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope "

[Gary M]

There is in line fuses which I pulled and looked at, they are fine. What else could cause a power loss? Could it just be a bad outlet (where the plug plugs into)? I went to a marina and they said the plug was fine. My battery terminals and wires are clean so I don't think it is a bad connection. The marina was not much help in guessing what could be wrong.

[perchjerker]

Did you have a 4 wire setup or not?
Did you pull the outlet and look?
Pretty hard to help you if you dont answer the questions I asked you earlier.

Also, are these glass fuses? Did you test them with an ohm meter or just eyeball them or replace them with known good ones?

If you have a volt/ohm meter, it should be a simple matter of getting to your problem.

[garym]

I have a 4 wire set up but ended up linking the two batteries together by a wire connection between the two and having only the live two wires feed to the outlet. This was done by the motorguide tech at a MWC event when I had a previous problem which took care of the problem until now. He ended up disconnecting the red wire and leaving an orange (positive) and white (negative) wires which attach to the outlet along with connecting the two batteries together with a wire that goes from one post of one battery to the other post of the second battery.

[perchjerker]

Ok, that explains a lot. In that case, you will only have power to 2 of the terminals in your socket at the bow. I think what I would do is, first check for 24 volts at the orange and white wires at the socket, through the front where the plug connects. You will probably have to unscrew the socket from the boat and pull it out a bit to see which wire goes to which connector in the socket. If you dont have approx 24 v, the next thing I would do is test the fuses with an ohm meter. If they test ok, go to the back of the socket and test it with the volt meter at the orange and white wires where they are held by screws at the terminals. If no 24v still, I would go to the batteries. Disconnect the wire that jumps from the positive on one battery and the negative on the other one. Use your volt meter and make sure both batteries have 12 volts.

If you do have 24 v at the terminals in back of the socket, then the socket itself is probably the culprit. Do all that and come back with your findings. We should be able to track down your problem.

[Gary M]

Thanks for your help plan to work on it Saturday instead of fishing. Hope it works I want to get ready for fall river fishing and need the motor to vertical jig. I'll let you know how it turns out.

[perchjerker]

Hope it works out. If you need anymore help. you can email me at nospamperchjerker@perchjerker.net (remove the nospam part)

[Gary M]

Followed through like you said and rechecked my fuses. Turns out that was the problem. I had one in line busse fuse that looked good and got a reading on/off again. When I replaced it bingo! problem solved! Thanks for the help. Now for the next problem I noticed. My 3 bank guest pro charger charges my 2 front batteries but not my back battery. FOr the front two the green light shows on for all 3 batteries but the red light only comes on for charging the front 2 batteries. The weird thing is for the back battery the green on light is flickering where the other two are constant. Any thoughts on this? Once again I followed the wires where I could and everything looked good. This time irechecked all my fuses even if they looked good. Always another project but this one is not as frustrating since I can always just put the back battery on a charger. Thanks again.