MinnKota 80 AP/US2 trouble with autopilot
I just purchased a brand new MInnKota 80 AP/US2 trolling motor. I am running two Optima batteries as 24 volt and am having trouble in rough water with the autopilot. While trolling in rough water with the bow rising and dropping the motor will spin in circles and will no longer track until I turn AP off and then back on again. Again after bouncing around it happens again. Has anyone else experienced this? I am not using the bow mount transducer at all. My main battery is running my Lowrance LCX28HD which is in the rear of the boat.
I have a MK 74 AP/US w/CoPilot added on. The auto pilot used to do exactly what you describe. I took it in for warranty service when it was a few months old for the issue & was told there were a batch of bad compass boards that needed the gyro re-synched. When it happened again within a month of the re-synch, I re-contacted the repair center & was told to bring it back in, that NOW the entire gyro board could be swapped out because the adjustment didn't work. That was 2 years ago & it hasn't failed me since. Sounds like you need a new gyro board.......
Kirk,
I have the Minn Kota Terrova 80 pd AP/US and I also run 27 size Optima battiers and my dose what JD described above side to side in rough water but doesn't spin. You sad that you just bought it, if I were you I'd take it back to were you bought it from and exchange for a new one, I know Cabela's would take it back in a heart beat . I've returned a Lowrance HDS7 earlier this year no box just a recipt. I love Cabela's
One thing I've seen happen with the Minn Kota AP is it leaked the oil out compass on my buddy's Power Drive 2, he thinks it happened when he was driving down the road and hit a huge pot hole and the head of the unit hit the gunnel of his boat, when he got home his wife noticed that the head was leaking oil. I've had my Terrove since they came out and I'm very happy with it, one thing I did when I bought it was buy a Ram trolling motor mount to keep the head on the 60" shaft from bouncing. Minn Kota has a new add on calles Minn Kota i Pilot here's the link from NAFC site which was taking from the 2009 I Cast Show.
http://www.fishingclub.com/ExtraContent/ExtraContentDetail.aspx?id=155402
I've owned MK PD auto pilots since 2002 and have experienced similar to what you're describing. The compass is liquid filled and is bound to be affected by the rough water.To what degree is something else. I've seen mine switch from side to side (index) but never actually spin around. I'd call MK tech support.
JD Abshire