Topic: Trolling Motor Choke

[Wayne P.]

What is the construction of the TM choke? Ferrite only, coiled wire, or both.
If it is coiled wire, what is the guage?

[Humminbird_Greg]

Ferrite with coiled wire.  Don’t know what gauge though.

[Wayne P.]

Thanks, Greg. The reason I asked was a comment on another web site stating that the choke caused a loss in trolling motor performance.

[Humminbird_Greg]

Hmmmm… I would look at the wire to wire connections he made to make sure there are no loose connections.  I’m working on the wire gauge size but have had no replies so far (local school’s Spring Break this week so many are not here).

[sonar2000]

Interesting comments.   Question?  How do we measure trolling motor performance? And I would be curious as to a choke affecting performance of a trolling motor.  These motors are DC driven windings and do draw an appreciable amount of current particularly at the high speed selection and should not be affect by a slight drop in available amps. (<.1)  but I may learn something new herel.

Keep us up dated on what you find. 

Chuck 
 

[Wayne P.]

This is the quote concerning the choke and why I asked the question:

"I will probably take the choke off the tm and see if it makes any difference because the choke steals power from the tm. when it is set on (min) it doesn't turn at all, that means I am losing power through the whole range."

I just checked my my Motor Guide Tour and it does not run when set on the last three relative low positions (two bars and the arrow). It may not have done that before I added the choke, I never checked and wouldn't run it on those setting when fishing anyway.

[gr8hntr]

any new on this ?

thx

[Wayne P.]

I have gotten no other comments on that question.
I just asked about voltage loss on the Humminbird web site. I'll post the response if/when I get one.

I now have two Motor Guide Tour 36V motors and both of them produce no prop turn in the first 2-3 of speed settings. I asked a TM service company about that and was told that is normal since the speed control is a variable resister (potentiometer).

[gr8hntr]

thx
i just got a 898 and moved my 788 to the TM and got alot of interference that i didnt have with the 385
customer service sent me the TM choke and a new power cable

i have a MG 82 tour

have u got any info if this damages the TM ?

[Wayne P.]

No it won't damage the TM, it's the TM that produces the RF interference. If you didn't have a sonar unit, you wouldn't know it existed.
I was only getting interference on the 455 khz frequency of the SI/DI

[gr8hntr]

I ment does the choke damage the TM since it stops it from running on the lower settings

Thx

[Wayne P.]

According to the TM service company, the lack of prop turn at the lowest settings is normal.  He was unaware of the choke I have installed. The non digital motor did the same before I got the choke and I know that because I marked one of the position indicators for the best fishing speed when I first used it. That didn't change with the choke addition.
I've used the TM choke with both of my 36V Motor Guide trolling motors and both work the same as far as the speed settings.
What I don't know is the power wire size inside the choke housing, what type of choke it is, and is the internal wire capable of causing a noticable voltage drop.
That would be a concern at the highest settings.
No information from Humminbird yet.

[Humminbird_Greg]

Sorry Wayne,
This is not our product so I am having to work through someone at another company to find this out for you.

[Wayne P.]

Thanks, Greg. I got an answer from your company. It stated that it didn't result in any voltage loss.  Gwendolyn was the responder.

[Humminbird_Greg]

I will still try and get the wire info for my records and in case anyone else asks.  I knew that it should not affect the performance of your trolling motor but not knowing what the actual wire gauge size is there is no way to show that it won’t.