Minn Kota I Pilot remote users...

[BuckWild]

Think that remote is waterproof?

Well it's not. I keep mine stored in a console on my boat with batteries removed. Monday I went fishing for the first time this year. Took it out, installed fresh Duracells and nothing. Used the foot control, which I hate.

Had a few minutes today and opened it up to see if I could work a miracle. Lots of corrosion. This thing has never been wet. I always wear it around my neck when using it. Stored in a console on my boat, under a boat cover and under a metal shed.

Just a little FYI...

The green is corrosion on the pins of the surface mount IC. The row of surface mount capacitors are almost completely deteriorated. Two of the battery connectors are badly corroded.

Cleaned it with isopropyl alcohol and an acid brush, reinstalled batteries and deader than a hammer.

There goes another $200...

 

[yesmarwh]

According to minn kota web site all the remotes are suppose to be waterproof. I just bought their new remote for my quest. The remote that came with it only does the basics. This new one (product code 1866655) does everything. Has a two year Warranty. I would contact minn kota and see if they can do anything. Most they can say is no. I got mine for $240 on Amazon. It runs off double AA.

 

[BuckWild]

According to minn kota web site all the remotes are suppose to be waterproof. I just bought their new remote for my quest. The remote that came with it only does the basics. This new one (product code 1866655) does everything. Has a two year Warranty. I would contact minn kota and see if they can do anything. Most they can say is no. I got mine for $240 on Amazon. It runs off double AA.

Mine is about 4 years old. Probably no warranty for it. My remote does it all, but is different than the one you posted. Similar to the small one on the left but bigger with more features.

 

[redblood]

I think you can download the controls to your phone

 

[m_allison71]

I think you can download the controls to your phone

You can can, but it's not as responsive. Ii had to use mine yesterday after leaving the remote in my truck.

 

[WTM]

yeah they are not waterproof. neither are lowrance hds units, most LFP batteries, etc etc. it doesnt look like it has much conformal coating at all on the pcb.

reflowing wont help that board either.

ive heard some good customer satisfaction from minn kota. they might give you a price break on a replacement.

 

[bluball]

yeah they are not waterproof. neither are lowrance hds units, most LFP batteries, etc etc. it doesnt look like it has much conformal coating at all on the pcb.

reflowing wont help that board either.

ive heard some good customer satisfaction from minn kota. they might give you a price break on a replacement.

Lowrance hds units,I still run the gen 2 touches.I have a 9 and a 12 I have had for probably 9/10 years.I have had 2 hds 5's,2 hds 7 gen 1's,2 hds 7 gen 2's, hds 10 gen 2,2 hds 9 gen 2's ,hds 9 gen 3 and a hds 12 gen 2,since like 2010.I fish in the rain as much as anyone and never had a minutes trouble.

 

[BuckWild]

yeah they are not waterproof. neither are lowrance hds units, most LFP batteries, etc etc. it doesnt look like it has much conformal coating at all on the pcb.

reflowing wont help that board either.

ive heard some good customer satisfaction from minn kota. they might give you a price break on a replacement.

Absolutely no conformal coating on that board. ZERO.

 

[BuckWild]

I think you can download the controls to your phone

You can, but it doesn't work as well, at least on my Android it didn't.

Then there is the problem of how do you deal with the phone. The remote with the lanyard works great. I can walk around the boat and fish with it hanging around my neck.

The app on the phone just didn't work for me.

 

[redblood]

Lowrance hds units,I still run the gen 2 touches.I have a 9 and a 12 I have had for probably 9/10 years.I have had 2 hds 5's,2 hds 7 gen 1's,2 hds 7 gen 2's, hds 10 gen 2,2 hds 9 gen 2's ,hds 9 gen 3 and a hds 12 gen 2,since like 2010.I fish in the rain as much as anyone and never had a minutes trouble.

My lowrance 12 carbon hds has been perfect and its been rained on several
Times on the way home from
Fishing- although my boat stays in a closed garage at all times its not floating

 

[mike243]

They make covers for the remote that's water proof like cell phones?

 

[WTM]

Lowrance hds units,I still run the gen 2 touches.I have a 9 and a 12 I have had for probably 9/10 years.I have had 2 hds 5's,2 hds 7 gen 1's,2 hds 7 gen 2's, hds 10 gen 2,2 hds 9 gen 2's ,hds 9 gen 3 and a hds 12 gen 2,since like 2010.I fish in the rain as much as anyone and never had a minutes trouble.

thats water resistant not waterproof. there is one weak spot in those units for water ingress. humminbird does a good job of sealing those weak points with epoxy potting. lol the same stuff we used at magnetek to pot control boards for generator sets. humminbird has a really good out of warranty repair policy as well.

 

[megalomaniac]

Thats bothersome... especially for how expensive those remotes are

 

[bluball]

thats water resistant not waterproof. there is one weak spot in those units for water ingress. humminbird does a good job of sealing those weak points with epoxy potting. lol the same stuff we used at magnetek to pot control boards for generator sets. humminbird has a really good out of warranty repair policy as well.

Before the hds units they had problems,but I haven't heard of any problems since the hds's came out.

 

[WTM]

Before the hds units they had problems,but I haven't heard of any problems since the hds's came out.

gen 2 and gen 3. the 12" had problems with moisture getting in thru the sd card slot. ive refurbished and resold a couple. ill never buy another from florida again. the salt water corrodes them like acid. they also had a problem with the lamination gel they used and the seal on the digitizer and lcd screen although ive never repaired that trouble im guessing that it was do to heat and a failed seal.

they changed the design with the live units and i havent heard of any problems with those except one that was ran on drill batteries. it zapped the coil and the electrolytic cap on the power filter section and that is what i would expect over time.

 

[bluball]

gen 2 and gen 3. the 12" had problems with moisture getting in thru the sd card slot. ive refurbished and resold a couple. ill never buy another from florida again. the salt water corrodes them like acid. they also had a problem with the lamination gel they used and the seal on the digitizer and lcd screen although ive never repaired that trouble im guessing that it was do to heat and a failed seal.

they changed the design with the live units and i havent heard of any problems with those except one that was ran on drill batteries. it zapped the coil and the electrolytic cap on the power filter section and that is what i would expect over time.

From Florida around Salt water your gonna have problems forsure.A few yrs ago my buddy bought a ranger 198bp from there dirt cheap,it was a yr old.Ever fastener in the painted metal had bubbles in the paint.Carpet was already fading miss matched,wheels corroding lol.You must have been unlucky because I know lots of folks that didn't have trouble.Around 2010/2011 there was a massive wave of serious crappie fishermen that left humminbird because of there gps at slow speeds.Everyone switched to lowrance and got the point one antenna also.With the point one if you were good you could stay on a bed and never throw a marker bouy.The humminbird rrps were so mad they were telling us crappie guys we needed to mark each bed or structure with 4/5 waypoints to fix our problems.

 

[Smo]

Think that remote is waterproof?

Well it's not. I keep mine stored in a console on my boat with batteries removed. Monday I went fishing for the first time this year. Took it out, installed fresh Duracells and nothing. Used the foot control, which I hate.

Had a few minutes today and opened it up to see if I could work a miracle. Lots of corrosion. This thing has never been wet. I always wear it around my neck when using it. Stored in a console on my boat, under a boat cover and under a metal shed.

Just a little FYI...

View attachment 224270

The green is corrosion on the pins of the surface mount IC. The row of surface mount capacitors are almost completely deteriorated. Two of the battery connectors are badly corroded.

Cleaned it with isopropyl alcohol and an acid brush, reinstalled batteries and deader than a hammer.

There goes another $200...

Is there a possibility sweat could have creeped into the remote while it was around your neck?
It doesn't take much salt / sweat too cause corrosion.

Asking for a sweaty Friend…..

 

[BuckWild]

Is there a possibility sweat could have creeped into the remote while it was around your neck?
It doesn't take much salt / sweat too cause corrosion.

Asking for a sweaty Friend…..

Doubt it...I don't sweat.

More than likely just ambient humidity caused some moist air to penetrate the seals.

It was such a small localized area. If it had been dunked or inundated in water the whole board would have been corroded.

 

[WTM]

Doubt it...I don't sweat.

More than likely just ambient humidity caused some moist air to penetrate the seals.

It was such a small localized area. If it had been dunked or inundated in water the whole board would have been corroded.

can happen to anything unless its sealed under vacuum during assembly. some of the LFP batteries are starting to see some BMS failures and from what ive seen from the teardowns its some of the same moisture problems.

 

[TRHC]

I lost my first one and replaced it off eBay for less than $100. Might look there before buying from a dealer.