High Pucker Factor Morning on the Upper End

[rps]

This morning I was dragging a worm harness on the flat outside Stubblefield branch. I heard a sizzle and looked forward to see the splice between the troll motor plug and the troll motor wires shooting sparks and catching fire. That splice was the one done originally at the dealer when i ordered an Ulterra for the new boat.

The fire extinguisher, of course, was in the bow storage on the other side of the fire.

Moments before I bailed to the water I was able to get the plug out and stamp out the burning vinyl floor. I only singed a few hairs on my arm. A pair of gentlemen motored over to see if I was ok.

Now the next problem was the troll motor. The Ulterra is the auto deploy auto recover model. You cannot recover it without electricity.

I had side cutters and found a roll of electrical tape in my boat bag. I cut out the damage wire and spliced red to red and black to black. I wrapped each splice separately. The troll motor was back in business.

The first picture below is the shorted and burned splice. The second picture is the damaged floor and melted carpet on the side of the boat.

BTW, no top water bite today, caught only spots while working the 28 to 30 foot depth, and water temp was 87.

 

[liphunter]

Somebody needs to pay for that carpet. Know a good lawyer? 😉😊

[BilletHead]

       Dang RPS,

  Bummer but luckily you had a visual on the problem. Could of been hidden and turned into a real disaster. I have had that happen on one of those water scamp two man toy boats. Down stream from launch. Anyone tried to paddle with a net upstream? It can be done in panic mode,

  BilletHead

 

[MOPanfisher]

Dang, glad it was worse RPS.

[176champion]

Wow RPS good thing you caught it early.....Do you have a circuit breaker hooked up someone where for trolling motor..

[MoCarp]

WOW you dodged a bullet... hope the dealer makes it right for you

[big c]

Glad you are ok!!

[fishinwrench]

1 hour ago, 176champion said:

Wow RPS good thing you caught it early.....Do you have a circuit breaker hooked up someone where for trolling motor..

This!  

In all actuality, on a TM like that where you have no intention on removing it regularly, those plugs are nothing but bad news.   Better to hardwire the motor in and eliminate 2 splices.  

[bobby b.]

3 hours ago, liphunter said:

Somebody needs to pay for that carpet. Know a good lawyer? 😉😊

Yep, glad it didn't get any worst but liphunter's comment caused me to think of a bunch of lawyer jokes.  You probably aren't in the mood for any right now.😏

[nomolites]

1 hour ago, fishinwrench said:

This!  

In all actuality, on a TM like that where you have no intention on removing it regularly, those plugs are nothing but bad news.   Better to hardwire the motor in and eliminate 2 splices.  

RPS, glad you are OK!  They should make it right.

Wrench - I don’t understand the need for a splice; I wired mine with a new plug and screwed connections.  That motor pulls just shy of 60A and a standard 50A breaker will not work - had to order mine from MK.  Anyway,  I always unplug mine when charging or not in use and that’s why I went with a new plug. I’m concerned about spikes with the electronics in them - maybe I’m paranoid, but likely just another symptom of my OCD.

Mike