Cannon Magnum 10 electric downriggers questions

[juandesookea]

Hello

I am writing from Canada's west coast. I just bought a used Cannon Magnum 10 electric downrigger. I have used Cannon manuals, but never electric. I see some Cannon pointers in another thread, so I'm hoping someone might be able to answer a few questions I have. The downrigger didn't come with a user manual!

There are two buttons, one is toggle up/down, which is self-explanatory. The other one is a white push button that you can't push in or pull out, and it isn't clear what it does. Can anyone clarify? Something to do with positive ion control maybe?

I was surprised that the toggle up does not seem to have an "auto up" feature. It only raises the ball when you hold it, which defeats most of the purpose of having an electric downrigger, at least for solo fishing. Am I doing something wrong, or is this how some older models are set up? Anyone wire in a different switch to fix this?

The retrieve rate was quite slow, definitely slower than Scottys. I didn't time it, but I'd guess about 60 feet per second. Is this normal for this model or is it defective? I got the fish to the boat before the ball, fishing at 150ft.

Any input most appreciated!

And happy fishing to you all.

John

[waterlogged]

It sounds like the toggle is wired up backwards. I have older Mag 10's and the down position is "hold down" for descent. The up position is up for continuous retrieve.

The other "push button" is a circuit breaker reset button. If there is a current overload - like when your ball is all the way up and you don't turn the switch off the circuit breaker trips. Then after you turn the switch off again the white button resets the circuit breaker for continued operation.

Hope this helps.

Oh the older Mag 10's are sloooooow. Not like the newer ones and especially the high speed ones.

Clarke

[juandesookea]

Hi Clarke

That's helpful, thanks. Knowing that the up switch should be continuous retrieve, I'll play with it a bit and see if it was just user error or something wrong with the switch.

For down, I gave up on the motor lowering it and just loosened the clutch....zzzzinnnggg, down she goes. 150 feet at 1 foot per second is a long 2.5 minutes when you're wanting to fish NOW.

It is good to know they are slow too, not necessarily something wrong with it. I figure it will be fine in summer, when fishing shallow for the big ones, as it'll retrieve well before the fish is at the boat. For winter, a bit slow, but better than nothing.

Thanks again for the info

John

[borderline 350]

Dear John,

The operation of the switch is as described previously. The auto retrieve function occurs anytime you hit the switch "to raise". A circuit board in the rigger performs this function by sensing ground thru the rigger cable. When the weight clears the water, it shuts off the motor. If the circuit board is KAPUT, the rigger will not come up automatically.

You should use #10 wire for hookup to the battery. This reduces voltage drop and will permit the best operation (Speed!) If you have someone that is a small DC motor rebuilder, ( GM/Delco window lifts circa 1970) the motor can have its armature polished, brushes replaced and sintered bronze bearings reoiled. This does wonders for the retrieve rate. If you need a circuit board, I have one for sale NIB! $50.00. These are no longer available from Cannon. Neither are the motors! (Delco Products is no longer in business. Sold to ITT then Valeo, now gone (in Rochester, NY)

Do not let this bother you, just find a good DC motor rebuilder. And No you can't convert these Mag 10's to Mag 20s' unless you have a bucket of money and only a AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER can perform this operation for 59.00 per hour labor and approx. 350. in parts!

I love the Mag 10's for ease of operation and easy repairs. If your fishing 150 down alot, your batteries must be in perfect condition and preferably group 27's. A 100 amp alternator also should be used to keep the batteries up during trolling.

Sincerely,

Jet Boat Bill 9:35 PM Monday

[waterlogged]

As a note to Jet Boat Bill's message - the older Cannon Mag 10's do not have the auto stop feature on them!!!!

[borderline 350]

Dear Waterlogged,

To the best of my knowledge, the early Mag 10's circa 1987 & newer had the auto retrieve, stop @ water surface. This is what made the early Cannon Mag 10's so popular! I used five of these on my 27' boat and replaced several boards after being struck by lightning. I just finished repairing some later Mag 10's that had suffered the same kind of problem. A lot of people think they do not have the auto-retrieve, but to the best of knowledge, all large body Cannon electric's have had this feature.

Respectfully submitted,

Jet Boat Bill Tuesday 9:25 PM

[waterlogged]

JBB,

Respectfully too.....my boat is an '86 and I have 1 white body and one black body Mag 10 and neither have the auto up stop. Must be they are earlier than the circa 1987 models. That is what I am calling the "older" Mag 10's. I guess I thought the riggers were newer than the boat but apparently not.

So I do really have "older" Mag 10's - :shock:

[borderline 350]

Dear Waterlogged,

You may be right on the white ones, but if you get a chance, take the side cover off the black one and you should see a black sealed circuit board (2" X 2') at the switch end of the case. Let me know what you find, please.

Respectfully.... Jet Boat Bill

P.S. Haven't been inside a white body Cannon since 1992

[goingagain2]

I hope I am not taking sides, but the older cannons do not have circuit boards, they do not stop upon exiting the water. they do stop when pinned on the boom and if the circuit breaker trips u must manually reset it with the little white button. they are painfully slow in retrive and should be able to (as stated before) come up with flick of switch and down while holding switch in down position. u can change the switch very easily, and u should remove the cover everysooften to grease the gears, makes them work better.

john

[john1947]

Hi

I have 2 older mag 10 elect

I jave 1 that doesnt tetrive well tried motor replacment still very slow power sseems ok

Wonder what it might be

Thanks

[Sk8man]

The older Mag 10's did not have auto stop... the circuit boards are a bit different  with an additional connector on the autostop version. A lot of folks complain about the slowness of the mag 10's but I view it as a positive mainly because I use the time to re-rig stuff and I adjust the clutch to slip slightly if the weight comes out of the water and rests on the terminal end of the downrigger and I hear it and shut off. Neever have ahad a problem with this method.. We Americans are a very impatient breed and everything has to be immediate and fast which sometimes leads to other problems Take a look at the complaints about some of the high speed downriggers...lost weights, cable jerking etc.

[bobby416n]

On 7/7/2017 at 11:25 AM, Sk8man said:

The older Mag 10's did not have auto stop... the circuit boards are a bit different  with an additional connector on the autostop version. A lot of folks complain about the slowness of the mag 10's but I view it as a positive mainly because I use the time to re-rig stuff and I adjust the clutch to slip slightly if the weight comes out of the water and rests on the terminal end of the downrigger and I hear it and shut off. Neever have ahad a problem with this method.. We Americans are a very impatient breed and everything has to be immediate and fast which sometimes leads to other problems Take a look at the complaints about some of the high speed downriggers...lost weights, cable jerking etc.

I agree with you here on this! I do the same thing. I take the time to re-rig my tackle while the rigger is still coming up. I have the older mag 10's and they work just fine for me especially if you do the maintenance and keep them well greased so they work smooth! I have one with auto-stop and an older one without the circuit board. The one without the auto-stop I have plenty of time to keep an eye on it as it nears the top and I just shot it off before it reaches the boom. My other riggers are all manual cannons.

[JDMAG]

Is there a replacement switch for continuous up? My switch is only momentary. Bought the boat used. With 4 of the Cnnon Mag 10A already installed. It's a. 88 Chris craft 215 Seahawk. I assume the Cannons are atleast 88 or newer

[lrg355]

88 or newer should have the short stop board. Trouble is the relays on the board burned up because they are on Omron relay rated for 5 ramps. The momentary surge on start is probably 4 times that. Most people remove the short stop board and put in a switch to do the job. I have replaced the relays years ago, very tedious job to carve out the epoxy to get at the solder joints of the relay on the board. I soldered wires on the joints and put on a higher rated relays. Worked good till I sold the boat. Now I have mag 5st and no problems. They are violently fast on start and stop so I use the Dreamweaver snubber and have had no issues since. Lost a few weights before using the snubbers.

Sent from my SM-J737V using Lake Ontario United mobile app

[dipsydiver]

On 8/30/2019 at 11:00 AM, lrg355 said:

 

Most people remove the short stop board and put in a switch to do the job. 
 

 

I have 2 Cannon Magnum 10A (with short stops). One has a bad board. I've been told it can not be repaired to work.

 

Do you know if it is possible on these riggers to bypass (remove) the board and just operate on a switch, as you mention here? I think that is what you are saying here. If it is possible, can you tell what I need to do that.

 

Thanks in advance, Steve

 

[gasman2438]

49 minutes ago, dipsydiver said:

 

I have 2 Cannon Magnum 10A (with short stops). One has a bad board. I've been told it can not be repaired to work.

 

Do you know if it is possible on these riggers to bypass (remove) the board and just operate on a switch, as you mention here? I think that is what you are saying here. If it is possible, can you tell what I need to do that.

 

Thanks in advance, Steve

 

PM SEMT

[Dave (ROD HOLDER CHARTERS]

JUST A NOTE THAT AFTER 1988 i BELIEVE THAT MAG 10 A HAD AUTO STOP ON THEM THAT BEING SAID i AM PRESENTLY USING  ION 10s ON MY BOAT NOW NOT SURE THE YR BUT THEY BOTH AUTO STOPS ON THEM 

THE AUTO STOP BOARDS ARE NO LONGER AVAILABLE  FROM CANNON.

[ifishy]

also note that the year of the boat does not dictate the year of the riggers.  if the switch is backwards two easy options. reverse the wires in the plug on the boat end or take the housing off and switch the connecters on the back of the switch.  

 

old school riggers simple set up slow as hell but man they last. i have old mag 10s from the 80s i wish i could use bigger weights but hey they still work and more to teh point they are not manuals.

 

to the original poster this thread is 13 years old hope everything worked out. I do love an old read on old equipment that is still relevent today though.  just shows how tough some of those mag 10s really are. 

Edited August 14, 2020 by ifishy