Cannon Mag 10 problem

[njg0621]

Yesterday while out fishing I lowered my downrigger ball to 110ft and when I went to bring it back up NOTHING happened.  It is a Cannon Mag 10 and it worked fine 5 minutes before.  It goes down no problem but when I hit the switch to come back nobody is home.  Any ideas? I bought this boat with the downriggers on it so i am not really familiar with them.

[GAMBLER]

Blew the circuit board.

[njg0621]

Why would that have blown do you think? How bad of a job is it to replace? 

[GAMBLER]

They are very easy to replace.  Mine went in a mag 20 twice.  The issue that caused mine was moisture in the switch.  Once I replaced the switch, it never happened again.  FISH307 is a great place for replacement parts.  All you do is take the side of the rigger off, unplug the old board and plug the new board in. 

[Sea-IV]

You could also just put a toggle switch like the new ones have

[buckboardjr]

If you are very frugal and it needs a switch, I bought my switches for 1/2 price at a local electrical/ electronics store called Unicorn electronics. They are referred to as a motor reversing  switch if I remember correctly!

[Broadhorizons]

Are they running cable or braid?

[njg0621]

Cable

[Richard]

I think it is just the switch. Mine did the same thing and the board was fine. Water got into the switch and part of it rotted inside. Confirmed with a volt meter and ordered the switch from Fish307. Easy to change.

[Sk8man]

Sounds like a bad switch. Did you also push the reset button to see if it did anything? You may also want to plug it into another connection point to see if the same thing occurs there (maybe not enough juice getting to that particular site enough to lower but not raise?)

Edited September 21, 2015 by Sk8man

[njg0621]

Yeah I hit the reset 10 times. It puts the cable out no problem but won't pull it back in. I flip flopped the downrigger to the other side which I know is working and it still didn't work. Everyone seems to be saying switch. Is it typical that the switch just stops working one way?

[Sk8man]

Not sure how typical but it is something that can receive a lot of use over years so  it is quite possible something might go bad either all or partially. Often with a board going bad the whole thing will scramble but it could be corrosion  on a contact someplace which could act that way too. Also sometimes when somone takes the side plate off and it isn't sealed properly when put back on moisture can get in and create all sorts of funky things and corrosion.

Edited September 21, 2015 by Sk8man

[GAMBLER]

Open up the rigger case and look inside.  If the circuit board is burnt, its the circuit board.  Use a volt meter to check the switch.  This is the best way to tell what is wrong.  I knew as soon as I opened the case on my Mag 20.  You could smell the burnt circuit board.  Mine would also go down but not up both times!

[Sk8man]

Good suggestion by Brian before jumping the gun  and getting too far ahead of things....

[buckboardjr]

It never hurts to understand the wiring of the switch  and carry an alligator jumper or 2 on the boat with you so you can jumper a ball back to the surface. Power trim and many other items can be jumpered out as well so long as you have them with you.

[RSF]

As others suggested, does sound like DPDT switch problem.  I purchased a Lake Troll manual DR a couple of years ago. Was not going to pay the additional 400-500.00 for the electric, so I modified my manual to electric for about 60.00.

Works great -  also added a power LED to the tip so I could see the line and ball as it comes to the surface at night when fishing for Walleye