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i-Pilot Link Repair Manual

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Click here to download the i-Pilot Link Repair Manual PDF.

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To evaluate most conditions the motor must be connected to the appropriate motor voltage (12/24/36 Volts) and powered on.

2.0/Legacy vs. 3.0/BT i-Pilot Link System

There are two different “generations” of i-Pilot link covered in this repair manual; most symptoms have the same or similar causes in spite of the differences in these systems and the fact that these systems are not cross compatible or interchangeable. Any case where these are specifically reference it is important to know which system is which. 2017 and early will be referenced as i-Pilot Link 2.0 or Legacy, the button on the controller will say “Learn”, there will not be any Bluetooth logos on the controller or remote. 2018 and newer will be referenced as i-Pilot Link 3.0 or BT, the button on the controller says “Pair” and Bluetooth logos will be on the controller and the remote. For further reference the remotes are pictured below:

Part I. General Trouble Shooting

Case I. The motor is making erratic steering corrections while in AutoPilot, Spot-Lock, iTrack or Route Navigation, BackTrack, or Follow the Contour.

  1. Check all electrical connections and battery condition to ensure that the proper voltage is supplied to the motor. Consistent voltage is critical to ensure the built-in compass is working correctly. (The i-Pilot Link system uses an internal compass to know which direction the controller and GPS receiver is pointing.) A load test of the battery should be performed to verify the battery(s) condition; a simple voltage check is not diagnostic.
  2. Be sure to keep all ferrous metallic objects away from the i-Pilot Link controller as they will have an impact on the built-in compass. Such objects include: anchors, metal framework, etc...
  3. Check to ensure proper motor leadwire routing in the control box.
    1. The red and black motor leads in the control box should be routed on the coil cord half of the control box.  (Away from the compass of the i-Pilot Link Controller.)
    2. The red and black motor leads in the control box should be twisted around each other to cancel out the magnetic field created around these wires when the motor is running.
      1. If the motor shaft was shortened, the brush lead wire should also be cut back the same length.
      2. If the motor shaft was shortened and the motor has a built-in transducer, the extra transducer cable should be routed out of the control box and down the coil cord.
  4. The i-Pilot Link GOS-based functions are dependent on having good GPS signals. Check to make sure that a good signal is being received and that the GPS signal strength indicator on the i-Pilot Link remote is showing at least one (1) bar. See Case V.
  5. If the motor with i-Pilot being serviced is a 2017 or later model (Bluetooth version):
    1. If motor has a separate Heading Sensor, it is very important that the Heading Sensor is properly installed and has gone through the calibration and offset procedures. While the Heading Sensor is there to help with navigation performance, if it is not properly installed/calibrated it can have a negative influence.
      1. Temporarily remote power from the Heading Sensor and see how Spot-Lock performance is impacted. If performance is improved, suspect that the Heading Sensor was improperly installed. (The Heading Sensor contains a compass that detects a magnetic field so it should not be installed near ferrous metals or wires that handle large currents, such as batteries, power cables, or speakers.) The Heading Sensor will not lose it's pairing to the i-Pilot system when it is powered down.
    2. Boat Scale can be adjusted on the i-Pilot remote.
      1. Ideal installation for a trolling motor is to have the proper amount of thrust for the size of the boat. If the motor thrust is not properly matched to boat size, Boat Scale can be used to compensate for mismatch. The default is zero, assuming the boat and trolling motor thrust are properly matched. For an installation where the motor thrust is undersized for the boat, increase the Boat Scale. For installation where motor thrust is oversized for the boat, decrease the Boat Scale.
  6. If after following the previous steps, the problem of erratic steering persists replace the i-Pilot Link Controller.

Case II. The boat doesn't seem to stay close enough to the recorded Spot-Lock location.

  1. Verify the trolling motor batteries are sufficiently charged.
  2. Check for weeds wrapped around and under the prop.
  3. In more extreme wind and current conditions, the boat will ten to stabilize a little downwind from the intended location. Relock the location the same distance upwind and expect that the boat will drift some in the downwind direction.
  4. See Case I.

Case III. When in Advanced AutoPilot in strong winds, there is quite a bit of back and forth movement in the boat.

  1. While Advanced AutoPilot will keep your boat on a true heading, it may be at the expense of teh boat having to continuously move to get back on the correct course. In these extreme conditions you may be better off using Legacy AutoPilot and correcting for the wind manually.
  2. See Case I.

Case IV. Under AutoPilot mode, Advanced is selected as the default mode, however, when engaged AutoPilot goes into Legacy AutoPilot instead of Advanced AutoPilot.

  1. If the GPS signal strength shows no bars or is flashing, then Link will automatically engage Legacy AutoPilot regardless of the mode selected. Wait for your GPS signal strength to reach at least one bar, the re-engage AutoPilot.

Case V. i-Pilot Won't let me turn on certain features like Advanced AutoPilot, iTrack Record & Playback, or Spot-Lock.

  1. Verify that the GPS signal strength icon on the remote's LCD shows at least one bar. If the GPS bars are flashing, i-Pilot Link will not allow these GPS-based features to be enabled.
    1. Ensure that the motor has a clear view of the sky so it can obtain GPS reception. (Motor cannot be indoors or under a roof, bridge, or tree canopy.)
    2. Ensure the minimum voltage requirements at the motor are met.
    3. Replace the i-Pilot Link Controller.

Case VI. The i-Pilot Link GPS-based features drop out when the motor speed setting is increased.

  1. Suspect a low voltage situation.
    1. Inspect all battery connections, trolling motor plug (if installed) and any other connections between the batteries and the motor ensuring the connections are clean/free of corrosion, and mechanically tight. Use of inadequate gauge wire in boat on any leadwire extension, or use of an inadequate or corroded plug and receptacle, can result in voltage drop to the motor. 
    2. Ensure the minimum voltage requirements of the motor are met.

Case VII. The GPS speed displayed on the remote is different than what other GPS systems on the boat indicate.

  1. If using Cruise Control with Advanced AutoPilot or iTrack Navigation, i-Pilot Link calculates the actual speed in the intended direction of travel which may differ from GPS reported speed.

Case VIII. Cruise Control is not holding the target speed close enough.

  1. Verify the trolling motor batteries are sufficiently charged.

Case IX. While navigating an i-Track the propeller suddenly stopped.

  1. Verify a different feature wasn’t accidentally engaged, such as AutoPilot or Spot-Lock
  2. The Arrival mode may be set to “OFF”. When the End or Start point (depending on direction of travel) of any iTrack is reached the i-Pilot Link will automatically cancel i-Track navigation and engage the “Arrival Mode” (Off, Autopilot, Spot-Lock). See i-Pilot Link User Manual for more information. 

Case X. When a key on the remote is pressed the motor does not respond.

  1. Check the status of the battery charge icon on the remote. If low, connect the remote to the charger.
  2. If the “Lock” icon is present on the screen, the keypad is locked.
    • For i-Pilot Link 3.0 (BT) systems: Press and hold the Screen Navigation button to lock and unlock the remote.
    • For i-Pilot Link 2.0 systems: Press and hold either of the Soft Keys to unlock the keypad.
  3. Check for large obstructions between the remote and the motor.

Case XI. The Screen on the i-Pilot Link 3.0 (BT) remote displays "IPILOT LINK REMOTE BOOT"

Cause 1: The Spot-Lock button was held down as the remote was powered on. (This case will have a current software revision number)

Corrective Action 1: Reboot the remote.

Cause 2: Current software on the remote is unreadable. This will show the Current Software “INVALID”, as in the picture to the right.

Corrective Action 2: Reload/Update Remote Software following these instructions.

  1. Update the i-Pilot Link Software. It is important to have the latest software in the motor to avoid any potential issues when the update is completed.
  2. Connect the motor to power and power on the motor, this process can be completed with the motor in the stowed position.
  3. Press and hold the “Pair” button on the i-Pilot Link Control Head of the motor (the motor will emit a continuous tone while you hold the pair button). Do not release the button through the end of Step 4.

  4. From the remote control scroll down from “POWER OFF” to “Pair” using the “-“ button on the keypad. Press and release the “” on the remote. The remote will say “PAIRING” while scanning for the motor, when the motor successfully pairs to the remote the motor will emit three beeps and the tone will stop, and the top of the text screen will now say “CONNECTED”. You can release the Pair button on the control head at this point.

    With the Pairing process now complete the screen will say “CONNECTED” at the top and have a few different menu options.

  5. Use the “+” and “-“ buttons to align the arrow with the “UPDATE SOFTWARE” option from the menu list, then press release the “” to begin the software update process. The remote will Display “UPDATING” and will begin a count down, when the count reaches “0” it will say “WRITING FLASH”, then automatically return to the menu screen (same as left picture below).
  6. Power the remote off; use the “+” and “-“ buttons to move the arrow so it points to “POWER OFF” from the menu list, then press and release the “” to turn the remote off.
  7. Press and hold the “” to turn the remote back on. If the software update was successful the normal Graphic User Interface Boot screen will appear on the remote as shown to the right. If the software update is unsuccessful replace the remote, part number 2994076.

Case XII. There is a message on the remote screen showing "Motor not Found". Also, the keys on the remote are not controlling the motor.

Cause: This Message is due the remote not having wireless communications with the i-Pilot Link controller. This could be due to: 

  • The motor not being powered up. (Connected to appropriate voltage and powered on. Terrova prior to 2017 must also be deployed, green system ready light on.)
  • The remote not being learned/paired to the controller. (See learning or pairing in Part II)
  • The network plug connections, at the motor control board or in the control box, unplugged or damaged.
  • Broken/intermittent wire in the coil cord or network plug connections.

Case XIII. The screen on the i-Pilot Link 3.0 (BT) remote displays “RF error”.

Cause: This indicates a fatal error with the remote. The remote needs to be replaced with p/n 2994076 

Case XIV. There is a message on the remote screen showing "Motor Error".

Cause: This indicates that the i-Pilot Controller is not able to communicate with the motor control board. This error will not display on PowerDrive motors.

  1. Cycle Power to the motor.
    1. On Terrova/Riptide ST from 2016 and earlier (non-Blue Tooth) the main control board only looks for accessories when it first powers up; if the i-Pilot began communicating after initial power up or was installed while powered up, the control board will not recognize it until the next time it powers up. This step may resolve the issue. 
    2. Re-test for proper remote function. If the “Motor Error” is not displayed the i-Pilot is functioning properly. If the “Motor Error” is still present proceed to Step 2. 
  2. Disconnect the i-Pilot system and test the motor for full function using a known good foot pedal.
    1. If the motor fails to function properly using a foot pedal, resolve all motor issues then retest remote function prior to proceeding to Step 3.
    2. If the “Motor Error” message is still present and the motor functions correctly via foot pedal proceed to Step 3.
  3. Disconnect Power to the motor.
    1. Check the i-Pilot coil cord network plug connection in the control box/head for corrosion and verify that is fully connected (connected properly there should be no yellow visible between the male and female plug ends).
    2. Check the network plug(s) at the Control Board; on Terrova/Riptide ST motors that have CoPilot installed on the alternate network plug disconnect that CoPilot (i-Pilot disables CoPilot function, but if there is a fault in a connected CoPilot it may disable network communication). Verify that the connection to the coil cord is fully seated. 
    3. Reconnect power and retest.
    4. If “Motor Error” is no longer showing a loose connection or faulty CoPilot was the cause for the error. If the “Motor Error” message is still displayed Proceed to Step 4. If a network plug that was previously connected is going to be left disconnected install a 2320203 Cap Plug on that plug prior to returning the motor to the customer.
  4. Disconnect power to the motor.
    1. Disconnect the network cable at both ends of the coil cord and test continuity through each of the 5 pins. If no continuity is present end to end, or any pin has continuity to one of the other pins replace the coil cord.
    2. If there is an unused network accessory plug on the control board connect the coil cord to that plug and retest the system. i-Pilot installed motors will never have a use for a second network plug, if this connection does not display “Motor Error” this works as a complete repair.
    3. If the “Motor Error” Message is still displayed replace the i-Pilot Controller (head).

Case XV. Customer complaint that the battery in the i-Pilot Link remote drains quickly.


Adjusting the Backlight Brightness and Timeout length may significantly increase battery life. Constantly sending signals with the remote does decreasae batery life.

Case XVI. The charging cable is connected but the charging indicator does not come on.

  1. Ensure the remote charger cable (USB) end is receiving power from the AC adapter or the alternate power source being used. 
  2. Look inside the charging port on the bottom end of the remote. You should clearly see two metallic contacts. Use an appropriate tool to clean out any debris that may have accumulated in the charging port. 
  3. The end of the remote charger cable (USB) that plugs into the remote includes two spring pins. Ensure the pins are clean and spring back out when pushed in.

Case XVII. The customer is having a difficult time seeing the content on the LCD screen.

  1. Depending on the ambient lighting in the area, the backlight may be needed.
    • For i-Pilot Link 3.0 (BT) systems: Adjust the desired brightness through the Options Menu button.
    • For i-Pilot Link 2.0 systems: Through the Backlight Settings Menu, you can adjust the intensity of the backlight along with the time it stays on after a button press. 

Case XVIII. The heading sensor calibration failed. (i-Pilot Link 3.0 (BT) only)

  1. The heading sensor needs to be located in a place where it is not subject to magnetic interference, as it is an electronic compass. Ensure that the heading sensor is mounted at least 24 inches from magnetic or ferrous materials or anything that may create a magnetic interference. Some of which may include: base of the trolling motor, anchors, metal railings, speakers, radios, and trolling motor battery leadwires. It must be mounted on a flat, horizontal surface with the arrow on the sensor parallel to the boat’s keel. It should have a line of sight to the i-Pilot Link Controller for best operation. 

Part II. Miscellaneous System Information

Accuracy

The accuracy and responsiveness with which i-Pilot controls your boat is highly dependent upon many variables. A few of these variables and their general effects on responsiveness and accuracy are given below:

Remote Pairing/Learning

Remote Pairing/Learning For i-Pilot Link 3.0 (BT) systems:

An i-Pilot Link controller may pair up to 3 remotes. These 3 remotes can be a combination of standard i-Pilot Link remotes and Micro remotes. Any additional remotes can be paired using the following steps. Once the maximum number of remotes have been paired, the controller will start replacing the oldest paired remote in memory with the new remote.

  1. With the motor powered up (green system ready light on), turn the remote on by pressing the Ok button. Allow the disclaimer page to load, then touch the “I Agree” area on the touch screen display.
  2. Press the Home button.
  3. Scroll through the Content Area using either your finger or the Screen Navigation button to highlight the System button.
  4. Select the System button using either your finger or by pressing the Ok button to open the System Menu
  5. Once in the System Menu, use your finger to scroll through to find the Pairing option or highlight the Pairing button using the Screen Navigation button. Before selecting the Pair Option, locate the Pair Button on the top of the Control Head. Press and hold the Pair button. A consistent tone will be emitted from the Control Head.
  6. On the remote, select the Pairing option. The Remote will scan for the motor. Once successfully paired, 3 longer beeps will be emitted from the Control Head and the remote will be paired.

Remote Pairing/Learning for i-Pilot Link 2.0 (Legacy) systems:

A controller can have up to 4 remotes learned to it and actively communicating with it. The top of the Controller has a single learn button to allow additional remotes to be added to the system. To learn additional remotes:

  1. With the motor powered up (green system ready light on), turn the remote on by pressing the OK button. Allow the disclaimer page to load, then touch the OK button again to display the home page.
  2. Push and hold the learn button down. A steady audio tone will be heard while holding this button.
  3. While holding the learn button on the controller, from the remote home screen select: Controls > Learn and press the OK key.
  4. If the learn process was successful, the controller will respond with four beeps. In addition, the Dashboard section of the remote will begin to display motor status information such as prop speed.

Audio Modes

Audio Modes For i-Pilot Link 3.0 (BT) systems:

The i-Pilot Link controller in the Control Head contains an internal speaker which can be configured to work in two different audio modes. The unit is factory set to Audio Mode 2. To select the different audio modes press the Home button, then from the Home screen go to: Settings>Options>Audio Mode

Review the modes below to determine what audio patterns are caused by conditions in each audio mode.

Audio Modes For i-Pilot Link 2.0 (Legacy) systems:

The i-Pilot Link Controller contains an internal speaker which can be programmed to work in two different audio modes. The speaker is programmed to operate in audio mode 1 from the factory. To select the different audio mode, from the Home screen go to: Settings>Configurations>Audio Mode.

For an explanation of each audio mode and their sounds see the table below.

Software Updates

Software Updates for i-Pilot Link 3.0 (BT) systems:

Minn Kota offers an i-Pilot Link App that can be used to control and update i-Pilot Link on your motor using a Bluetooth® enabled device. The i-Pilot Link App is available for download on iOS devices through the Apple App store or Android devices through the Google Play store.

  1. Update the i-Pilot Link App
    1. Open the i-Pilot Link app on the device. Check to see if the App Update Indicator icon in the upper right hand corner is present. If no icon is present, the device app is up-to-date.
  2. Check Remote and Controller Software Version
    The i-Pilot Link App on the device communicates with the i-Pilot Link controller, which is in the Control Head of the paired motor. When the App is communicating with a controller, the About screen will display the current version of the app and information about the versions of software in the controller.
    1. From the i-Pilot app Home screen, press the Menu icon.
    2. In the Menu screen, select the About option.
    3. The About screen will appear showing the version of the i-Pilot app on the device, the version of i-Pilot software in the controller and the version of the i-Pilot remote software stored in the controller.
  3. Update the i-Pilot Link Controller To update the controller, confirm that the device is turned ON and the controller is paired with the device.
    1. Make sure that the following criteria are met:
      1. The app is up-to-date.
      2. The device has Bluetooth enabled.
      3. The device is paired with the controller.
      4. The device is within range of the controller during the update process.
    2. Open the i-Pilot App on the device.
    3. Read and then accept the disclaimer to bring up the Home screen. In the upper left hand corner of the Home screen, press the Menu icon to bring up the Menu.
    4. When the Menu screen displays, select the i-Pilot Software Update option.
    5. If the software is up-to-date, the screen will read "Software Up To Date". If the software needs to be updated, there will be information on the screen stating "New Software Available!"
    6. Select "New Software Available!" and information about the current and new versions will display along with a button that reads, "Press to begin Update."
    7. Follow the on-screen prompt to successfully complete the update.
  4. Update the i-Pilot Link Remote Software
    1. Be sure that the software in the Controller is updated before updating the remote.
    2. Once the Controller is up-to-date, press the Home button.
    3. Scroll through the Content Area using either your finger or the Screen Navigation button to find the System button.
    4. Select the System button using either your finger or by pressing the Ok button to open the System Menu.
    5. Once in the System Menu, scroll through to find the Update Software option and select it. If the software is up-to-date, the display screen will read "No New Software Found."
    6. If the software is not up-to-date, the display screen will read "New Software Available" and will list the current version installed and the new version that can be installed.
    7. Select the Update button. Once the software has been downloaded, the display screen will reboot and the remote will power up and return to the home screen. To confirm that the software successfully updated, follow the steps in the "To Open the About Screen" section of this manual

Software Updates for i-Pilot Link 2.0 (Legacy) systems:

A customer will need to set up an online account at humminbird.com so that they can receive the latest Humminbird news and software updates. They will need a Humminbird Fishfinder as the i-Pilot Link remote and controller software are also updated through the Humminbird Fishfinder.

  1. Download the Software
    1. Install a formatted SD memory card into the card reader connected to your PC.
    2. Go to https://www.humminbird.com/support/software-updates
    3. Scroll down to “Accessories & Mapping”; click on “i-Pilot Link” to expand the menu.
      1. Click on either “I-PILOT LINK REMOTE UPDATE” or “I-PILOT LINK CONTROLLER” for the fish finder system you are using for the update.
      2. Follow the instructions on the screen to save the software to the SD Card
      3. Repeat steps a and b for the other selection.
  2. Prepare the Equipment
    1. Turn on the main power source.
    2. Power on the trolling motor. If you have a Terrova or Riptide ST trolling motor, deploy it.
    3. Turn on the remote by pressing the OK key. Ensure the battery is well charged. If the battery charge is not sufficient you will be prompted during the process to plug in the charger.
    4. Turn on the Fishfinder by pressing the POWER/LIGHT key, and follow the on-screen prompts to start Normal mode.
    5. Press and hold the Fishfinder VIEW key. Select System>Accessory Test.
    6. Confirm that i-Pilot Link is listed as connected. It may take a minute for the equipment to be detected. You will refer to this view throughout the update. Note the current software version number shown next to i-Pilot Link.
  3. Update the Software
    1. Install the SD card with the updated software files into the Fishfinder card slot.
    2. The software will be updated automatically. It may take up to two minutes for the software to be detected on the network, and the Fishfinder will display on-screen dialog boxes to indicate that the update is in progress.
    3. When the i-Pilot Link software has been updated, the new software version number bill be displayed on the Fishfinder Accessory Test View.
    4. To finish updating the remote and controller, proceed to the next section.
  4. Update the Remote The new software for the remote is now loaded on the Link Controller. You must now go to the remote and initiate the download of the remote software to the remote itself.
    1. From the remote Home screen, select: Settings Softkey>Update Software>OK.
    2. From this screen, select the Update option.
    3. A message saying “Software Updating” will appear along with a progress bar. After that, another message saying “Programming Flash” will appear along with a progress bar.
    4. After the second progress bar finishes, the remote will automatically restart.
  5. Cycle Power to the system (Turn off and back on).

Part III. Remote Quick Reference Guides (QRG)

i-Pilot Link remote 3.0 (BT) Quick Reference Guides (QRG)


i-Pilot Link remote 2.0 Quick Reference Guides (QRG)




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