Anyone using the new Minn-Kota Fishing Temperature Gauges?

I have two of these Minn-Kota temp gauges mounted on my boat now. One seems to work best and the sensor is mounted on my transducer which is on the rear transom of my boat. The new unit or second unit I mounted the sensor on the shaft of my trolling motor up front. This second unit was reading wildly different surface temps during my fishing trip on otter pit yesterday.

At times both units were reading approx 57 deg F on the surface temps. At times the new unit was reading 85 deg F and I am wondering why it was reading so much higher temps than the one on the back end of my boat.

I am suspecting that the heat generated from the trolling motor may be causing the higher temp readings on the unit that is mounted on the shaft of the trolling motor right above the motor housing.

Has anyone else been using these little temperature gauges and have them reading wildly?

Moose, its sounds like you have a bad new sensor. There is no heat in the shaft of your trolling motor.

I have two of these also, one two years old and one bought new this year. The "old" one is in the baitwell and the " new" one was on my trolling motor mounted transducer. One thing I have noticed with the "new" one it that is is much more sensitive and quicker to read temps. I have a depthfinder transducer on the rear transom with a built in temp sensor and have noticed a 6-8 degree difference in the two after I ran the trolling motor , so I just moved the temp sensor up on the trolling motor shaft (off of the motor itself) and they are now 1-2 degree difference at all times so yes I think they pick up heat off of the motor. With all that said, I think they are a bargain at the price and I wouldn't be without one now, they help me keep live bait alive alot longer thats for sure, those minnows don't do well in July without some help and without a temp sensor in the baitwell I always forget all about 'em until they are floating!!!

Hope this helps,
Shaun

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Originally Posted by Moose1am

I have two of these Minn-Kota temp gauges mounted on my boat now. One seems to work best and the sensor is mounted on my transducer which is on the rear transom of my boat. The new unit or second unit I mounted the sensor on the shaft of my trolling motor up front. This second unit was reading wildly different surface temps during my fishing trip on otter pit yesterday.

At times both units were reading approx 57 deg F on the surface temps. At times the new unit was reading 85 deg F and I am wondering why it was reading so much higher temps than the one on the back end of my boat.

I am suspecting that the heat generated from the trolling motor may be causing the higher temp readings on the unit that is mounted on the shaft of the trolling motor right above the motor housing.

Has anyone else been using these little temperature gauges and have them reading wildly?

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..I believe you have answered your own question...try running your t.motor and then feeling motor casing..quite a bit of heat generated.. :eek: .as heat rises and you have t.guage right above head then some heat will be transfered into shaft like heat sink ....not to mention heat rising from motor into surrounding water... :cool:

I've got one on my stern and one in the trolling motor. They usually read a couple of degrees different because the one in the trolling motor is deeper. I don't think any heat from the trolling motor will affect it because it is dissipated very rapidly by the water. I now have an 82lb trolling motor and even running it wide open doesn't affect the reading.