Rhodan Trolling Motor Troubleshooting Guide
UPDATED 17 MAY 2023
Rhodan Marine are well known for their high end GPS anchor lock trolling motors (built in Sarasota, Florida), which are most often used for saltwater fishing applications.
But notwithstanding the impressive quality of Rhodan trolling motors, their units sometimes malfunction, and if this happens to you, it’s helpful to know what you can do about it.
In this article we’ll cover the most common Rhodan trolling motor problems, what usually causes them, and what you can do to fix them.
What are the most common Rhodan trolling motor problems?
The most common Rhodan trolling motor issues are as follows:
- GPS anchor not working
- Remote control not working
- Gear box problems
- Trolling motor losing speed
While there are a number or different issues that can cause the problems listed above, let’s take a closer look at the most common ones, and how you can deal with them.
Rhodan GPS anchor not working
A relatively common issue with the Rhodan GPS anchor is that the unit fails to hold anchor lock position and then starts to turn uncontrollably in 360 degree circles. Most often, this is caused by a defective motherboard, which needs to be replaced.
Replacing the motherboard is relatively quick and easy if you’ve got a spare one and know how to do it.
But if you don’t know how to do this, you’ll unfortunately have to send the whole unit to the Rhodan headquarters in Sarasota, Florida.
On the upside, their customer support is famous for being top notch, and having a very fast turnaround time.
If you’re still on warranty, they’ll probably provide a replacement motor to keep you on the water while you wait for your unit to be fixed, and you can expect to get it back within a few days.
Another common reason why the GPS anchor functionality doesn’t work properly on a Rhodan trolling motor is due to a poor GPS signal (or a bad reception of the signal), so always make sure that the GPS antenna is not obstructed or covered in any way.
Also, when powering up the motor, it can take up to 1 minute for the system to acquire a robust GPS signal, and you should wait until you hear 4 beeps in succession, which indicate that the signal has been acquired.
Finally, another reason for inaccuracy or failure of GPS anchor functionality can be due to using a battery with incorrect voltage.
Check that the voltage of your battery system matches the voltage of the Rhodan trolling motor that you’re using, and if not, change it to the correct one.
If you’re currently in the market for a new trolling motor, check out our article on what are the best GPS anchor trolling motors?
Rhodan remote control not working
One of the most common problems with Rhodan trolling motors is that the remote control is not working properly, or that the motor doesn’t respond to the commands of the remote control.
In many cases, this is caused by the batteries of the remote control being drained, and the easiest way to fix the issue is to replace the batteries.
Ideally, you should always carry a set of backup batteries for the remote when you’re out on the water.
Secondly, make sure that the trolling motor is locked in the fully deployed position, since it won’t respond otherwise.
Trolling motor won’t turn on
If your Rhodan unit won’t turn on, this is most often due to an issue with the FOB/remote control.
The first thing to do is check the battery of the remote and make sure that it is properly charged.
If there’s no problem with the battery, then it’s probably necessary to replace the whole remote control.
Rhodan gearbox issues
Rhodan gearbox problems are most often an indirect effect of issues with the GPS anchor functionality.
As described above, if the GPS anchor lock functionality fails, this often results in the head of the motor spinning uncontrollably in 360 degree circles, which in turn wraps the cord around the shaft, and this takes out the gearbox.
If this happens to you, you’ll unfortunately have to send the whole unit in for repair. So if possible, try to shut down your motor as fast as possible if it starts spinning, to stop it from taking out the gears.
Rhodan trolling motor beeping
One issue that can occur with Rhodan trolling motors is that after you select a mode on the remote control, the trolling motor beeps twice but then doesn’t do anything.
The most common reason for this issue is that the battery of the trolling motor is either drained or faulty.
If that is the case, the easiest fix is to recharge the battery, as well as checking that all the power wiring is connected properly.
If the problem still persists after this, have the battery voltage checked to make sure there aren’t any faulty cells.
Rhodan trolling motor losing speed
If your Rhodan trolling motor has a tendency to lose speed during operation, this is probably due to an issue with the battery system. The first thing to do is check the battery cables for faulty connections or corrosion.
If the cables are fine, check the batteries to see if there is a bad cell. If you don’t have time for this, a quick way to diagnose the problem is to replace the battery with a fully functional one, and see if that solves the problem.
Final remarks
This covers the most common issues encountered with Rhodan trolling motors in our experience, and based on surveying other Rhodan users on forums and social media.
If you happen to have any other trolling motor problems that you’ve dealt with, we’d love to hear from you, so we can continue to improve this resource.