Calling any Penn Fathom Master Downrigger Experts!!

Started by tfisher, February 01, 2018, 05:13:23 AM

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tfisher

Hi!  I'm new to the board.  This site was recommended by a Penn parts dealer as a great resource that could help me potentially solve my downrigger repair questions.   I have a Penn electric downrigger Fathom Master 825.    If anyone out there has experience repairing these guys, I'd love to ask a few questions.   

First of all, I realize that these are ancient and Penn no longer supports them.  I'm just that guy who hates to toss things in the garbage when they can be repaired!  I like a good "learning opportunity" as well!

Problems:  1.) the Up switch does not stay on when activated - you have to hold it in the up position the whole time.   I've found a replacement 3 way switch that moves between each of the 3 positions so this might be a way to overrride the "deadman" feature of the current switch.   I was just wondering if it's more a problem with something on the circuit board, like a bad relay?

2.)  Oil has leaked out of the worm gear housing.  After examining it, the leak appears to be coming from the shaft seals of the worm drive.  I have located replacement oil seals to fix this leak.  All the gearing on the inside appears to be in great shape.  The inside is filled with what looks to be grease similar to that of traditional grease, which is confusing because the the box states that it's filled with oil.   I was thinking I could refill it with oil that's sold for Skilsaw worm drive saws  as a similar replacement, but don't know what to think of the grease that's already in there (should I remove it all?) or how much oil to replace. 

Those are the 2 big issues.  I think they are fixable with a little guidance.  I cannot find any literature at all regarding maintenance/overhaul.  Might there be a person out there that knows a thing or 2 about these units? 

Many thanks!
Todd

alantani

i have a few parts but i've never worked on one.  anyone else?   :-\
send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

Keta

Hi, my name is Lee and I have a fishing gear problem.

I have all of the answers, yup, no, maybe.

A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.
Mark Twain

Tightlines667

#3
Todd,

Good questions.  I have serviced the old manual fathommasters, and used them for years.  I too own one of these dinosaurs an 825, and I am embaresed to say I bought it used last June, and have been fishing it unserviced.  

I intend to take it apart one of these days, clean it up, and relube.  I would treat the service just like a fishing reel.  Lay out the parts in order, take pictures, clean inspect, replace obviously worn parts, replace any rough bearings, lube the drag washers with Cal's drag grease, probably use Penn Blue or any marine grease on the rest.  Not sure about the gear case or some other subassembly being filled with oil though? 

Does Penn or Scott's still carry parts for these?  Or are you going to have to buy a parts rigger, contact a third party that may still have parts around, or try to source seals and the like elsewhere?  

I did find the manual at Scott's (attached).

Keep us posted if you learn anything.

Not sure if that was much help?

John
Hope springs eternal
for the consumate fishermen.

alantani

send me an email at alantani@yahoo.com for questions!

Keta

Hi, my name is Lee and I have a fishing gear problem.

I have all of the answers, yup, no, maybe.

A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way.
Mark Twain

thorhammer

#6
I recall a notice that another company had acquired the mechanical rights to the Penn downriggers, not sure if this includes the electric ones but check the MysticParts.com site (Scott's) and they may have more info. That's where I saw it.


"Edited as per Moderators to correct Scott's Bait & Tackle over to their new store name Mystic Reel Parts / www.mysticparts.com"

whalebreath

#7
Quote from: thorhammer on February 01, 2018, 01:45:50 PMI recall a notice that another company had acquired the mechanical rights to the Penn downriggers, not sure if this includes the electric ones but check the MysticParts.com site (Scott's) and they may have more info. That's where I saw it.
Yes that's Troll Master


"Edited as per Moderators to correct Scott's Bait & Tackle over to their new store name Mystic Reel Parts / www.mysticparts.com"

David Hall

#8
Only canon here as well, my ole fathommasters are the manual kind.
But I would think that the canon three position switch would work?  I'd have to see what you switch looks like.
But pretty much a switch is a switch for downriggers.  Canon features the auto stop also. 
As far as greasing the gears, any good medium viscosity grease will work fine.  As long as the gear teeth are in good shape you should be able to keep those things running smoothly.

tfisher

Thanks for the many responses everyone. I ended up sourcing parts from various electronic suppliers that met the same specifications and had some success. The Auto Stop feature on a downrigger does not work anymore so I changed the switch to a three position  switch that I have to manually turn off, but as long as the drag is loose it doesn't seem to be much of a problem.  I ended up using a grease called SuperLube for the gear box as it is a high temp synthetic that will reportedly mix with non synthetic grease that is already present. I replaced the shafts bushings as well which were also very hard to find.  Lastly i sealed the box with high temp RTV.....hopefully that holds up.  It doesn't look as robust as the original sealant but I've got my fingers crossed.

David Hall

Sounds like you managed your way through the task, they may last many more seasons.  I've had to repair my new set far more than my old set.  run them till the gears fall off.