T-Pain Is On A Boat: Re: [Electric Boats] Speed Controller and inputs

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Re: [Electric Boats] Speed Controller and inputs

Hi John,

I've got maybe 8 hours on the Castle Creations RC car controller and it has worked perfectly. My $8 servo tester works fine as a throttle too - I just had to figure out how to plug it in correctly (cheap price but no instructions). The delay from F to R is programmable, down to 0 seconds, I believe. You'd be looking at around $90 buying at retail for Sidewinder controller plus Esky servo tester and freight.

You'd still have to figure out a way to get your foot pedals to work the rotary pot. The knob is held on with a little allen screw so you could substitute your arm, maybe with a pushrod like the one that connects the servo to the rudder of a model airplane.
----- Original Message -----
From: john.zimmerlee
To: electricboats@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, October 04, 2009 2:33 PM
Subject: [Electric Boats] Speed Controller and inputs

My, project, Stream Dancer, has two 12v 50 amp trolling motors and uses foot controls for differential propulsion steering & control. You can see it in action at www.streamdancer.com

I have tried Minn Kota's standard 5 speed (switch) controller, Minn Kota's variable (PWM) speed controller, and Dimension Engineering's Sabertooth (PWM) board.

The simple switch is rotary and my controls are linear, so that proved more trouble than it was worth . . . and it isn't efficient anyway.

MK's variable could be modified to a linear pot, but it has a built-in delay of about 3 seconds when switching from forward to reverse . . . which is unacceptable to most fishermen.

The first Dimension Engineering board failed within the first hour. the second one failed even earlier.

Anyone have a suggestion on durable, inexpensive PWM controllers . . . or some other ideas?

John Zimmerlee

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