T-Pain Is On A Boat: Re: [Electric Boats] Minnkotas

Monday, June 17, 2013

Re: [Electric Boats] Minnkotas

The heat you are feeling in the head is resistance losses from the cheap connectors. These can be replaced with gold plated bllet connectors for a few dollars. If your 'experimental' prop draws less or rhe same amps as the stock setup with the boat tied to the dock you are good for long term life.

Again, I was able to double range on my 18' sailboat by fairing the motor tube and using a 10x6 prop.
On Sunday, June 16, 2013, oak wrote:

FYI...    When I did my testing on the Traxxis 80 Minn-Kota, I noticed that the control head got pretty darn hot to the touch after running for about 45 min at mostly 75% to 100% speed. So be careful!    :)

I liked the response about the resistors that indicated it wasn't such a bad thing for all applications.
Note - the resistors increase the overall resistance of the load.   If the resistance is increased for the same battery voltage, the current drops.   Overall power is LESS.   Yes, you're dissipating power in heat that wouldn't necessarily be burned in a PWM unit.   But for small motors, the loss of efficiency is most likely outweighed by the lack (and cost) of the complexity of a more efficient unit.

A trolling motor small enough to use resistors in it's controller would still run a very long time at low power on a car sized battery (which is what most Jon boats would probably have). It accomplishes the typical need at low cost.

At high speed, it's a wash.

The question is whether trolling motors were allowed in their design to be run at full power for LONG periods of time (2+ hours)??

The other interesting factor about this thread is that it's sounding like the props put on trolling motors are pitch limited (at the max speed of the motors) to around 3.5mph.

I'd be really curious to try a 10x6 prop on a trolling motor - as suggested.   I'm also curious to see if that will burn out the motor if run at full speed for over an hour.

John

From: R&M Mair <fullkeel2000@yahoo.ca>
To: electricboats@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2013 4:28 PM
Subject: Re: [Electric Boats] Re: Minnkotas

Thanks for all the info. Looks like for this summer I will just run wide open. I will have to decide weather to start trying props to see weather the speed difference is worth it. I use this on our dinghy and I can row faster when alone than the motor pushes us.
We will be travelling all summer by boat. More about this later.
Richard

Carel Ruysink <mailto:c.ruysink%40hetnet.nl> wrote:

>There are a lot of good electronic speed controllers (ESC) also in the 12V range and high power ratings in the modelairplane modelcar industry (ao Hobby King).
>For modelcars and boats they have forward and reverse, for modelairplanes they only have forward.
>The only drawback is they are wireless (transmitter and receiver) maybe even an advantage when not close to the troller.
>There are also simple wired servotesters wich you can use to controll your ESC.
>If you know someone with rather basic knowledge of electronics it is rather easy to alter the ESC to manual operation.
>Just look around and google.
>
>Succes, Carel
>ps; Model ESCs are for short energybursts 5 min max so look for an ample safetymargin. Eg 250 watt (twice the power for a standard human wich is ample for a small sleek boat) I would choose an 700 to 800 watt Controller.
>Resistor controllers allways use max power and destroy the energy that you do not want that moment, such a waste (and heat).
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Kirk McLoren
> To: mailto:electricboats%40yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2013 4:26 PM
> Subject: Re: [Electric Boats] Re: Minnkotas
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> I wouldn't use that one, it was an example of what to search for.
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> remember you are unique. Just like the rest of us.
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>----------------------------------------------------------
> From: Eric <mailto:ewdysar%40yahoo.com>
> To: mailto:electricboats%40yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2013 2:37 AM
> Subject: [Electric Boats] Re: Minnkotas
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> Excellent solution, if you never plan on exceeding 96W (about 0.15hp) at full power.
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> Eric
> Marina del Rey, CA
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> --- In mailto:electricboats%40yahoogroups.com, "Kirk" <kirkmcloren@...> wrote:
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> >
> > --- In mailto:electricboats%40yahoogroups.com, R&M Mair <fullkeel2000@> wrote:
> > >
> > > I have seen info on here that the cheaper minnkota motors use resistors to control speed. Anyone notice significant run times between full speed and lower speeds?
> > > Richard
> > >
> > http://www.amazon.com/LEDwholesalers-Dimming-Controller-LED-Lights/dp/B003L4KKF2/ref=pd_sim_hi_3
> >
> > this one is only for 12 volts but when you see how cheap it is using resistors is silly.
> >
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