IMHO it's the inability to isolate and diagnose a problem that make brushless an issue. You can't know if it's the Hall circuitry in the motor or something in the controller that's fried. So you have to spare not only the motor but the controller as well. (or buy the expensive programmer widget AND spares...)
Thunderstruck was nice enough to agree to ship me both a new controller and a motor with return priviliges (not sure they'll do that again and we have yet to settle up though)
Being able to hotwire is unlikely to save you from real trouble, but it's nice not to have to call Vessel Assist. As importantly - hotwire is a very quick diagnostic to tell you it is/isn't the motor so you know what to replace.
-Keith
(Note that "hotwire" is a 4-letter word on my boat - that's how I fried 2 controllers, by bypassing the pre-charge for the contactor)
--- In electricboats@
>
> John Delia wrote:
> > So, you are tacitly agreeing that a motor with brushes is a better bet?
> > What is the likelihood that a brushless motor will fail? Thanks, John
> >
> If I was doing my boat again, I'd probably go brush-less, but it would
> depend on the motor specs - I haven't looked to see if any other motor
> has the right volts-rpm curve for my boat - since my current setup is
> working, little need to.
>
> Some people are worried about the 'complexity' of the brush-less motor
> controler, but since nearly every one, brushed or brush-less is probably
> runing a micro-processor controlled speed controler, this is probably a
> moot point.
>
> A brush-less motor in theory needs less maintenance - but I suspect in
> my case the motor is going to rust before the brushes wear down enough
> to need replacing.
>
> In theory if you have a brushed DC motor and your controller fries out
> on the water, you can 'hot wire' the motor to the batteries and get back
> home. A brush-less motor absolutely NEEDS that controler to work.
> However the AC (brush less) controllers have gotten cheap enough that if
> you are that worried, buy a 2nd and carry a spare.
>
> So pick the motor that best matches your boat and prop and work backwards.
>
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