Re: Electric Power & Minn Kota's

Gordon (hlg@pacbell.net)
Fri, 13 Nov 1998 14:13:04 -0800


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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SolarFry wrote:

>I took the Endura 50 back and found out it has fixed pulsing without user
>control to extend battery life but does not have the rheostat to vary speed
>infinitely. I guess I'll learn to live with the pulsing. The noise came from
>extending handle and once it's pulled out all the way noise stops..

Interesting about the pulsing. My handle doesn't extend but is adjustable
up and down. Incidentally, my motor has a 36-inch shaft and the heavy motor
tends to drop too deep in the water when I loosen the lock. I added a cable
clamp on the shaft to limit the down travel, and that helps. For
trailering, I pull the motor all the way up, so that the head extends
forward in the cockpit with the shaft resting on the transom. Thus
counterbalanced and then lashed, there is little stress on the motor mount,
much less than with the Seagull. For sailing, the control head will be just
forward of the transom and will probably necessitate shortening my traveler
wire, but my traveler is longer than the newer ones anyway.
>
>I love quiet performance of electric motors. The Endura 50 will end up on my
>P19 for lake and local canal use. It sucks 40 Amps/hr at full power which
>should give me 3 hrs flat out from my 125AMP, 205min reserve battery. So far
>in actual use I have used it at most 1 hour at position 4 out of 5 and 30 mins
>at position 5 (full power) without discharging the battery by more than 25%
>according to the Minn Kota Batt chge meter.
>
>Wal Mart sells a Minn Kota battery charge checking instrument that is compact,
>easy to use and very handy for about $ 11.00. They have an offer where you get
>one free with the 2yr factory extended warranty purchase.

I've seen the MinnKota meter and was hoping my motor would come with one,
but no. I might get one at Walmart or West Marine, but would like a mounted
meter that I can monitor from the cockpit. I haven't wired for lights yet,
but will then have a 12 V panel in the cockpit somewhere.
>
>With 2 batteries your 70 pounder should give you at least 3 hrs use at full
>power... ( The last hour it does not run as fast, sorta like 75% power. For
>your P15 that should be ample power...

Probably not 3 hours. My batteries are in series and are only 95 Ah. My
motor uses 45 A at 24 V, so should be slightly more than twice the power
and no more duration at max power than yours. The discharge curve is
nonlinear, very steep at high current settings, flatter at low settings. I
don't expect more than 2 hr at full speed, maybe only 1 hr.
>
>I am going to hook E50 to my 20' 3000# powerboat and see if it will push it
>well. Will let you know.

That makes three boats. Are there more yet?
>
>Keep me posted on how you do with your 70 pounder.

Will do. It's a nice day today; I should be out in the boat instead of
sitting here writing about boating.
>
Harry Gordon
P14 #234, Manatee
Mountain View, CA