Another trolling motor project. Need controller advice.

EVTodd

10 kW
Joined
Oct 17, 2007
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956
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Illinois
For several years my wife and I have been using a 15" canoe to fish small rivers. We don't have anyone to shuttle us up stream so we use a trolling motor to go up the rivers then float back down.

It works great but I'm tired of using a 70 pound deep cycle battery that has to be replaced at least once a year so I would like to start using lipo, an rc airplane prop, and a pwm controller for better efficiency.

Here is the prop I plan on using: ***EDIT*** I cut and paste the wrong one. Here's the one I read works well:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-APC-10x...503?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4d2ebdbd57

Is the "pusher" prop the correct one?

I want to use a 5s 20ah pack since that's what I have sitting around here and I think that voltage would work well with my Endura 40 motor. It's 12v but I know people run them at 24v. 5s might be the sweet spot. Question is, does anyone know of a good PWM controller choice that will work with 5s? I considered a 24v brushed ebike controller but the lvc would be wrong. Anyone recommend a good PWM esc that will work at 5s voltages? Are there any RC escs that would work? Help me make a ghetto Torqeedo! :lol:
 
After looking at a lot of 24v ebike brushed controllers it appears that they have a lvc of 20v or so which won't work for 5s so I think I'm going with this controller instead:

http://www.amazon.com/RioRand-7-60V...nd+7-60V+PWM+DC+Motor+Speed+Controller+Switch

Looking at the reviews it seems people have had good luck using it with trolling motors. It should be interesting to see what kind of results I get with the rc prop, this controller and increase in voltage.

Anyone have any luck using a fairing on the shaft of a trolling motor to cut through water better or does it make steering a pain?
 
I just did a Minn Kota C2. The 30lb thrust freshwater version. I pulled out the switch that goes down to the resistor pack and wired in the ESC directly to the motor. I started with a Hobbywing QUICRUN 1060 Brushed ESC for $20 from Ebay that seemed to work great with a "servo tester" for $1.50 also from Ebay. Then it started over heating after 30 min because in was all closed up in the minn kotas upper housing. I decided to get the bigger ESC Hobbywing Quickrun RC QUICRUN WP 860 DUAL BRUSHED. Mainly because I wanted to use a 4s Lipo set up but also because it is beefier. Then I drilled vent holes and installed a CPU fan and a little fan directly on the ESC that came with the bigger HobbyWing ESC. Now it seems to be happy even in 90 degree weather for 2 hours at a time.

I was using a 10X6 RC prop (wood or glass composite because the plain plastic ones bend and stop working properly) but they really seem to catch anything in the water. Weeds, plastic, anything. Now I am running the original prop and it is much better at untangling itself from the weeds.

Definitely a HUGE improvement from resistor speed control and Lead Acid batteries! I really like being able to use 2s-4s lipo and have even built a 20AH 18650 4S pack for it. I use the setup to push my Chesapeake Light Craft Northeaster Dory http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/wooden-sailboat-kits/northeaster-dory-rowing-sailing-kit.html

You don't want to over volt Minn Kota brushed motors too much. They will melt for sure
 
nioko said:
Hey Todd, did you have any progress in your project? I'm curious about the results..

I ended up getting a general purpose pwm controller from Amazon. This one:

http://www.amazon.com/RioRand-7-60V...id=1440295946&sr=8-15&keywords=pwm+controller

I have had it hooked up and tested it, just not on the canoe in water yet. I'm hoping to get it out within the next week or so.

Current said:
I just did a Minn Kota C2. The 30lb thrust freshwater version. I pulled out the switch that goes down to the resistor pack and wired in the ESC directly to the motor. I started with a Hobbywing QUICRUN 1060 Brushed ESC for $20 from Ebay that seemed to work great with a "servo tester" for $1.50 also from Ebay. Then it started over heating after 30 min because in was all closed up in the minn kotas upper housing. I decided to get the bigger ESC Hobbywing Quickrun RC QUICRUN WP 860 DUAL BRUSHED. Mainly because I wanted to use a 4s Lipo set up but also because it is beefier. Then I drilled vent holes and installed a CPU fan and a little fan directly on the ESC that came with the bigger HobbyWing ESC. Now it seems to be happy even in 90 degree weather for 2 hours at a time.

I was using a 10X6 RC prop (wood or glass composite because the plain plastic ones bend and stop working properly) but they really seem to catch anything in the water. Weeds, plastic, anything. Now I am running the original prop and it is much better at untangling itself from the weeds.

Definitely a HUGE improvement from resistor speed control and Lead Acid batteries! I really like being able to use 2s-4s lipo and have even built a 20AH 18650 4S pack for it. I use the setup to push my Chesapeake Light Craft Northeaster Dory http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/wooden-sailboat-kits/northeaster-dory-rowing-sailing-kit.html

You don't want to over volt Minn Kota brushed motors too much. They will melt for sure

I'm surprised by some of that. It looks like most people are using the plastic props when they modify their trolling motors. Are you using yours in salt water? Maybe the larger, heavier boat you have has something to do with it? I, of course, purchased the plastic props. Actually, I don't know if they are plastic or the glass composite. Time will tell I suppose.

As for voltage. After doing a lot of reading online it looks like a lot of people are overvolting them with great results. Again, I suppose time will tell, if I burn it up that's the way it goes I suppose. At least they are cheap. :D
 
I did the exact same thing only with a small Kelly 24 VDC brushed controller and a 24 volt 82 lbs Motorguide trolling motor.
I removed the original handlebar and the 'resistor burning' speed switch. Instead I mounted a aluminium plate in the housing on which I bolted the controller. Installed a 24v fan inside the housing where the original handlebar used to be and drilled some ventilation holes in the back to create a airflow throught the controller housing.

And I always thought the handlebar on trolling motors was positioned too high if you are setting on the stern (above shoulder height, or you had to drop the motor 1 meter below to drop the handlebar which is then tricky when in shallow waters.)
So I also fixed a joint on the motorshaft to attach a new handlebar to a lower more comfortable position.
On the end of this 'tiltable' wooden handlebar I clamped a hall type throttle (from a electric scooter/moped) to give the Kelly some variable speed input. Nice thing about the Kelly controller is that you are able to easily change parameters with the free Kelly software.

Energy supply is 24V (8S) LiFePo4 75 Ah battery.

Works like a charm and very pleased with the results!

Link to Kelly controller ->
http://kellycontroller.com/kds36100e100a24v-36v-mini-brushed-controller-p-270.html
 
I am trying to understand why your going through your batteries in less then a year ? Not knowing what battery your using and how much you draw it down it's not possible to understand the problem.....

As far as a PWM controller I have the Minn Kota 45 Endura max which has a PWM controller in it already. I am running a walmart 29 series deep cycle battery and have been for more then 3 years now. I normally don't draw the battery down below a 80% charge and in rare conditions never below 50%...... How far are you taken your battery down to ? Also while storing the battery do you trickle charge it or just charge it once a month ? These simple guidelines have a great deal to due with how long a battery life is....

Or maybe I am having this long battery life because I am using solar panels to keep the battery charged ?

Here is my project and I am always looking for feed back to improve my solar boat. Lithium batteries are a future dream battery for me but till then Lead Acid is all I have to work with.

Tommy
Serenity Solar Canoe
https://sites.google.com/site/serenitysolarcanoe/
 
tomcat58 said:
I am trying to understand why your going through your batteries in less then a year ? Not knowing what battery your using and how much you draw it down it's not possible to understand the problem.....

As far as a PWM controller I have the Minn Kota 45 Endura max which has a PWM controller in it already. I am running a walmart 29 series deep cycle battery and have been for more then 3 years now. I normally don't draw the battery down below a 80% charge and in rare conditions never below 50%...... How far are you taken your battery down to ? Also while storing the battery do you trickle charge it or just charge it once a month ? These simple guidelines have a great deal to due with how long a battery life is....

Or maybe I am having this long battery life because I am using solar panels to keep the battery charged ?

Here is my project and I am always looking for feed back to improve my solar boat. Lithium batteries are a future dream battery for me but till then Lead Acid is all I have to work with.

Tommy
Serenity Solar Canoe
https://sites.google.com/site/serenitysolarcanoe/

I wasn't really asking about the batteries but I was killing around one battery per year before because it was a typical flooded lead acid battery that I wasn't taking very good care of. Back when I first started using a trolling motor on the canoe I would run the battery down too far and no, I wouldn't trickle charge it over the winter. That's not my biggest issue with it though. The big problem is weight. It sucks using that big of a battery in a canoe.
 
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