ePropulsion Spirit 1 EVO hydrogenerator in YM

Ningaloo

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I am thinking of buying an electric outbound, probably the ePropulsion Spirit.
Interested in finding out more about the EVO version featured in Feb YM "new kit" section. Sounds like this adds hydrogenerator abilities. I'm wondering if this means that you can hang it off your transom like a Watt & Sea generator. Having something that combines propulsion for the tender and electrical power (even if only to recharge itself) sounds like the way forward.
Can't find any more details anywhere online...
 

Frogmogman

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Was this in the Feb 2020 edition ? Can’t find the article.

I couldn’t find any reference to hydrogeneration with this motor on a quick surf around the net either, though solar charging did get a mention.
 

lustyd

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This will be amazing if it can charge the mothership, it's pricey but for a hydrogen that wouldn't be bad value
 

nestawayboats

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The new Spirit EVO model was meant to be "press embargoed" until next week, when Dusseldorf Boat Show would have been... it does seem to have leaked out a bit. Perhaps whoever sent the press release to YM did not make the embargo clear.

So yes, can confirm there is a new EVO version of the Spirit 1kW electric outboard coming, first few into UK in March. It shares much with the (continuing) PLUS model, including the battery, but has "regen" or hydrogeneration, and a couple of other new features like a removable (rather than foldable) tiller that's interchangeable with a remote control.

As identified in one of the other posts the regen starts above 4 knots, with tank test results showing:
- 50W at 4.3 knots
- 140W at 6 knots
- 260W at 8 knots
- 360W at 10 knots, above which it cuts out

Hanging it off a yacht's transom or bathing platform as an alternative to one of the dedicated water generators is definitely (and intended as) a possibility. Obviously the bracket it goes on will have to be strong enough and secured into something strong enough to take the load. The EVO model will be about £300 more than the PLUS - £1975 for the S shaft version with a tiller - but viewed in the context of being an outboard motor AND an electricity generator one might say it starts to look like quite good value. (A quick Google shows the Watt & Sea for example at £3500. It does have the ability to generate more power at lower speeds, but it is completely useless as an outboard!)

As standard the EVO will charge up its own battery, which - also correctly identified in another post - is 48V. But at some point (not in the March shipment) there will be an optional 12V output attachment for the Spirit battery, so that you can use it to charge your yacht's 12V system. You won't have to be charging it at the same time, so it also effectively means the Spirit battery becomes a 9kg power pack, roughly equivalent to 200Ah of 12V lead acid batteries (based on never draining lead acid more than 50%). One useful application of that might be you can run a fishfinder or coolbox on board your dinghy or dayboat, without the need to carry any other batteries.

On the power output then. We find in yacht tender applications people are typically using 300-400Wh per day, often less, unless going on a longer dinghy exploration trip upriver. For a lot of sailors if they hang their EVO off the transom while sailing that would mean their day's sailing puts back their morning/evening outboard usage. On longer trips there will be a net power gain, that could be put back into the yacht's battery bank, or at least should keep up with ongoing power demand. When I sailed across the Atlantic on a Rustler 31, towing an Aquair 100 generator (a lethal propeller on a long bit of rope), at an average of 5.6 knots, the max 100W output was actually more power than we could use. Rather than risk life and limb by dragging the propeller in when the batteries were fully charged, we often ran with the fridge turned up to max and the lid off, spilling a bit of welcome cold air into the cabin! That was 20 years ago and with a very basic yacht, I guess nowadays many yachts would need more power. But by fortunate coincidence the larger yachts with greater power demands will also tend to be faster, so generate more power. If you have a 40 footer averaging 6 knots that would mean the EVO generates over 3kWh per (24h) day, or 280Ah at 12V.

If you don't need the regen feature then the standard Spirit PLUS continues.

Ian, Nestaway Boats Ltd
 

Ningaloo

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Thanks Ian, I am sorry if I broke the embargo by my initial post but I guess it was YM that exposed things first.
You may recall that I contacted you a while ago about an ePropulsion Spirit outboard for my new boat and this only makes it more attractive.
Lots of questions about the potential of actually charging the house batteries from it!
I look forward to finding out more in due course.
 

Ningaloo

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Did you decide to go for it in the end, @Ningaloo?
Yes, got this and it fits my needs well for my 2.6m aerodeck tender.
It doesn't quite match a 3hp petrol engine for power or top speed but it is quite adequate and the silence in operation more than compensates.
The main benefits are the removal of petrol aboard and making it easier to transfer the motor to and from the tender. Because the battery is removable each part is easy to lift. It also helps that the shaft is not oily from 2-stroke exhaust and not hot enough to burn.
The regen capabilities are untested as I have not found a way to attach the motor shaft to my yacht transom. I will give this another try next season as ePropulsion have announced the introduction of a power splitter for the battery and Nestaway have suggested that the tiller does not need to be attached when in regen mode which will make it easier to mount on the transom.
I have been recharging the battery from shore power on my rare visits to marinas or from 12V when the diesel is running or I have sufficient solar.
 

KompetentKrew

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The regen capabilities are untested as I have not found a way to attach the motor shaft to my yacht transom. I will give this another try next season as ePropulsion have announced the introduction of a power splitter for the battery and Nestaway have suggested that the tiller does not need to be attached when in regen mode which will make it easier to mount on the transom.
Thanks very much. It's the regen capabilities that appeal to me.

I only glanced at Nestaway's site out of curiosity to see the prices, after @Pete7 expressed his interest in another thread today about e-outboard battery storage. I did a double-take when I saw that I could charge my yacht's battery using the Spirit EVO, as I had previously been contemplating a Watt & Sea.
 
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Ningaloo

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Thanks very much. It's the regen capabilities that appeal to me.
I had hoped to make use of this, especially for overnight passages when I don't have solar. If I sail at 7kts I thought I might get up to 200W.
ePropulsion have only just announced the battery splitter cable that will allow this. Nestaway have suggested that the tiller does not need to be connected for regen which will partially resolve my issue mounting the Evo shaft on the transom (the tiller would otherwise mean it would need a bracket offset by the tiller length).
Nestaway have also confirmed that the 48V ePropulsion battery can be used to recharge the 12V service bank via a DC-DC converter such as a Victron Orion. This could help me at night when I don't have solar.
I am planning to get a 160W folding solar mat next season which I can also use to recharge the 48V battery directly without affecting the service bank.
 

Frogmogman

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I’ve just ordered an ePropulsion 1.0 Spirit evo, along with a 3D superlight 290 tender.

I’ll be interested to see how you get on with the splitter and regen set up.
 

PeterWright

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Hi,

This does look a very attractive product.

I'm a bit mystified by the "1 kW, and 3 hp equivalent" statement in the article. When I was at school, 1 hp was 746 W and I don't think it's changed since then so 1 kW is 1.34 hp.

If Ian's about perhaps he would explain.

Peter.
 
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