Homemade Electric Outboard

A

Andrew_Trayfoot

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11 Oct 2007
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Take:
1 x knackered Mariner 3.3 Outboard
1 x 800w 36v Scooter motor/controller/twist grip
1 x 12Ah Lithium battery

Result 1 electric outboard

Speed about 3 knots
Range about 3 miles (roughly 2 return trips to my mooring)

Cost
£240 - £250 (approx.)

Video on YouTube


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I have been looking at doing much the same with an old Seagull, I have the rough drawings but don’t have the w/shop facilities to make the parts, so haven’t really progressed, but it’s great to seem that someone else has been thinking along these lines and actually achieved a result.
 
The only workshop tool I used was a piller drill for the holes in the aluminium blocks below the motor. Could have done that with a hand drill if I was carful.
 
Interesting project.
For comparison, my Bison 68 is rated at about 700w and pushes my tender at around 3.2kt.
The Bison is fairly cheap (mine was £100 secondhand but even new they're only about £150 I think).
Being a 12v system I had to use a 60Ah battery (£280 from Sterling Power) which in theory gives one hour at full power.

So the OP's project was c.£240 + a dead outboard, for a 430Wh system.
Mine was £380 for a 720Wh system.

The massive advantage of what the OP has done is that his donor outboard is actually robust and designed to cope with daily marine use, whereas my Bison is falling apart...
 
I have had a different focus but similar technology

Making a hydro generator - producing power on passage - as per a WattnSea.

There is no need for the battery pack - every yacht has one.

I'm lacking the fundamental part - the dead outboard and without the outboard .......? As mentioned it is ideal having, presumably, been designed to be used in the marine environment. Another option would be a dead sail drive - but they might not very common :)

Lots of sources of 'electric windings' to convert the power from the prop

There would be a need to keep the 'electric windings' component dry as swell would be a real, and possibly the major, issue.

I did suggest to a wannabe electric outboard manufacturer here in Oz that they looked at the concept - but if fell on deaf ears.

Jonathan
 
as often outboards get dropped in the drink when transferring to and from a tender can the elec motor be resurrected like a petrol engine could.....
 
UK-WOOZY said:
as often outboards get dropped in the drink when transferring to and from a tender can the elec motor be resurrected like a petrol engine could.....
Click to expand...

Now that is an interesting question? In fact given that outboards generally generate spray (and the innards of outboards corrode) how do you keep corrosion at bay.

Jonathan
 
Neeves said:
Now that is an interesting question? In fact given that outboards generally generate spray (and the innards of outboards corrode) how do you keep corrosion at bay.

Jonathan
Click to expand...
We will have to wait an see on that one...
The first time I tested was in 15kts gusting 20 in my face. The bit of spary I did get was over the front not at the back....

Now I know it works I will plug a few holes in the enclosure.
I may also shrink wrap most of connectors and replace the main batter connector with a waterproof one...
 
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