2-6 Volt Batteries In Series Instead Of 1-12 Volt (Update!! )

[J Francho]

Depends on the motor. Some have a power optimizer that basically uses short pulses to run the prop, which drains less than a steady draw. You get what you pay for.

[Way2slow]

A 12 volt TM is not more efficient than a 24 volt, it's just the opposite, a 24 volt motor is approx 25% more efficient that a 12 volt, and a 36 volt is more efficient than a 24. The higher the voltage the more efficient the motor.

Then as J Francho mentioned, for the longest run times you need to get a Motor with PWM or similar type circuit. They do nothing for increasing run time on max speed, but you will see benefits at below max speed, and at 50% and slower, they make a big difference. These are the motors with variable speed control, on not the preset numbers.

[Way2slow]

I guess if you really wanted to do something, build you a regen circuit for your TM. Then figure out someway to make the prop spin when drifting, and let it be charging the battery. Figure this one out and the patent would be worth a fortune. DC motors become generators when free spinning.

[J Francho]

Live off the grid, man!

[james 14]

Umm...am I missing something or are you under the impression that you are going to replace your 4 12v batteries with 4 6v batteries? You will, in fact, need 8 6v batteries to replace 4 12v batteries.

[james 14]

My reasoning for doing this is for me to get wher I'd like to go in the reservoir that I primarily fish I'd need to add 2 more to my already 4 so that would make 6-12s that Id be carrying. If I can double the run time just by switching over to 6s plus stay with 4 batteries instead of 6-12s that would be awesome.

I'm running a 18' extra wide Jon boat with home built decks so the boat is heavy and eats batteries while we're traveling. Like I said when I'm fishing Im running the bow mount, and they last all day.

 

Bolded and underlined. You will not be staying with 4 batteries.

[MDBowHunter]

Bolded and underlined. You will not be staying with 4 batteries.

I have 2 -12 volt 55 lb motors and I take 2 12 volt batteries for each motor, Im changing batteries after 2.5 hours. If I change to a 6 volt system, I'll need 2-6s per motor. Which is still 4 batteries total in the rear of my boat, and I'll get 6.5 hours run time. If I stay with a 12 volt system I would need to take 6-12s to get the same run time,!thats 3 per motor with 2 swaps.

[james 14]

Okay that makes sense. Didn't want you to get your wires crossed

[MDBowHunter]

For all the naysayers I'm darn glad I went my own direction instead of listening to you guys:

Ok for the record I purchased 4 interstate GC batteries and a smart charger through my buddy, the batteries and charger was a total of $400 combined. I took the boat out for its maiden voyage with the new battery setup. I left the bow mount folded up all day and ran exclusively on my two 12 volt 55 lb transom mounts hooked to 4-6 volt batteries, just to get an honest evaluation. Also something to keep in mind there was a 5 to 10 mph wind all day, and when I got home and hooked the batteries to the charger, they all still had 71% charge left on them. So if any of you guys are looking to go further and longer with out swapping out batteries try going this route, I spent a total of $420 counting the jumper wire that's needed to run the 6 volt batteries in series. Where as it would've costed me more to go with enough 12 volt batteries to have the same run time. So this is a success and will change my fishing a ton, for the one or two guys who actually said this was a good idea thank you, as for the naysayers next time don't be so quick to tell someone something your not really sure about yourself.

[MDBowHunter]

Also to be completely transparent: I ran approx 4hrs with both motors cranked all the way up and the rest of the time was bumping around on about the 2 or 3 power setting.

[LuckyGia]

I have 2 -12 volt 55 lb motors and I take 2 12 volt batteries for each motor, Im changing batteries after 2.5 hours. If I change to a 6 volt system, I'll need 2-6s per motor. Which is still 4 batteries total in the rear of my boat, and I'll get 6.5 hours run time. If I stay with a 12 volt system I would need to take 6-12s to get the same run time,!thats 3 per motor with 2 swaps.

??? I have a 12v tm with two 12v batteries. I can run 12 hours without a recharge.

Am I reading correctly that you are only getting 2.5 hours out of a charge ?

And it is why I chose my Smokercraft because the tm batteries are up front with the tm.

No extra weight in the back

[MDBowHunter]

??? I have a 12v tm with two 12v batteries. I can run 12 hours without a recharge.

Am I reading correctly that you are only getting 2.5 hours out of a charge ?

And it is why I chose my Smokercraft because the tm batteries are up front with the tm.

No extra weight in the back

I'm not sure what your trying to say here, but if you read all of the post you'll see that this is an all electric boat with 2-12 volt 55# thrust transom motors for travel and one bow mount 70# thrust motor that is in use while fishing. A standard 12 volt battery has 105 amp hours and a 55 at full blast draws 40 amazing hours which equals roughly 2.5 hours of use.

My bow mount runs on 2-12s hooked up and n series in the front also, but this has nothing to do with the run time with my transoms

[Way2slow]

OK, just so you understand, you are somewhat correct on your math, but you failed to account for a couple of other variables. That 105 Ah rating for the TM battery is on a 20 hour rating, meaning they are only using about a five amp load, and the battery will last 20 hours before being fully discharged. As the load on a battery increase, efficiency decreases, so when you start drawing the 35 - 40 amps the TM is at full power, that so called 105 Ah battery becomes about a 70 Ah battery

Many GC batteries are rated on a much lower scale, they don't usually use that useless 20 hour rating. So, to get the same run time as the two 210 Ah, GC batteries, it would probably take closer to three 105 Ah TM batteries to match the two GC batteries.

In my post, I was not trying to say you should not try it, I was just trying to make sure you were aware of what was involved and the potential cost. I know a guy that's running two 36 volt TMs on six GC batteries.

[snapperd1]

As a fellow Md fisherman I ran a boat for years exactly how you described.  3 12 volt motors two on the transom and one on the bow.  I ran mine on 4 6volt batteries.  It is rather complicated but I hooked two togeter in series to make 2 large 12 volt batteries then hooked the big 12 volt batteries together in parrell to make on large 12 volt battery.  I had all 3 motors running off of the one large battery pack.  It would run like this all day long and could be charged with 1 12 volt charger.  It took a long time to charge but it did work.  Glad it worked out for you. 

[WPCfishing]

I bought a new 55 pound thrust MK Endura Max.. Huge difference over my 1-5 click 46 pound thrust Endura. I have more power and it draws less ah. Depending on my day out fishing I'll use a series 24 deep cycle battery or my series 29 deep cycle or both. Last season I had a few days out where I drained the 24 battery and had to paddle in. That problem has been solved.

The other addition I made was a front and rear anchor system. Keeps me planted and I'm not wasting battery life or fishing time. I'm aware the 29 will try to charge the 24 if the 24 drains down while I'm out there. To date this has not occurred. I also used tin coated copper 6 gauge wire for my leads with red Anderson connectors and MK 60 amp circuit breakers.

 

If anyone out there knows if the 2 different batteries can or will cause damage to the motor let me know.