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Old 04-02-2025, 03:06   #1
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Electric Outboard - Battery Attached or Separate - what is better

I didn't see any similar threads and in 2025 it would be good to know what is best...so...

Battery on the motor or separate - what is better?, are there examples?

In both cases the battery has to get charged somehow, this may mean removal and back on the mother ship.

There may be advantages to "on the motor", what are they?

I've only had battery separate from the motor, so here is my contribution...

-More possibilities to buy a cheaper outboard
-More possibilities to buy a cheaper battery
-More possibilities and easier to have battery extended range, eg, a bigger or 2nd battery.
-less error code trauma after a couple of years
-possibly more reliable battery and easier to get a new battery
-More possibilities to charge using the mother ship charging infrastructure
-Can be integrated with the house bank when ocean crossing, a huge plus, just buy an outboard with the same voltage as the house bank.

Ok, so what is an example...
I previously had a Torqeedo cruise 2 which has a separate battery.

My suggestion is the Haswing brand. (I haven't bought one yet so no actual experience)
-Sold in many countries
-Many different models in 12 and 24v
-Many different models in thrust, up to 160 pounds
-very positive feedback

and the battery...
-I made my own 24v 100ah weighing 16kg in briefcase form with bmv712 monitor

-You could probably make a 50ah weighing 10kg
-easy to transport from the dinghy
-if you buy a drop-in then you could put it in a strong cool bag for transport, but this would not be ideal

any thoughts....
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Old 05-02-2025, 20:27   #2
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Re: Electric Outboard - Battery Attached or Separate - what is better

Another important point that gets overlooked with integral batteries like for e–propulsion spirit and Torqeedo travel is that they use dangerous non lifepo4 batteries, which is ok in the dinghy but you then bring them onboard to charge. Charging is the most fire risk time and it’s done onboard the mothership.

I use the term dangerous loosely of course, but don’t forget that you put lifepo4 on your boat for safety reasons as it’s the only no fire risk battery and then charge a fire risk outboard battery often on your bed!

That’s why an outboard motor capable of using a seperate battery is the preferred solution
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Old 06-02-2025, 00:30   #3
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Re: Electric Outboard - Battery Attached or Separate - what is better

Your comment “less error code trauma after a couple of years” should be explained for people who are not familiar with this on the most common removable battery motors: ePropulsion and Torqueedo. They both use the same multi-pin plug to connect battery to motor to allow removal, and the connectors corrode in salt air. Strict maintenance using spray protectant is needed as the holes are too small to clean after corrosion so the connection must be cut and rewired. They’re great when new, but unreliable long term at sea.
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Old 06-02-2025, 02:18   #4
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Re: Electric Outboard - Battery Attached or Separate - what is better

Fuss,
I'm following the same path as you.

I wish to avoid to be linked to Torqueedo or e-propulsion when the battery will need to be replaced. And the chemistry used is dangerous as you've also pointed out.
My new boat is 24V
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ct-285945.html

I think also that the outboard batteries can be considered as spare for the house bat in case of failure.
You've built a very big battery, I think more of getting 2x50AH 24v ones, so we can use one while loading the other, and eventually bring both for a long trip. Then the tricky thing with LFP batteries is that we should not let these resting fully charged.
We can find today LFP drop-in batteries for trolling motor, with dry case, but almost all of them are 12v.

Motor : Haswing is also certainly my choice. Brushless motor is good argument. I'm hesitating between those 2 :

https://haswingoutdoor.com/products/...-motor-3-0-24v
and
https://haswingoutdoor.com/products/...-motor-2-0-24v

the 24v 3.0 with gearbox and safety lanyard is cheaper than the 2.0, si there certainly something I'm missing.
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Old 06-02-2025, 08:47   #5
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Re: Electric Outboard - Battery Attached or Separate - what is better

Those particular Haswings have one of the same problems Torqeedo & EProp, podded motors where the seals need to be regularly maintained.

Consider Hangkai or an Elco with the motor out of the water. Downside is they’re 48v.
https://www.amazon.com/Electric-48V-...Y2hfYXRm&psc=1
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Old 06-02-2025, 10:57   #6
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Re: Electric Outboard - Battery Attached or Separate - what is better

The Elco 48v weighs 30kg and with battery costs 8000€
The Hankai has a bad reputation
Do you have any experience with these?
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Old 06-02-2025, 11:11   #7
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Re: Electric Outboard - Battery Attached or Separate - what is better

Quote:
Originally Posted by Meaban View Post
Fuss,
I'm following the same path as you.

I wish to avoid to be linked to Torqueedo or e-propulsion when the battery will need to be replaced. And the chemistry used is dangerous as you've also pointed out.
My new boat is 24V
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ct-285945.html

I think also that the outboard batteries can be considered as spare for the house bat in case of failure.
You've built a very big battery, I think more of getting 2x50AH 24v ones, so we can use one while loading the other, and eventually bring both for a long trip. Then the tricky thing with LFP batteries is that we should not let these resting fully charged.
We can find today LFP drop-in batteries for trolling motor, with dry case, but almost all of them are 12v.

Motor : Haswing is also certainly my choice. Brushless motor is good argument. I'm hesitating between those 2 :

https://haswingoutdoor.com/products/...-motor-3-0-24v
and
https://haswingoutdoor.com/products/...-motor-2-0-24v

the 24v 3.0 with gearbox and safety lanyard is cheaper than the 2.0, si there certainly something I'm missing.
I also don’t know what the difference is that makes the model 3 cheaper, but I would take the more powerful model 3. It’s a bit more noisy and slightly heavier at 8kg.

The comments about pod motors needing seal maintenance might be true but I did not read anywhere that this is a problem. My old Torqeedo cruise 2 never leaked at the pod.

In Amazon.de there are 50ah 24v Li time batteries with Bluetooth for Trolling engines for 235€ at the moment there are 13 left.
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Old 06-02-2025, 11:35   #8
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Re: Electric Outboard - Battery Attached or Separate - what is better

Elco 9.9 is $3450 plus $790 for a 48v-60Ahr LiFePo with charger.
https://www.amazon.com/Lithium-Batte...37&sr=8-4&th=1

Of course that's in the US so yeah, you probably are looking at twice the cost in the EU.

My research says the Hangkai longevity is mixed. The two things I know are:
A. The bottom unit doesn't come greased so you should do that yourself before use.
B. For $230 I'm willing to try it out.

Or I would look at a Newport L, $270, 65lb thrust, 12v.
https://www.amazon.com/Newport-Vesse...75&sr=8-9&th=1

For trolling motors in general, the stock props are usually weedless wedges designed for acceleration, not best speed/efficiency.

Kipawa props offer replacements geared towards speed and efficiency.
https://www.kipawapropellers.com/

To replace the prop on a Newport or other off brand you would need to find the closest match to a MinnKota or Motorguide. If you wanted to risk $37 you could judiciously use heat and bend the blades to a higher pitch and get a bit more speed.

My feeling about electric motors is that they should be 12v or 48v. Either get the most common voltage now (12v) or go 48v because that's what the industry is going to long term.
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Old 06-02-2025, 11:44   #9
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Re: Electric Outboard - Battery Attached or Separate - what is better

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fuss View Post
...

The comments about pod motors needing seal maintenance might be true but I did not read anywhere that this is a problem. My old Torqeedo cruise 2 never leaked at the pod.

....
This member in another electric dinghy thread had unpleasant things to say about the Torq and Eprop based on experience by a rally floatilla. Didn't say the problem was seals, just that they failed or had very serious problems.
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...ml#post3968965
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Old 06-02-2025, 12:04   #10
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Re: Electric Outboard - Battery Attached or Separate - what is better

I have a snowblower that can run on two of these 36v 12Ah power tool battery packs:

https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-40...12A1/319250688

432 watt-hours each. 864 total. At present, I have somewhat smaller Ah rated batteries because they were available at the time I bought it. I believe the snowblower is inverter driven (not sure), if not it could be. The batteries go in series so there's 72 volts at the inverter, probably at around 50 amps sustained.

There are similar, higher quality battery packs, with suitable chargers, being sold by all major power tool brands and many smaller players, at high-volume consumer-product prices. This is a solved problem in the marketplace. In wet environments, the batteries typically sit inside some sort of sealed housing so they stay dry. I have a transfer pump like this.

The solved problem includes all the cell balancing and protection logic, thermal supervision, a durable connector, a reasonably well thought out attachment system and latch, and an aftermarket that will replace cells in older packs. And various charging alternatives that include thermal supervision, fans to cool the pack during charging, and a variety of input voltages including 120, 220, and 12vdc.

I keep waiting for outboards to show up that use these. Electric outboards are cheap to manufacture. The money is in the batteries.

Maybe I'll get my engineering friends together and start a gofundme.
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Old 06-02-2025, 14:07   #11
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Re: Electric Outboard - Battery Attached or Separate - what is better

I just did a search for Haswing pod o–rings they cost 5€ for a set and they are easy to replace.
Finding these seals for the others is not so easy.
I think there is no pod seal leakage problems with the Haswing and so far in this thread … no pushback… which seems to show that the Haswing style of outboard is the way to go.
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Old 08-02-2025, 07:57   #12
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Re: Electric Outboard - Battery Attached or Separate - what is better

Another issue reported frequently is the quality of connectors between battery and motor. Seems that Anderson connectors are prone to corrosion. I'm looking for a better solution IP67.
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Old 08-02-2025, 08:52   #13
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Re: Electric Outboard - Battery Attached or Separate - what is better

Quote:
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Another issue reported frequently is the quality of connectors between battery and motor. Seems that Anderson connectors are prone to corrosion. I'm looking for a better solution IP67.
If you have genuine ones, they don’t corrode …at least mine don’t. I spray them with bicycle chain grease, the sort of non too greasy one. They get salt water spray but never sit in sea water.
Sitting in salt water is absolutely not ok.
Make sure the crimps are perfect and the heat shrink is watertight.

If you get non genuine ones then you might get corrosion problems.
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Old 08-02-2025, 10:54   #14
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Re: Electric Outboard - Battery Attached or Separate - what is better

As much a I want one, electric dingy outboards just don't seem ready for prime time.

The wife has very few dictates, but more than one outboard is one of them. Thus we stick with our EFI 4 stroke Suzuki.
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Old 08-02-2025, 11:54   #15
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Re: Electric Outboard - Battery Attached or Separate - what is better

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As much a I want one, electric dingy outboards just don't seem ready for prime time.

The wife has very few dictates, but more than one outboard is one of them. Thus we stick with our EFI 4 stroke Suzuki.
Absolutely, I have a 9.8 as well. I would never have no possibility to do 20+ knots.
But when you don’t need the gas outboard then the electric works fine…you just have to go ashore and the shore is just a few hundred meters away.

So they are ready for prime time, as long as your 2nd outboard is gas.

Get yourself the electric she‘ll soon accept 2.
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