Awesome thread with a huge amount of info, I have finally taken the time to read the entire thing (over 3 days) as I have a mountain of question I was hoping to post & wanted to read it all first!
Thanks to pro10is and everyone else who has contributed!
I bought my second TI (finally a newer model with vantage seats!!) 6 months ago which luckily came with a Torqeedo 403 with the 532watt battery.
Some photos:
Some questions and findings:
I definitely think it would be good to have the 915watt, unfortunately its AU$1500 locally compared to AU$1000 overseas...I need to investigate if anyone is willing to ship one from US to get it for cheaper. I feel the 532 is barely enough spare capacity for me.
I like to hold off using the motor as much as possible during a days outing, and then on the return home I use it at quite high speeds, because its my emergency/backup during the day, and then at the end of the sail I don't need it anymore so I use up the power. Not the most efficient thing but it works well generally. Often I return back to the boat ramp with 30-40% capacity left. However on days where conditions were dreadful (probably shouldn't have been out in the TI), ~15-20 knot winds, chop and swell, I can easily deplete the entire battery earlier than I would like.
I got a USB adapter from Torqeedo which plugs into the battery charter input, and charges a phone
It was about $20.
1. Does anyone know a cheaper way than the Torqeedo solar, to achieve a solar charging that can be done whilst out at sea/on expeditions, particularly for the 915watt?
2. Mine often throws error codes, right when I least need them, E03/E04 every now and then, I just tilt and untilt and seems to work again, E30 - this one annoys me, data connection error between battery & motor? E45 - battery overcurrent, I had this a lot early on but now I have discharged my battery a few times completely, and charged it again, it seems to have settled down.
3. I have the shock cord to hold the tilt-down so if I hit a hard object it won't snap it off, but it does thrust up on reverse, should I just make the cord a lot tighter?
4. I removed the prop to clean it and check it, does it need any loctite or just standard tighten the nut? Does the brass look corroded?
5. Steering using the connection to the rudder by a spring and elastic cord, works OK in light conditions but sometimes the motor spins out of control sideways in currents/swell. Is this the motor cavitation?
I'm thinking of securing it straight and not using the motor to steer and instead just relying on the rudder, but not sure how, any advice? Does it go fine having the motor secured straight and steering rudder-only?
6. The motor on the pole often twists in the water in rough conditions and ends up sideways, slightly out of the water. I know someone has drilled the tube to install threaded bolts to stop this (Photo - not mine, but my friends!:
is this recommended or any other way?
7. Any tips on how to make a fairing similar to the Yakima Windjammer, I can't find one in Australia
I saw someone found a cavitation plate for another torqeedo model, maybe the 503.., can that be used for this one?
8. Is it ok to WD-40 all connectors? I am getting some corosion. I am even getting corosion in the port where I plug the charger in to the battery.
9. Mine is mounted at the rear similar to pro10is, but it is hard to pull the rudder all the way up, at best I often only get it half up unless I turn the steering really tight so it misses the pole. I'm wondering if it is better mounted to the side of the boat right behind the rear seat? I feel it isn't deep enough at the rear, if I get up from the rear seat and go sit on the tramp, the motor isn't in enough water and can't work. The bit which sits on the ball I think needs tightening, I'm actually worried sometimes the whole thing is going to fall out while I am sailing because I can't tighten the nut a lot to get the shaft to grip in to that connection:
I somehow need to make the mount tighter/more secure.
10. Do i need to rinse the motor in freshwater after use?