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PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 6:28 am 
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I'll try to answer your questions:

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?
You do not need to use Torqeedo's solar accessories, every solar component you can imagine exists elsewhere at less cost. Solar components are used for so many applications that the market is flooded with them. You decide what you want and then source the components from one of many suppliers.

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.
That's a lot of error codes. I used to get E04 (tilt) once in a while but I sent my unit back to Torqeedo offseason and they fixed it for free. E30 is probably caused by an intermittent bad connection, clean the connections to the battery and motor, and keep them dry. E45 can happen if the prop gets tangled in weeds or other obstructions but should disappear after the prop is cleared.

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?
You can use a tighter or stronger shock cord. However, if it thrusts up on reverse, simply use a bit less power. But it won't hurt anything when it thrusts up, and it will still reverse just fine.

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?
You can use blue Loctite, but the instructions don't require it. You can polish the brass if it bothers you, but it's fine as is.

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?
No, it's the sideways force of the currents/swells. I now recommend that the motor simply be fixed in position. There is no need or real advantage to having the motor turn with the rudder.

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?
The motor mount allows it to be fixed in position using the holes which accept a screw or pin to hold it in place. It works fine simply using the rudder to steer the boat.

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.
I drilled through the top of the mount and the shaft and then tapped the bottom of the mount. Then I inserted a stainless screw to fix the shaft in place. If you don't want to tap it, simply drill all the way through and use a nut on the bottom.

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?

You don't really need the Yakima Windjammer or any other anti-cavitation plate, this helps slightly, but it's more trouble than what it's worth. I've found that it's best to keep everything as simple as possible.

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.
I would not recommend WD-40 for electrical connections, it won't last. Instead, use Dielectric Grease which is specifically designed for this purpose.

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.

Yes, the rudder needs to be turned a bit to get it all the way up but even if it hits the pole and comes up only halfway, that is enough for when you're on the water or launching/retrieving. When transporting, you can very easily fix the rudder all the way up.

I would not go through all the trouble mounting the motor on the side of the boat. That'll be a lot of work for no real advantage. If you think the prop isn't deep enough, you can make a bracket to adjust the depth. I can show you how to do this. But if the prop isn't cavitating, it's deep enough.

The ball mount works fine, in five years mine has never come loose. Don't be afraid to really tighten the screws and use blue Loctite to keep them tight.

10. Do i need to rinse the motor in freshwater after use?
No, not at all.

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.

Try Defender Marine. They may ship to Australia. You can contact them here.


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 6:57 am 
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Thanks so much for your reply, and all the contribution you've made for the Torqeedos!

I drilled through the top of the mount and the shaft and then tapped the bottom of the mount. Then I inserted a stainless screw to fix the shaft in place. If you don't want to tap it, simply drill all the way through and use a nut on the bottom.
Just wondering if you have a photo or can explain this a bit further, what is tapping the bottom of the mount? Is this where the shaft slides into the hole near the ball mount?


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 20, 2020 7:09 am 
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With the solar , is it actually able to charge it enough to make a tangible difference if you are out on the water and needing to replenish the battery on the go? Or the power used to even go slow is a lot more than even a reallly sunny day can generate ?


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PostPosted: Sat Aug 22, 2020 6:24 am 
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dammit wrote:
With the solar , is it actually able to charge it enough to make a tangible difference if you are out on the water and needing to replenish the battery on the go? Or the power used to even go slow is a lot more than even a reallly sunny day can generate ?

A practical solar panel for the TI could only supply a fraction of the power that the 403 requires to operate continuously at slow speeds.

It typically takes about 90 watts of continuous power to the 403 to propel a TI at around 2.5-3 mph. The maximum sized solar panel you could practically mount on a TI could ideally produce around 40-50 watts per hour at around 17 VDC in full sunshine. However, the 403 requires 29.6 VDC to operate, so you couldn't run the motor directly off of the solar panel, but you could use the power to continuously (but slowly) charge the battery. The sophisticated charge circuitry of the latest Torqeedo batteries would allow you to input the solar panel directly.

This could increase your range somewhat, so it's not without some merit, but I don't see too many people doing this when you can simply buy another battery to double your range.

That said, if you were really into solar power and just wanted to prove a point or wanted to do a fun project, you could possibly find a way to mount several large solar panels on a TI and theoretically produce enough wattage to power it indefinitely on a sunny day at slow speeds.


Last edited by pro10is on Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:15 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Sat Aug 22, 2020 6:44 am 
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dammit wrote:
Thanks so much for your reply, and all the contribution you've made for the Torqeedos!

Just wondering if you have a photo or can explain this a bit further, what is tapping the bottom of the mount? Is this where the shaft slides into the hole near the ball mount?

Here is a photo:
Image

The screw shown prevents the aluminum shaft from rotating in the mount. It's very simple to install. Purchase a stainless-steel screw and nut long enough to go through the shaft and mount. Carefully drill a hole and then insert the screw and secure it with the nut.

I didn't use a nut, instead, I tapped the bottom of the mount to create threads to accept the screw. This is optional and only for those who know how to properly use a tap.

You can also do this on the other end of the shaft.


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 4:24 am 
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Thanks for the info :) This is a 100% necessary mod for me, because in rough conditions when I REALLY REALLY need the Torqeedo to help get me back to safety (Note: probably shouldn't have gone out in the first time), I don't want it bending on an angle and losing alignment. This happened to me and it was too rough to make my way back there to twist it back into place for fear of being washed off the boat!

Analysing your photo too, you have the Torqeedo tied up so it can remain on when trailering, I'm thinking this would be good especially if adding extra bolts as it would otherwise be a lot more time consuming to undo them all when setting up/packing up the boat, any chance you could share your technique ? :)


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 4:27 am 
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pro10is wrote:
dammit wrote:
With the solar , is it actually able to charge it enough to make a tangible difference if you are out on the water and needing to replenish the battery on the go? Or the power used to even go slow is a lot more than even a reallly sunny day can generate ?

A practical solar panel for the TI could only supply a fraction of the power that the 401 requires to operate continuously at slow speeds.

It typically takes about 90 watts of continuous power to the 401 to propel a TI at around 2.5-3 mph. The maximum sized solar panel you could practically mount on a TI could ideally produce around 40-50 watts per hour at around 17 VDC in full sunshine. However, the 401 requires 29.6 VDC to operate, so you couldn't run the motor directly off of the solar panel, but you could use the power to continuously (but slowly) charge the battery. The sophisticated charge circuitry of the latest Torqeedo batteries would allow you to input the solar panel directly.

This could increase your range somewhat, so it's not without some merit, but I don't see too many people doing this when you can simply buy another battery to double your range.

That said, if you were really into solar power and just wanted to prove a point or wanted to do a fun project, you could possibly find a way to mount several large solar panels on a TI and theoretically produce enough wattage to power it indefinitely on a sunny day at slow speeds.



I must get the 915 watt battery, to double my capacity. Then solar would be good if going on a multi-day camping trip e.g. rely on the battery/motor to get to destination, stay for a day or two and charge up the battery then come home :) It's really good that the battery is so smart!


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PostPosted: Mon Aug 24, 2020 5:23 am 
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dammit wrote:
Thanks for the info :) This is a 100% necessary mod for me, because in rough conditions when I REALLY REALLY need the Torqeedo to help get me back to safety (Note: probably shouldn't have gone out in the first time), I don't want it bending on an angle and losing alignment. This happened to me and it was too rough to make my way back there to twist it back into place for fear of being washed off the boat!

Analysing your photo too, you have the Torqeedo tied up so it can remain on when trailering, I'm thinking this would be good especially if adding extra bolts as it would otherwise be a lot more time consuming to undo them all when setting up/packing up the boat, any chance you could share your technique ? :)

Torqeedo recommends removing the drive when trailering, and I used to do that, but it simply isn't practical because there is no way to do it without unclamping the mounts again and again. They were not designed for that. But the solution is very simple. You don't want the drive bouncing up and down on the road, so I just use a bungee cord to secure it firmly in the down position. With the cord, it doesn't bounce around and is then fine for trailering. I've been doing this for years now with no problems.


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PostPosted: Thu Aug 27, 2020 9:49 pm 
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So you lock it in the down position and it stays there? I think if I am bolting it in more sturdy I need to do the same and keep it on when trailering. The only trouble is I store my TI outside when at home so it probably isn't good to leave the Torqeedo outside in the elements in the back yard....? Yet a "quick release" bolt doesn't seem possible if I am drilling through the tube to get the extra bolts in to stop it from twisting.


I saw back in 2017 you did a bracket mod to lower the torqeedo further into the water, what was your feedback on that? Was it worthwhile? It is very rare I would want the motor on and be sitting on a trampoline instead of the back seat, but currently it just churns the surface if I am not sitting weighing down the back of the boat.


What did you work out to be the most efficient bang for buck in energy consumption of the battery vs speed? 3-3.5mph? I'm still trying to figure out how I can get a little bit of a push for all day but still have enough battery left to race home as night falls or to get me out of trouble in emergency. I really think I will end up with the 915 watt battery because I think the 530 watt is just a smidge too low capacity for me (unless I change my consumption style!)


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PostPosted: Fri Aug 28, 2020 8:20 am 
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dammit wrote:
So you lock it in the down position and it stays there? I think if I am bolting it in more sturdy I need to do the same and keep it on when trailering. The only trouble is I store my TI outside when at home so it probably isn't good to leave the Torqeedo outside in the elements in the back yard....? Yet a "quick release" bolt doesn't seem possible if I am drilling through the tube to get the extra bolts in to stop it from twisting.


I saw back in 2017 you did a bracket mod to lower the torqeedo further into the water, what was your feedback on that? Was it worthwhile? It is very rare I would want the motor on and be sitting on a trampoline instead of the back seat, but currently it just churns the surface if I am not sitting weighing down the back of the boat.


What did you work out to be the most efficient bang for buck in energy consumption of the battery vs speed? 3-3.5mph? I'm still trying to figure out how I can get a little bit of a push for all day but still have enough battery left to race home as night falls or to get me out of trouble in emergency. I really think I will end up with the 915 watt battery because I think the 530 watt is just a smidge too low capacity for me (unless I change my consumption style!)

Yes, you simply use a bungee cord to hold down the motor shaft so it doesn't bounce around on the road and you're all set for trailering.

You could possibly make a cover for the 403 to shield it from the elements when you store it at home. It's waterproof so it should be fine.

The bracket I made was to both lower and raise the prop as needed. At one point I had a 3.5HP gasoline motor on the TI which weighed down the back end so much that I had to raise the prop on the 403. That motor didn't work out so after I removed it, I had to lower the 403's prop again. The bracket allows me to set the prop height wherever I need it to be based upon what loads I'm using.

I've found that the most efficient speed is around 3-3.5 mph or 90-130 watts of power as read on the display. I have the original 320 Wh battery that came with the motor and later purchase a 530 Wh (this was before the 915 wh was released). Between these two batteries, I have an excellent range, more than enough for a 4-6-hour day running constantly.

Be sure to look at the charts I made here. This will give you the info you need for most efficiently using the 403.


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PostPosted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 5:18 am 
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Torqeedo just came out with a heavier 3hp motor. Would you recommend the bigger motor for the TI?


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PostPosted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 6:43 am 
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HobieTI wrote:
Torqeedo just came out with a heavier 3hp motor. Would you recommend the bigger motor for the TI?

I'm still waiting for someone to mount it to a TI and document the results, but if I didn't already own a Torqeedo 403 motor, I would buy it and mount it myself.


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PostPosted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 11:41 am 
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Are you concerned the new 3hp Torqeedo is too heavy for the hull and could cause damage?


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PostPosted: Thu Sep 24, 2020 4:08 am 
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HobieTI wrote:
Are you concerned the new 3hp Torqeedo is too heavy for the hull and could cause damage?

No, not at all. First of all, the weight is divided into both the motor and battery, each occupying a different location, so the weight is spread out. Second, outboard gasoline motors weighing as much have been used for years on the TI with no problems. Third, the TI has a weight capacity of about 360 lbs.

I have no concerns about hull damage due to the weight. My only concern is how to mount the 1103AC to the TI. I'm certain that I could figure it out if I owned one, but without doing that first and testing it out, or researching the details of someone else who has mounted it, I can't unconditionally recommend it to anyone else. Unlike the 403 and the 403C, which can mount directly to the TI with no additional hardware, the 1103AC, as well as the 403AC and the 403A, use a different mounting system that requires the fabrication of a mounting plate. This is not something everyone can do.


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PostPosted: Fri Sep 25, 2020 9:23 pm 
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I'm wondering if anyone can help with this question.

I have a 530 watt torqeedo battery and I bought the USB adaptor to allow me to charge usb devices.

Image

I noticed you can't just plug in a USB and have it work, unless the remote trottle is connected. Also then it starts searching for GPS, potentially draining the battery further.

I'm going camping and need to conserve the Torqeedo battery as much as possible for emergency use on the water but was tempted to use it to charge go pros, iphone and power banks. I haven't figured out how to translate the 530 watts to mah to understand how much it drains to charge each device. I just turned it on at home to see what a full iphone charge does to the battery %. Update: it took 11% of my 530 watt battery to charge an iphone to 100% from flat, seems like it's not a good option to charge any devices using it unless you are really desperate.

If anyone can shed any light into whether I'd be better stocking up on more powerbanks, I have a bunch of 10,000 MAH ones, to keep the Torqeedo fully charged for its intended use (motor) or if it is hardly going to have an impact on that giant battery charging the odd iphone here and there, it would be great to know!


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