Pro's and Con's of 12v and 24v trolling motor.

[KrappieKrane]

I inherited a Motorguide Pro Series 60 trolling motor and it has a switch for operating in a 12 or 24 volt mode. I plan on removing the toggle switch and installing the constant on toggle switch in the same location. Would the speed be affected if the motor was operated in 12v only? I normally have two batteries in parallel anyway and it wouldn't be any trouble to wire it 24v.
Just looking at my options. Rollcaster.....................

[Cane Pole]

I inherited a Motorguide Pro Series 60 trolling motor and it has a switch for operating in a 12 or 24 volt mode. I plan on removing the toggle switch and installing the constant on toggle switch in the same location. Would the speed be affected if the motor was operated in 12v only? I normally have two batteries in parallel anyway and it wouldn't be any trouble to wire it 24v.
Just looking at my options. Rollcaster.....................

Power is power. However it takes 1/2 the current @ 24v to produce the same work as it does at 12v, but it takes 2 batteries all the time.

P=IxE Power is equal Current (I) times the voltage (E)

[KrappieKrane]

Thanks, Cane Pole. That's what I thought, I just needed it confirmed.

[crappiemax]

I had a 24v 71# 5 speed (not digital) I hated that TM. It just wouldn't go slow enough. I bought a 12v 55# variable (digital) and it's great. I know it's not apples to apples. When I had the 24v, my outboard moter battery died out on the water. When I moved one of my batteries to the OB, the TM wouldn't work with just the 1 remaining battery. With a 12v TM, I can switch a battery to the OB and keep on fishing. Personally, I like the 12v system. I still run the 2 TM batteries so I'm not saving any money. I did give up some power in the switch but I'm glad I made the switch.

Just food for thought.

[Cane Pole]

I had a 24v 71# 5 speed (not digital) I hated that TM. It just wouldn't go slow enough. I bought a 12v 55# variable (digital) and it's great. I know it's not apples to apples. When I had the 24v, my outboard moter battery died out on the water. When I moved one of my batteries to the OB, the TM wouldn't work with just the 1 remaining battery. With a 12v TM, I can switch a battery to the OB and keep on fishing. Personally, I like the 12v system. I still run the 2 TM batteries so I'm not saving any money. I did give up some power in the switch but I'm glad I made the switch.

Just food for thought.

True. But a 12 volt motor of the same thrust will run much hotter than a 24v motor, thereby shorting the life of the motor. Ohms law.

[aekhoff]

I have to have my MK rebuilt every year... it is 24 but that is the cost of doing business fishing on a small river....

To answer - 24v all the way, you just have to learn how to feather the switch to go as slow as you want to.

[PanMan_VA]

Read this:

Peukert's law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A 24 volt SYSTEM is slightly more efficient than a 12 volt SYSTEM.

[Cane Pole]

Read this:

Peukert's law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A 24 volt SYSTEM is slightly more efficient than a 12 volt SYSTEM.

I don't remember this formula. :o Carbon dating my school days would render 50 years + or -.:o

Efficiency is the name of the game, no doubt.

You all remember this:

Electrical current causes heating. Motors, wiring and controllers will all get hot and waste power. The heat wasted is proportional to the square of the current multiplied by the resistance. Other things being equal, that would cause losses on 24v to be half those on 12v, but of course it's more complicated than that.

[PanMan_VA]

I don't remember this formula. :o Carbon dating my school days would render 50 years + or -.:o

Efficiency is the name of the game, no doubt.

You all remember this:

Electrical current causes heating. Motors, wiring and controllers will all get hot and waste power. The heat wasted is proportional to the square of the current multiplied by the resistance. Other things being equal, that would cause losses on 24v to be half those on 12v, but of course it's more complicated than that.

Agreed.

[Cane Pole]

Agreed.

There is no way to keep it simple.