electrical question

**J White** · 05-15-2009, 01:44 PM

I was lookin out in my shed the other day at the motley crew collection
of old antique trolling motors I've accumulated.

Noticed most of them will run on either 6 or 12 volts.
Some have a selector switch, but one of the newer ones, a
tiny little old MinnKota, just says 6 or 12V, with no switch

My question, is would it hurt anything, and if so what, to run a modern
24V motor on 12V? Or really vice versa.
My main reason for wanting to know is curiosity, but I do have a 24V
transom motor I'd like to use sometimes on a basshunter plastic boat,
but wouldn't want to carry two batteries.

**Wannabe...** · 05-15-2009, 01:51 PM

Wouldn't try it. Likely to burn up the motor trying to run at a voltage it's not designed for. Not sure of the techicalities, but I believe improper voltage creates excess heat. Running 12v on 24 will probably work for a very short time, doubt running 12 to a 24 would turn the prop though.

Wannabe...

**hays47** · 05-15-2009, 02:30 PM

Ohms Law for DC currents. Our instructors taught easy as P-I-E. In that Power (P ) expressed in watts is equal to Amps (I ) times Volts ( E ). In longhand Power= Current X Voltage.

So any increase or decrease in either will increase or decrease proportionately. If you double voltage you cut the current in half so if motor is designed to run at a certain ampere rating. It probably will not operate. By decreasing the Voltage by half you double the Current and probably burn the windings in the motor.

Motors that are designed to run at 6/12 or 12/24 voltages have special windings and are designed to handle or operate at either load level.

**Wannabe...** · 05-15-2009, 04:16 PM

Yeah, that's what I meant. 'Cept I said it more plain so Jwhite would understand it.

Wannabe...

**J White** · 05-15-2009, 04:31 PM

ahh-ight then, than you fellers. Guess I won't try it then unless it's with
Wannabe's troll motor :D

**Big Crappie** · 05-15-2009, 05:51 PM

J,

I ask the same question to my trolling motor repair man. He said it would not hurt them and that it would probably last longer since the motor was designed to run on a higher voltage. I think that as long as your wanting to run a higher rated voltage motor on lower voltage, then you shouldn't harm it at all.

Think about it! If you run a motor long enough to drain the battery down, are you not running it on a lower voltage. Then after you recharge the battery, the motor runs find without any damage.

Just a thought!

**CatFan** · 05-15-2009, 06:41 PM

As the motor turns slower, it looks more like a short. Running on lower voltage makes them run hotter. That's why they don't like you using aftermarket props.

**sticko** · 05-16-2009, 02:35 PM

the 24 volt would be single phasing .

**shuorc** · 05-17-2009, 09:56 AM

Take one of the old units and try it then you will know it'll run slower but work fine.

**EJL** · 05-25-2009, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by shuorc

Take one of the old units and try it then you will know it'll run slower but work fine.

Right shu it will run fine. You don't want to go with higher voltage for very long. Being trolling motors don't run cont. you could probably get away withit. Shu you have a PM
EJL

Thread: electrical question

Thread Tools

Display

electrical question

Posting Permissions