Would you buy a motor without maximizer?

[bassboy1]

I am in the market for a new (used) trolling motor, of a more conventional style than my powerdrive. I am not crazy about the electric steer. I have found a couple people selling MK edge 40 pounds, and all terrain 40 pounds. But, neither of these have the maximizer my powerdrive had. Question, would yall still buy it, or would you hold out for a 55 maxxum with it (they are REAL hard to find used)
Also, I am looking to get 2, as I want a 24 volt on the Alumacraft, and don't want an extra battery on the Grumman. So, funds are limited, so getting a new 55 maxxum is out of the question.

How important is the maximizer?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Would you buy a motor without maximizer?

the maximizer, or like is going to keep you on the water much longer.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Would you buy a motor without maximizer?

Maximizer or not depends on how fast you run the troller. If both are run wide open much of the time (or very near it) then there is little advantage to the maximizer. If the majority of your trolling is ON-OFF rather than slow troll, then I would certainly consider a non-maximizer. But if you continuously slow troll then there is no question, the maximizer is the way to go. Of course in the end, it matters how long you are on the water at any one time. If you normally fish for just a couple hours, a non-maximizer will be just fine.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: Would you buy a motor without maximizer?

Thanks guys, I think on my 12 footer, it would be fine without, as it will get used mostly in elec only waters, or quicker trips, so it should be fine. I am definitely getting the maximizer on the bass boat though.

 

[JB]

Re: Would you buy a motor without maximizer?

I will never have another electric without pulse modulated power, what MK calls Maximizer. They make so much better use of what the battery has available, and they have so much better speed control.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: Would you buy a motor without maximizer?

I have always left the lake, with power to spare from my powerdrive, and even though it has the maximizer, when in the elec. only lake, it gets run mostly on high speed, so the maximizer doesn't help much. That is the only reason I considered it. On the bass boat, that will get used for bass fishing, on various speed settings, the maximizer will be a definite must, but right now, I am pinching pennies wherever I can.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Would you buy a motor without maximizer?

A 'Maximizer' motor conserves power when running in any speed other than full speed. Thus if you troll at less than full power, your battery will last considerably longer.
I used an older 3 hp MK for years as sole power on a small pontoon boat, it would run all day and often all weekend regardless of how I used it off of a single Group 27 battery, that motor finally failed and wasn't repairable so I bought the largest 12v motor that was available at the time, which I believe was about 55lb thrust, but without the Maximizer, I had trouble getting a full day of fishing out of two group 27 batteries on the same boat. I've since tracked down another older 3 hp that does fine and make the changes needed to make sure this one doesn't melt down as my old one did. (Permanent magnets in the motor came unglued and shorted the armature and fried the control panel up top).

 

[MrBigStuff]

Re: Would you buy a motor without maximizer?

A 'Maximizer' motor conserves power when running in any speed other than full speed. Thus if you troll at less than full power, your battery will last considerably longer

I'm not sure I agree with that statement. For instance, my trolling motors have 5 discrete forward speeds. When I hook up my "maximizer" which is essentially a PWM controller, it draws the same power when set to match those discrete settings. Power required to produce a given speed with a given motor is the same no matter how it's being delivered IMO. The maximizer advantage comes from allowing you to troll at speeds in between those discrete settings, especially on the low side when the lowest setting is too fast.

Your comparing apples to oranges with those two motors. Their efficiencies are not equal whether it is a motor, prop or some other design difference. I didn't do the calculation but is your 3hp effectively the same as a 55lb thrust motor? One may be working significantly harder to achieve the same boat speed.

 

[John_S]

Re: Would you buy a motor without maximizer?

My understanding of how they work was more inline with Reelfishing. MrBigStuff raised some good points such that I had to go find a schematic and review. If you look at: "http://www.mikesreelrepair.com/schematics/schematic.php?url=Motorguide/hvt3600.pdf" and scroll to the bottom, you will see a typical transom mount. I think this is the same model as mine. You will see next to the motor two resistors. These resisters are switched in and out with different combinations to give the different speeds. Since thee are resisters in the circuit (except for full speed), some of the battery currrent is being wasted on heat. With a PWM system, you do not have that wasted energy. That would be more inline with Reelfishing. Please review and willing to discuss further, but that is what I make of the circuit.

 

[MrBigStuff]

Re: Would you buy a motor without maximizer?

If they're using dump resistors I agree 100%. IIRC the motors I have use separate motor windings. Now I'm going to have to go back and look again at my motors to satisfy my curiosity...

 

[John_S]

Re: Would you buy a motor without maximizer?

I wish I had my elec motor at home to do some checking and comparing to, as well. A few minutes with the ohm meter and would be able to figure it out. I believe they are shunt resisters, for shunt type DC motor control, but you do not see them anywhere in the parts list. Either incorperated in motor or rotary switch??? Motor windings are usually incorperated within the motor circle and represented by a curly-q (coil) vs resister. I've seen heating coils represented as resisters, though. Sometime mfgs just take there own liberties when it comes to standards The MK diagrams were no help. They just showed four wires going into a motor.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: Would you buy a motor without maximizer?

I knew how it worked, and the impact, but was asking how important it was to yall. With the money I save getting one without (can't find cheap used 12 volt ones with it - aside from powerdrive) I can get a second battery (well I will actually already have 2) to keep in the truck, so I can swing by, and swap them out. Seeing as this boat gets used on small, limited HP lakes, stopping by the truck to swap batteries, if we actually stay out long enough (we usually make short hops to these lakes) is no biggie. On the bass boat, it would, so it is getting maximizer.

 

[wbeaton]

Re: Would you buy a motor without maximizer?

If you want it to do double duty on your bass boat then I think you already know which one you need. If not, then here is my opinion...lol

I have both in 12V. A 36lbs Minn Kota transom mount with the Maximiser and a 41lbs Motorguide bow mount without. I can go all day with either using a Group 27 deep cycle battery. Of course, I run the motors differently so its sort of apples and oranges.

Either way, you need to decide how much thrust you need before deciding which motor to buy. If you can get by with 40lbs then buy it. Most people will tell you to get the most power you can afford. I'm not one of them. I found on my boat that the lowest power setting on the 55lbs MinnKota transom mount was too fast for slow trolling where as the 36 lbs was just fine. Both have ample "foul weather" speed.

Personally, I doubt you would get any longer battery life using a 55lbs motor with the maximiser than you would with a 40lbs motor without it. The general rule is that the max thrust of the motor is roughly equivalent to its amp draw at full speed. So a 40lbs trolling motor at WOT should draw about 40 amps. A Group 27 battery at 90AH capacity should be able to power the same motor at WOT for 2.25 hours - in a perfect world.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Would you buy a motor without maximizer?

...you need to decide how much thrust you need before deciding which motor to buy. If you can get by with 40lbs then buy it. Most people will tell you to get the most power you can afford. I'm not one of them.

Personally, I doubt you would get any longer battery life using a 55lbs motor with the maximiser than you would with a 40lbs motor without it. The general rule is that the max thrust of the motor is roughly equivalent to its amp draw at full speed. So a 40lbs trolling motor at WOT should draw about 40 amps. A Group 27 battery at 90AH capacity should be able to power the same motor at WOT for 2.25 hours - in a perfect world.

wbeaton, I agree with this thinking, the best way to save battery power is to conserve motor size. Even though the larger motor will be under less load at times, it will still use more current compared to a smaller or sufficient motor. If you are running a super light jon boat, the 55lb thrust won't give you any appreciable difference in performance on good water, it will however be able to better battle strong currents. On a lighter boat, I much rather would run a smaller motor and both not have to carry a second battery or worry about running out of battery life, and to be able to run far longer by simply running a smaller motor. I have a small Sears 12' Jon boat that I use in small ponds, it's super light and can just handle two guys, I run an older Minn Kota 24lb thrust transom mount and a single group 27 deep cycle battery. It will last all weekend, if I run the same set up but with my newer 47lb thrust motor, I will only get about 4 hours of use, and gain no speed. There is little to no current in most cases, and the only adantage to the larger motor is it's ability to cut through heavier weeds. A lot of that is the prop as well.
My favorite motor is an older MK 3 HP, it's a good compromise between the other two.

I have about 6 trolling motors, if I am running where I will be pretty much wide open the whole day, I will take the resistor or non maximizer motors.
I get far better battery life out of my Minn Kota motors than I do from the equivalent MotorGuide motors. I also have a few older Shakespeare motors, they are really small, but still power a small boat ok, their small size and low amp draw make them a good choice for trolling in small water. I have at times taken two transom motors with me, one to power me to where I am going, and one smaler motor for trolling, rigged up with a foot switch. I live in a state where all but a few very large lakes allow only electric motors, I only fish three that allow gas motors, and they're limited to under 10 hp. So small boats are the way to go for around here. My larger boats mostly only go in the rivers and back bays.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: Would you buy a motor without maximizer?

If you want it to do double duty on your bass boat then I think you already know which one you need. If not, then here is my opinion...lol

I may not have been clear. This motor is for the 12er only. The bass boat will have a 24v WITH maximizer. I was questioning the need of it, on the little boat.

Thanks for all the replies. I think I have a fairly good answer now.