24V on 12V

[kensnider]

Will it damage a minnkota 24v trolling motor running it on 12v. I know there will be a loss of power just asking if there will be any damage to the motor. thanks

[Ann-Marie]

Many 24 volt motors with electronic controls won't even start on 12 volts because the electronics dies at around 13 volts.

[Triton420]

I doubt it.

[Jonestrollingmotor]

Depends on the trolling motor. Low voltage is not good for any motor.

[billnorman1]

In motors and light bulbs and such power is measured in watts. Watts is volts times amps. When you expect the same amount of power out of an electrical object, if you halve the voltage you need to double the amperage, and amps require larger wires and more robust user units. That said, many people run trolling motors until their batteries are too run down to even move it. Doesn't seem to hurt them, but it is hard on solid state electronic devices.

If the voltage gets so low that the motor won't turn, it can toast it.

[Ann-Marie]

If the voltage gets so low that the motor won't turn, it can toast it.

It is not going to be damaged if it is not running. You never see reports here of motors failing from low voltage. The reason it stopped is it is no longer getting power because the electronic controls have shut down. If the voltage was too low for the electronics, they are not going to be damaged either.

The damage however IS being done to the batteries when they get that low.

[billnorman1]

An AC or DC motor uses the most power in a locked or immobile rotor condition because it doesn't develop any CEMF or counter electromotive force which is felt but not actual resistance. If current is applied to a commutator in that condition, the results are frequently bye-bye armature.

[Bradrodfish]

Different but the same. I recently had a guy bring me a Minn Kora Maxium troll motor that he bought for $40 dollars. Red flag. He wanted me to check it out To see if anything was Wrong with it. He said that the guy he bought it from told him it was 24 volt. I looked at the motor and said to myself, self that is not a 24 volt roll motor. That is a 36 volt. So I began to check it out and it was a 36 volt. I tested it and it did not run. So i looked into the motor and it was worse than a motor that ran with water inside it. Comutator was black as the ace of spade and so where the coils on the armature. And it smelled bad, so bad it stunk up the whole shop. Wire on the brushes were crispy form to much heat and the wire connectors that leave the brush card and go to the head were toast too.
John is right depends on the motor. Older Motor guides that are set for 12/24 will. I am not aware of any of the other troll motor that will run successfully on 12 volt and not eventually burn up. I am still learning the trade and not aware of any others.

[Jonestrollingmotor]

A more simple explanation. An electric motor is a controlled short through the armature. The spinning armature disapates the heat involved in the short. As the armatur slows, no matter the reason, the short becomes more severe, damaging the armature and possibly any other electonics in the circuit.

[kensnider]

Thanks guys. Told my friend to not even try it. Do the work to install 2 batteries. Thanks again