Author Topic: Foildrive motor  (Read 41200 times)

ninja tuna

  • Peahi Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 645
    • View Profile
Re: Foildrive motor
« Reply #75 on: February 25, 2022, 07:29:20 PM »

Dontsink

  • Sunset Status
  • ****
  • Posts: 336
    • View Profile
    • Email
Re: Foildrive motor
« Reply #76 on: February 26, 2022, 07:03:39 AM »
I think this foil drive thing is going to (already is) split two ways.
The "convert your board into a full-on efoil" kit and the lightweight ,minimalistic DW "helping hand".

I am way more interested  in the second option,minimal bulk,drag and weight and just enough push to compensate for age,bad technique and iffy conditions.
Enough battery to get 10-15 starts (not couch potato starts, you would have to paddle hard) could do the job i think.Make DW learning an enjoyable journey from day 1.
All the tech is there ,i think in 2 years we will be choosing between brands like we do with foils now.

PonoBill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 25864
    • View Profile
Re: Foildrive motor
« Reply #77 on: February 26, 2022, 10:54:38 AM »
That makes a lot of sense though I don't see anyone rushing to compete with Foildrive. I suspect the high price of efoils attracts Chinese competition but the dinky market discourages anyone else. It's not a market I'd expect to radically grow. Winging is probably the major competitor to efoils, and it's one heck of a competitor.

I'm taking my current direction--overkill--because I don't know for sure what will work for me. I don't think I'll be doing any ten-mile downwinders with just 10-15 starts, and that's my goal. I certainly don't mind paddling hard, I'm still pretty good at that, but I need a bit of flexibility. I can get the weight into the ballpark of a wimpy system. The motor and controller represent a relatively small percentage of the overall weight--but let's say it's 30 percent. They have a certain minimum weight anyway. Adding 20 percent to that minimum increases the overall weight by less than ten percent. The big issue is the battery, and I can vary that weight depending on how I'm going to use it on a specific day.

Foildrive just came out with a Plus version. the Foildrive is now $3400 and the plus version is $4400. the plus looks to use the same motor, just a controller and battery upgrade.

My plan is to build a substantially more powerful system and let it loaf. It would be a stupid decision commercially, but for one off, it's not. Maybe.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Vancouver_foiler

  • Atomic-Chomik
  • Rincon Status
  • ***
  • Posts: 240
    • View Profile
Re: Foildrive motor
« Reply #78 on: March 02, 2022, 08:49:22 PM »
That makes a lot of sense though I don't see anyone rushing to compete with Foildrive. I suspect the high price of efoils attracts Chinese competition but the dinky market discourages anyone else. It's not a market I'd expect to radically grow. Winging is probably the major competitor to efoils, and it's one heck of a competitor.

I'm taking my current direction--overkill--because I don't know for sure what will work for me. I don't think I'll be doing any ten-mile downwinders with just 10-15 starts, and that's my goal. I certainly don't mind paddling hard, I'm still pretty good at that, but I need a bit of flexibility. I can get the weight into the ballpark of a wimpy system. The motor and controller represent a relatively small percentage of the overall weight--but let's say it's 30 percent. They have a certain minimum weight anyway. Adding 20 percent to that minimum increases the overall weight by less than ten percent. The big issue is the battery, and I can vary that weight depending on how I'm going to use it on a specific day.

Foildrive just came out with a Plus version. the Foildrive is now $3400 and the plus version is $4400. the plus looks to use the same motor, just a controller and battery upgrade.

My plan is to build a substantially more powerful system and let it loaf. It would be a stupid decision commercially, but for one off, it's not. Maybe.

I'm still waiting to see a video of you using that huge motor Bill. That thing might blast ya right out of the water!

PonoBill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 25864
    • View Profile
Re: Foildrive motor
« Reply #79 on: March 02, 2022, 11:41:42 PM »
Actually, I've backtracked a bit and ordered a few of the N6374 motors that Foildrive is using. There's room to get a little more power out of that motor and there is a body of work already in place that other folks have done that I can crib from.

This is the current state of my garage. I swore I wasn't going to get wrapped around the axle doing a bunch of projects in Maui. I intentionally didn't bring any electronics gear and test equipment with me. I think I've well and truly lost my marbles. I have eleven projects going simultaneously and I'm alternating between re-learning Fusion 3D and reading books on epigenetics. I'm not even sure why.

« Last Edit: March 02, 2022, 11:48:24 PM by PonoBill »
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

Vancouver_foiler

  • Atomic-Chomik
  • Rincon Status
  • ***
  • Posts: 240
    • View Profile
Re: Foildrive motor
« Reply #80 on: March 03, 2022, 09:27:57 PM »
Actually, I've backtracked a bit and ordered a few of the N6374 motors that Foildrive is using. There's room to get a little more power out of that motor and there is a body of work already in place that other folks have done that I can crib from.

This is the current state of my garage. I swore I wasn't going to get wrapped around the axle doing a bunch of projects in Maui. I intentionally didn't bring any electronics gear and test equipment with me. I think I've well and truly lost my marbles. I have eleven projects going simultaneously and I'm alternating between re-learning Fusion 3D and reading books on epigenetics. I'm not even sure why.

The hatch job looks pretty sweet!

PonoBill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 25864
    • View Profile
Re: Foildrive motor
« Reply #81 on: March 19, 2022, 10:43:10 PM »
Here's the latest version of a drive system (this is a group effort). Very simple motor mount through-bolted to an axis mast, attached to a non-waterproof version of the 6374 motor. The mount, prop hub and blades are all 3D printed in Polycarbonate reinforced with carbon fiber. the motor is just a placeholder unless the waterproof versions don't show up soon, in which case I'll waterproof this thing as best as I can. These sensorless brushless motors can actually run submerged, but they don't last long in salt water.

The 3D printed parts look kind of goopy because I coated them with epoxy. 3D parts tend to suck up a bit of water which then drips everywhere. I'd do a kind of WEST epoxy saturation approach but I don't have a vacuum pump or chamber here. 



« Last Edit: March 19, 2022, 10:50:10 PM by PonoBill »
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

tarquin

  • Sunset Status
  • ****
  • Posts: 371
    • View Profile
Re: Foildrive motor
« Reply #82 on: March 20, 2022, 11:20:26 AM »
You could try a 3 or 4 blade prop. Gori does 3 and 4 blade folding props for yachts.

PonoBill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 25864
    • View Profile
Re: Foildrive motor
« Reply #83 on: March 20, 2022, 12:23:34 PM »
I have a three blade non-folding prop that I'll probably experiment with. Needs a shroud though and probably some reworking of the electronics to provide an idle speed while in the air. Coming down with all that drag would likely mean an immediate faceplant.

The Foil Drive uses a very similar prop to this one, and they seem to work well with it.

I'm doing a surprising amount of testing and development on these parts before I rush out to the water. Mostly because I'm still waiting for the motors. I have a long history of jumping the gun. When I was developing a radio-controlled rudder and autopilot the day I got it working for the first time I did a Malilo Run with it. It worked really well--for half the run.
« Last Edit: March 20, 2022, 12:34:03 PM by PonoBill »
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

tarquin

  • Sunset Status
  • ****
  • Posts: 371
    • View Profile
Re: Foildrive motor
« Reply #84 on: March 20, 2022, 12:46:44 PM »
I guess the prop will go into most resistance as it hits the water. So a 3 bladed folding prop of the same diameter should have a similar resistance, 2 blades hitting with the 3rd vertical.
 Bilge pumps turn on and off  without float switches. You must be able to build a switch into the housing that turns the motor off when its out of the water and back on again when in contact with water.
 The square end where the wires are is the float switch. Its a sealed unit so no way water can get in to activate a switch. Not sure how they work but they do.
« Last Edit: March 20, 2022, 12:54:21 PM by tarquin »

PonoBill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 25864
    • View Profile
Re: Foildrive motor
« Reply #85 on: March 20, 2022, 04:41:43 PM »
I don't need to sense the water, just have the prop spinning at some to-be-determined speed so when it hits the water it doesn't cause drag--perhaps even gives a little forward push to compensate for the board drag that's probably happening next. That also will set the stage for smooth power application to take back off. No sudden surge.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

PonoBill

  • Cortez Bank Status
  • *****
  • Posts: 25864
    • View Profile
Re: Foildrive motor
« Reply #86 on: April 24, 2022, 02:07:16 PM »
That is a pretty interesting sensor though. I'll need to get one of those and rip it apart.
Foote 10'4X34", SIC 17.5 V1 hollow and an EPS one in Hood River. Foote 9'0" x 31", L41 8'8", 18' Speedboard, etc. etc.

 


SimplePortal 2.3.7 © 2008-2024, SimplePortal