... written for Panbo by Ben Ellison and posted on Jul 25, 2011
About two months ago I received a Torqeedo Travel 1003 for long term testing, I've used it almost every day since, and, well, the title tells the story. I simply adore this electric outboard! Admittedly certain personal traits may be in play. Historically small gas outboards are a significant exception to my generally high success rate with mechanical boating issues; possibly related is my annoyance with the smell and noise of the damn things (and the hearing aids don't help); and, finally, a faulty shoulder makes starting even a lawn mower somewhat painful. But then again I did not fall so hard for the original Travel 801 model that I tried in 2009...
Oh, the original Torqeedo design did impress me with its remarkable torque, its reliability, and its mild whirring sound (Torqeedos are not silent). But the LED "state of charge" indicators seemed vague, and without an expensive spare lithium-manganese battery, that meant that my range was also vague. The designers did try to compensate for this with a clever throttle system -- twisting from neutral through full speed takes you to a slower, automated RPM calculated on what the remaining charge can sustain for an hour -- but in practice that's awkward. When you try to slow down from that calculated speed, the motor speeds up first! There was also the fact that the Travel 801 tested in 2009 -- which admittedly had been through the hands of another rough reviewer already -- wouldn't easily dissemble into quite as compact a bag of components as originally designed. And I subsequently heard that some owners had more significant corrosion issues. Which may account for the nearly complete redesign that Torqeedo did on the Travel series, as illustrated below. A few features were lost, like the ability to adjust prop and tiller height interdependently, and to take the battery off without detaching plugs, but the T1003 is still only 30 pounds and that's before being fairly easily broken down into three components. Plus the new design is IP67 waterproof -- as Torqeedo convincingly demonstrated in this T1003 YouTube video -- and it feels really solid. What's especially neat, though, is the GPS and display built into the tiller assembly. You can not only get a percent-of-charge figure whenever you want, but also your speed underway and -- most important -- a variable range estimate based on current wattage drain...
I doubt that we would have attempted to circumnavigate a large, high island in our 11-foot tender, as documented below, either with the original Travel 801 or just with oars (though I like rowing and it fortunately doesn't irritate my shoulder much). But it was easy, and very enjoyable, with the T1003. I've gotten so confident of its smooth throttle control that I regularly stand up and drive with a tiller extension, and the boat trims well with my best mate sitting forward in the middle seat. Altogether that was a cozy, quiet setup for enjoying the sights close in on the wild side of that island, while I could also keep an eye out for underwater ledges. (Standing up also means I can see traffic among all the moored boats in Camden Harbor well, as seen in the top photo.) And the 3.5 mile trip was absolutely no strain on the T1003's battery either...
I saw 87% battery charge on the T1003's 18 amp-hour battery (newly developed for 2011 and still only ten pounds) when we departed the anchored Gizmo and 44% when we got back, but I wasn't really going for economy. We did cruise a lot of that shoreline at very slow battery-sipping speeds -- heck, you can get down to a few RPMs if you're trying to, say, approach an active osprey nest with maximum stealth -- but I also gunned her for those open water legs, just for the hell of it. Now that only yields about 6 knots (and is also hell on the battery), but it's a lot faster than I can row. At any rate, in normal around-the-harbor mode, I can go for weeks without charging the 1003 (which can take up to 18 hours using either home 110 or Gizmo's inverter). Torqeedo does offer a high-tech solar panel that outputs the needed high voltage, but it's high price too, and it seems like the ideal set up for this little boat would also charge it's EasyBailer system (another product I'm very fond of). The Travel 1003 at a retail price of $2,000 is not inexpensive either, but I don't think that compares too terribly to small outboard costs even without taking into account all the pluses. I know for sure that I find this motor a joy to use, and it's nicely extended big Gizmo's gunkholing capabilities.
I am surprised more boaters don't go the electric route for skiffs and dinghies.I have a one on my 9.5ft skiff.
Just make sure your battery is fully charged and you're off!
No worries about old gas or stabalizers or clogged carbs,lower gear oil and on and on.
The lack of noise is the main thing.
Sigh..still have not seatrialed my 32ft cat with the cruise 2.0 ,hoping it will work out ok.
This is very timely, as I am looking for a new motor for my dingy. I watched the 1003 video on the Torqeedo web site, especially speed vs range. What is your experience Ben. Is this data reasonably accurate? Have you run any tests to determine how long it takes to discharge the battery at full throttle, at half throttle etc?
- No 'throttle' on the handle. Very nice when coming alongside.
- Reverse. Preferably on the handle as well.
- Ease to change a damaged prop away from the mother ship?
- Use mother ship solar panels for charging?
The throttle is definitely on the handle, Terry, reverse too. And reverse has serious torque too (note the 11.5" two-bladed prop). I keep the 1003 locked down for fast stops and high power backing in Camden Harbor, but had it in kick up mode for that round island cruise.
Dan, I thought I'd at least given you credit in the photo name, but not so. Sorry! World, that top photo was taken by Dan Corcoran with my camera a couple weeks ago in Camden. Thanks, Dan!
I'm also the owner of a 32 foot sailing cat. I'd love to hear more about your Cruise 2.0 setup. How do you charge your batteries, for example? Do you have a generator that you can run while motoring to extend your range? It seems quite a challenge to make these work on larger boats.
Hi Rick, the range indicator on the 1003 tiller display seems very responsive to speed changes, and the variation of ranges at different speeds is pretty startling, as Christoph Ballin suggests in that video. I believe there's truth in that, and can feel it when rowing this boat. It takes very little energy -- especially given the inefficiency of regularly lifting and repositioning the oars -- to go quite slowly in calm conditions, but LOTS to go fast.
I have not tested the accuracy of the range display, though, and it would be hard with this particular setup. For one thing, I can't easily sit back where I can see it well without either putting the boat way out of trim or having a passenger of my size or larger way forward. Peter's cat might be a better setup for this sort of testing, though maybe I could do something with the dinghy fixed to Gizmo.
I might add that I got to meet Torqeedo founder Ballin at a demo last February in Miami, picture here: http://goo.gl/Gy26c
And I saw him get some pretty sharp questioning about Lithium ION technology and safety from Ed Sherman and he responded with impressive knowledge and credibility. Ed has also become a Torqeedo fan: http://goo.gl/MSc0K
Posted by: Ben E in reply to Rick R at July 26, 2011 11:29 AM |Reply
Hi Andrew
I have seriously looked at the torqedos for a 10,000 pound cat. The Cruise 4.0R seems the best fit as a replacement for the ubiquitous Yamaha T9.9s, and the Cruise 2.0R looks great for cats under 6,000 pounds. There are suitable generators and battery banks on the market today for an efficient diesel/electric propulsion system, at a considerable price, which brought my research to a screaching halt.
BUT
It's getting there!
Posted by: Sandy Daugherty at July 26, 2011 12:46 PM |Reply
Ben, I have looked at the Torqueedo over the years and the concept is great. But I think the one factor in getting this motor accepted in the boating world is the cost. Most of us boaters are cheap SOBs and I don't think this will become more than a wealthy mans toy until the price gets into a realistic range for the average boater. Chuck
Chuck, I thought a Honda 2hp, which seems vaguely comparable, was going for about $1,100. But checking again I see that one can be had for $875 from Defender and elsewhere. And 2 - 3.5 hp Mercurys and Tohatsu's seems to be in that same range, though none have a reverse gear, and I suspect the 1003 will push a bigger displacement boat.
But as far as non-planing tender motors go, the price gulf is wider than I realized. And another bummer is that the Honda 2hp that came with Gizmo is worth less than I thought! But, then again, I saw a number of negative reviews when I just looked at small outboard shopping sites like West Marine, and I've never gotten my Honda started, though it looks nearly new and still had a winter service tag on it.
Ben, Both Nissan and Mercury 2.5 HP can be had in the $700.00 plus range if you research enough. Honda is heavy and not what they used to be. Lots of Honda OB owners are unloading them for reasons just like your problem. I would like to see companies like Torqueedo get real with pricing, the gap gets wider with the larger engine, so that those of us that want to get green and quiet could consider them as an alternative. We are in the market for a new OB right now but can't pry all those dollars from my hands for electric. Add to that the thrust comparisons for the electric make it necessary to buy the more expensive model to make it comparable to the traditional OB. Chuck
I was seriously considering a Torqueedo for an inflatable to tool around the harbor with the kids. The manager of my local West Marine advised she had several customers with serious technical and customer service problems with their Torqueedo motors (unsure if new or old style). Any issues with yours yet, or interaction with their customer service?
Do you suppose that 1003 would get a 9 foot inflatable on plane?
Replacing a damaged prop on the 1003 is not difficult, but whether you could do it away from the mother ship depends on what tools you are carrying -- I assume this is the case as well for a gas powered o/b.
To replace the prop, you remove the prop nut with a 17mm socket (this is a bit more difficult if the shear pin is gone), then work the prop off. Drift out the shear pin and any parts left in the shaft (can you tell I've done this?), then put a new shear pin through the shaft and replace the prop. If you've done it before it takes about 10 minutes.
/afb
Posted by: Adam in reply to yachtvalhalla at July 27, 2011 1:08 PM |Reply
@Brad,
I very much doubt that the 1003 would get a 9' inflatable on plane. We have a Walker Bay RID275 (8' rotomold hull with 10" tubes) that weighs about 100 lbs. Using the 1003, our maximum speed with two on board is about 5 kts.
/afb
Posted by: Adam in reply to Brad at July 27, 2011 1:11 PM |Reply
I have a similar setup. Walker Bay RID275 with Torqueedo 1003 and the whole package works really well. I used to have a Honda 2HP but decided to switch to the Torqueedo because the Honda is air cooled (meaning it's quite loud) and very heavy for a 2 HP (it's a 4 cycle motor). The Honda had been quite reliable but we got tired of having to stow an extra gas tank on board and we felt bad whenever we took our dog ashore early mornings. Nothing worse than waking everyone in the anchorage when taking your dog ashore. Damn thing sounded like a lawnmower.
The Torqueedo is very quiet (but not completely silent). The range is good as long as you don't twist the "throttle" too much. I wouldn't recommend the smaller unit because it doesn't have enough range based on my experience with the 1003. I would be afraid that I would constantly be recharging it.
On the negative side, my Torqueedo 1003 has exhibited periodic "failures" where it refuses to turn over and displays various error codes. Disconnecting and reconnecting the battery resolves the issue. It doesn't happen often and is easy to fix so it's mainly irritating . I have only had this motor for about 5 weeks now so if this problem persists I will send it back for service at the end of the season.
Also, I would not recommend this motor to anyone who needs to get to their destination in a hurry. We tend to run it at 2, 2.5 knots and this provides a decent speed and range. At this speed we can get many hours out of a single charge. Once you hit above 2.5 knots you will see your range drop dramatically. Not a problem if you have access to an AC power source but if you're out cruising and don't want to continuously recharge the battery, you better take it easy.
The display mounted on the tiller is great and helps you get rid of "range anxiety".
One great feature is the motor will "beep" a couple of times to warn you once you hit 30% of reserve power. It will also do this every time you turn it on until you recharge it.
Speaking of recharging. You can hook up the tiller unit to the battery while you are recharging it. This way you will see the status of the charge via the tiller's lcd display.
I would recommend this motor to anyone who wants to kick the "gas" habit as long as you are aware of the limitations. They are few but it's not the same as having access to the horsepower and extended range of a gas engine.
You also better be an outgoing person because you will asked about it in every anchorage you visit. We get flagged down constantly because people are still not used to seeing them around.
Posted by: Maurice in reply to Adam at July 27, 2011 2:25 PM |Reply
Hey Maurice,
I've had the 1003 since May, and have enjoyed it with the wife and kids. It moves my 10 ft West Marine HP 310 inflatable nicely, not on plane but at about 5.5 mph, full throttle.
Over the past two weeks though, I have also noticed the "E45" battery overcurrent error when I decelerate (causing the motor to stop and necessitating shutting off the power and restarting) and it happens rather frequently. Have you gotten this same error as well?
It hasn't affected traveling at full throttle, so the kids are happy, but I've notified Torqeedo and I'll let you know what advice they may have about resolving this. I did try recalibrating the tiller per the Travel 1003 manual, and this seemed to help a little. I'll try again this weekend and will keep you posted.
Posted by: Paul in reply to Maurice at July 29, 2011 8:33 AM |Reply
Paul, we get the same E45 battery problem if we jam the throttle too quickly in one direction or the other. It happened the first time when I hit a rock with the prop, and the second time when I hit a coral head. :) The first hit broke a shear pin but the second just E45'ed and I was able to run again after shutoff.
I have found that if I am a bit gentle with the speed changes I don't get the error. I will be interested to see what Torqeedo support has to tell you.
/afb
Posted by: Adam in reply to Paul at July 29, 2011 1:49 PM |Reply
We would really like to rid ourselves of a gas powered outboard. Dinghies are a necessary pain in the a... We have considered this as an option but now wonder if a cheaper trolling motor is a viable solution. We would like a small inflatable and tag this on the stern for the times we need a dinghy. I would like a better solution to charge batteries underway than an inverter.
Last winter I installed the Torqeedo cruise 2.0 on my small sailing yacht, a Danish designed "Marsvin", 22ft double ender.
Power comes from 6 pcs lithium batteries, 270ah at 24volts, at 85 kgs. Shorepower in Europe is often of low amperage, so I decided for two 12volt chargers of 20amp.
Additionally I installed a solar panel with high spec mppt controller, which can power the system a 4.5amp at 24 volt. The easily driven hull reaches about 2knots only on sunshine!
Depending on speed my range with full batteries is estimated between 15miles (at 6knots) to 45miles at 4knots. Range at 2knots is some hypothetical 150 miles even enhanced by the solar panel, but surely usable when motor sailing in light air.
By the way: besides above I also installed a N2K system: maretron and airmar with ray autopilot. All system is monitored by iPad and iPhone. And: this system was inspired by this website.
A few week ago I made a first sea trial: 75 miles solo on North Sea: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoO2DCoSjdI
Ben, I forgot to mention my one big pet peeve about the 1003: The plastic threads on the cable locks.
You've heard me on this one before (I'm looking at you, Garmin N2K cables), but given the constant connecting and disconnecting required with the Torqeedo the situation is much graver. I can almost never get the main battery cable connected without it at least starting to cross-thread. The N2K-style tiller cable is easier to manage because the cable isn't as stiff as the high-current battery cable, but I still live in fear of the day that the threads on one or the other get badly mangled.
Torqeedo claims "2011 improvements" to the 1003 but doesn't say what they are. Are metal connectors among them?
Hi Adam, I think the 2011 improvement is the 520 watt hour battery. The connectors are still plastic, both male and female. I'm careful with them but I think the real danger is combining metal and plastic threads, as sometimes happens in NMEA 2000 installs. I'd like to believe that a plastic-to-plastic cross thread could be healed.
Posted by: Ben E in reply to Adam at July 31, 2011 3:29 PM |Reply
Quick update on my last trip using the Torqueedo Travel 1003 on my Walker Bay dinghy. Just returned from a week's vacation and used the Torqueedo daily. No more errors or issues using the OB except an annoying "squeak" that manifests itself whenever I turn the motor. I don't know what kind of grease I can use to take care of this without affecting any of the plastic parts. Other than that the motor has been flawless on this trip.
Posted by: Moxieskipper at August 8, 2011 11:00 AM |Reply
@Moxieskipper, I get the same squeak, but it only started after we broke and replaced the shear pin. I noticed that despite it's purpose the shear pin when breaking did dig into the prop somewhat, but I don't know if the squeaking is related to that deformation or not.
/afb
Posted by: Adam in reply to Moxieskipper at August 8, 2011 2:57 PM |Reply
Interesting. In my case I find I hear the squeak each time I pivot the motor port or starboard whether the motor is running or not. The sound seems to come from the pivot point when the motor is in and out of the water. Sounds like a plastic bushing that's dried out but I can't tell if there are any bushings or anything serviceable in there.
Posted by: Moxieskipper in reply to Adam at August 8, 2011 3:08 PM |Reply
Sharing what I have learned so far...
I have a 2011 torqueedo 1003 on my macgregor 26s and it pushes it just fine, although not as fast as our old, completely infuritatingly unreliable, honda 5.
With little to no wind i get the following approximate speeds and battery range(per the tiller handle GPS readout):
45 watts = 1mph = >10+ hours ( i can't see the use of running at theis speed for very long)
100 watts = 2mph = 6+ hours
300 watts = 3mph = ~2 hours
650 watts = 4mph = ~1 hour
1025 watts (full)= ~4.5mph = 35minutes
Much more efficient at low speed, obviously.
I have yet to run the battery below 65%, tending to be on the conservative side and preferring to use the sails whenever possible. We have supplemented the sails in low wind situations with good results.
The 'throttle' control is excellent, being able to run under10 watts in either direction makes for very controlled docking. Virtually silent when running this low too. Our gas motor that stalled below 1500rpm used to be very tricky in the same situation, usually drawing a crowd of springline catchers at the slip in case I timed it wrong and came in too hard. So it is a huge improvement.
The electric is consistantly easy to use and with the exception of the occaisional E45 error code, has been problem-free. This error (so far) can be mitigated by disconnecting blowing on pins and reconnecting, sometimes more than once. It is however, mildly concerning that I would get this with a brand new product. The 1003l comes apart easily and can be unmounted from the stern and stored under deck when not in use. They recommend that the battery is not left out in the sun anyway.
Torqeedo sells a solar charger that costs another thousand bucks... Too much for me, so i've improvised. This weekend I will run my new range-extension solar system for a two-day overnight cruise. I have concerns with the panel voltage dropping below what the torqeedo wants, so the following is my solution for now: costco deep cycle marine battery, an old 42 watt uni-solar panel, an old charge controller and some fittings/connectors that i picked up cheap. I can either charge directly from the battery with 12v via a barrel plug and some wire clamps, or, as an alternative, with a cigarette plug, a 200 watt inverter, & the supplied 120v charger. I expect that this step up then back down will result in substantial power/efficiency lost. If possible I will try to find a way to determine the difference. I want a meter to monitor the deep cycle 12v to make sure it does not discharge too low. i think I have one somewhere, but might have to do without, at least this time around. i will experiment with different places to mount the panel. Directly over the motor atop the stern rail corner seems like the least obtrusive, but may block the GPS reciever in the torqueedo.
From the manual (http://www.torqeedo.com/us/hn/downloads/manuals.html)
"Also you can charge the Travel battery from a 12 V battery bank (boat/car) with a direct connection cable (not included in delivery). In this case, use a cable with a cross sectional area of at least 0.5 mm2 (American wire gauge 20 or bigger). The charge barrel plug has the measures 5.5 / 2.5 mm."
The only other minor issue that I have so far is that my Macgregor 26's motor mount well is not long enough to hold the tiller when the motor is raised. I have to remove the handle (but not disconnect). If the tiller handle were just a few inches shorter, this would not be an issue. It does not have to be as long as it is, since it's a low power motor, and there's no hearing problem with being close to it as it "whirs".
I'll try to return to this post after I have some experience with the new setup.
PS I got it from defender after really digging around for the best price. Saved about $150 over the worst price out there. They also had the 1003s on clearance sale for about $250? less not too long ago. Seemed like a great deal for a dinghy. I needed the "l" for the sailboat.
Posted by: timb429 at August 9, 2011 2:13 PM |Reply
Hey Adam,
Torqeedo service informed me that the E45 error (Motor safety stop when hitting an object) is very likely the result of a software issue with the 1003. I purchased a 1003 with an early software version(January 2011) which causes the motor to stop even when not hitting an object because the setting was too high. They can fix this by upgrading the software at their Crystal Lake, IL center.
They've sent me shipping labels and I'm sending it back this coming Monday to have the service done. Should be back in about a week. I'll let you know the results as soon as I can. Sven, their service rep who I worked with, has been very helpful- he said to give them a call if you have questions about this issue with your motor. Their service number is 1 (815) 444 8806.
Posted by: Paul in reply to Adam at August 12, 2011 8:55 AM |Reply
Following up on my post about extra range and E45:
The connection between the battery and the controller was bad and would only stay when pressure was applied. I contacted torqueedo about this and the E45 code. They fixed both issues at no cost to me and without any hassle. They paid shipping both ways (I had the box and packing, which helped, otherwise they would have sent me a box). This was done very promptly and so far has been flawless. The E45 code is to shut down the motor when the prop is obstructed. According to TQ they had the threshold set to low on some of the earlier software versions. Going from dead stop to moderate throttle was probably too much sudden torque. Since it has been fixed, I've had the code appear only once, but this was when a line got tangled in the prop, so it appears to be working as intended.
I improved my range by adding a deep cycle marine battery and a 45 watt solar panel. I made a direct connection between the two with a cable, two clamps, and a $6 charger barrel fitting from radio shack*. The TQ will draw about 50 watts from the battery (the same rate at which the wall adapter charges it), so any throttle under this will read 0 watts. Using 100 watts it will indicate 50 watts etc. When sailing or otherwise giving the motor a break, it was cool to see the % charge indicator gradually go up. The marine battery, if drained halfway (anymore is bad for it), will double the TQ's range. Add as many as you need. I got mine at costco for well under $100 which is far better than the $thousand for an extra TQ battery. I didn't need the range, so this allowed me to run faster than I would have otherwise. As far as I know the solar panel is keeping the marine battery charged.
*From the manual: "The charge barrel plug has the measures 5.5 / 2.5 mm" is all you need to know at radio shack to get the correct pin. Be sure get the polarity correct when making your charge cable.
I hope this helps someone who is considering a TQ. At this point, overall I recommend it.
Posted by: timb429 at October 11, 2011 11:49 AM |Reply
Hi!
We recently completed the first season with the 1003 on our 20' daysailer (weighs about 1100kg with us aboard).
We have bought the TQ in early 2011 but it's a 2010 model anyway, we just got the 'bigger' battery with it.
It works fine, nearly perfect, for us as we do not leave the lakes and channels into the open sea.
We encountered the "E45" issue a few times when switching from forward to reverse or vice versa. Here it looks like it's better not to wait in "stop" but to change the direction without hesitation (as i was used to do with the mechanical gear on gasoline engines). The electronic brain brakes the prop and immediately starts counterrotation, so the motor is not forced to run against the prop being driven by the boats movement through the water.
One thing that has been changed by TQ for the 2011 models is the tilting mechanism respectively the stern brackets. Somehow it happened to bend the small latch that keeps the engine in the upper position, for sake at the end of the last weekend on the water this year. It has been replaced by a stronger construction... I got the parts from TQ and mounted them myself today to avoid shipping the whole machine.
If you have a pre-2011 engine keep an eye on that!
The older latch/release-lever is an almost straight, about 3" long and an half inch wide. The new construction is about one inch wide and has a 90° bend in it (pretty much like the tilt-lock lever).
I bought the three bladed prop (that comes with the Travel 503 originally) just to check for it's effect on speed and range. Next season we will use the TQ on a small (14') rowing boat, at least with that the behaviour is probably better. Changing the prop is a question of a minute...
greetings from Germany
Frank
Posted by: Frank at November 29, 2011 11:38 AM |Reply
Hi all, I sail in a J 80, 1'5 Tons and 4 years ago I fall in love with Torqeedo, today I'm the Torqeedo sale manager for Spain and Portugal........ I only can work with service or products that I truly believe on.
I appreciate your enthusiastic comments that means I choose a right way of life.
Best wishes from Spain.
Posted by: carlos martinez at January 17, 2012 3:50 AM |Reply
Hi Ben
How about an update on your T 1003 experience? The six month trial must be up but then perhaps I missed something.
We would like to get one but are in Thailand at the moment and heading across the Indian Ocean early 2012. A month in Chagos with an electric outboard driving a Tinker traveler with sail option is a dream.
We have come across some negatives re reliability, locking up etc and poor service from Germany and being on the other side of the world would make any problems a lot worse so look fwd to your final comments.
We love your blog and have bought a Watchmate AIS and the Broadband radar recently based on your reviews. We mentioned your review to Jeff at Vesper Good work!
Cheers Jim
Posted by: jim den hartog at March 11, 2012 3:34 AM |Reply
Jim, the test 1003 did develop what sounds like a possible bearing issue toward the end of last summer. At high RPMs it whines and shakes a bit. I did remove the prop and check for shear pin damage, line around shaft, etc., but everything looked fine. The motor also continued to run fine at lower RPMs the rest of the season. I meant to call Torqeedo USA to further troubleshoot, but haven't gotten around to it yet.
That said, I do believe that most Torqeedo negatives relate to the first generation designs, and that equipping your tender with one could be wonderful for exploring and bird watching in the Chagos.
We just turned on our cruise 2. It worked for about 1 min then got an error 47. Does anyone know what this is or how to fix it?
Posted by: Anonymous at April 11, 2012 12:26 AM |Reply
I was interested in the Torqueedo until I saw the new Lehr propane outboard. runs from a small bottle (like a cartridge) or the big bottles like you use to run a stove and heater.
No gummy gasoline, one less fuel to care for, one less battery to care for. the Lehr Propane OB costs lots less too.
Does anybody have any knowledge of this motor?
Posted by: Rick Gard at April 12, 2012 10:07 PM |Reply
Thanks for the reminder, Rick. I briefly saw the Lehr in Miami as it was a West Marine featured product. That's a good sign in itself -- West is careful about such things. The Lehr seems very interesting though I'm not sure any 'civilians' are using them yet. I haven't even heard of loaners for writers yet, but I'm going to ask.
just a short addendum regarding the 3-bladed prop:
Had the first run on our daysailer (20ft) last weekend. The 1003 runs really good with it, first noticeable effect: Better, faster response with low power (docking)! Second effect: Under full load the engine always reaches maximum power and the boat runs a little faster than before (4.5kn -> 4.9kn). With the two-bladed prop the engine was limited at a certain rpm (1200rpm, following the technical data) at maximum boat-speed but it didn't reach maximum electric power then. Now it runs at power-limit while accelerating and while running with the slightly higher topspeed.
Frank
Posted by: Frank in reply to Frank at May 1, 2012 4:31 PM |Reply
Need to replace shear pin.
Cannot get nut off. It seems to turn the whole motor and will not loosen. Help!
Posted by: david lambrix at May 20, 2012 8:08 PM |Reply
Hi David,
a guy from Torqeedo with whom i had an interesting talk at the "Boot" fair in Duesseldorf in january proposed the following procedure. I never tried it, so i'm talking like the blind man about colors!
Connect the battery and a controller (tiller)to the motor and power on the controller. Running the motor at low speed and returning to stop makes the motor stall (electrically braked) for a few moments. Use this time to loosen the nut.
From normal use i know this brake effect, when setting power to zero while driving the prop stops for, lets say one second, and then it commences revolving as it is driven by the water flow.
Again, I never used it for loosening the nut and I'd definetely wear working gloves....
If you use a ratchet with a 17mm socket-wrench and you let run the prop counterclockwise it shouldn't be too dangerous.
On the other hand... why not running the motor clockwise and loosen the nut with motorpower ;-)
Be careful!
Frank
Posted by: Frank in reply to david lambrix at May 24, 2012 5:38 PM |Reply
hi from germanay. i have a travel 1003 with the 3-bladed 503-prop, remote steering and throttle an 7 batteries on a small home made catamaran (made of extruded polystyrene coated with epoxy, you can put it on the roof of a car). with one person 13 km/h (7 knots). after a appr. 3 minutes the motor is lowing down to round about 750 watts (redlined by temperature). often e45 error (when quick changes of speed or direction). with 500 watts 9 km/h (5 knots). the boats name is "air floß one" (floß is the german word for a raft)
Torqueedo travel 1003 has a lot of issues. I own one and I'm having to send it back. Constant E-30 (cables lose) error.
Posted by: Mike Cannonie in reply to Brad at June 14, 2012 9:27 PM |Reply
Sorry to say that my 1003 is again making "bad bearing" type noises at high RPM (I thought it had somehow gone away over the winter). It's working fine otherwise, though, and I'm reluctant to send it in for repair because I just love using it in the harbor every day.
In March I tried the 1003 on a dinghy while in Fla. Decided the plastic connectors were trouble looking for a home - I am an old industrial electronics guy and I know trouble when it looks at me...
Also got the E45 when having to reverse suddenly for a boat that came shooting out of a slip... Except even after multiple disconnect and reconnect cycles the unit refused to start... Wound up having to pull ourselves along the docks to get back - a long trip... Had to put a four hour charge on the battery (it was 67% when it faulted) before it would agree to start up... Decided it was not ready for the big time yet...
Posted by: dennis o'connor at June 15, 2012 2:36 PM |Reply
Looking for follow up on the bearing issue described. I am using a 1003 which has developed a rasping/grinding sound at high RPM. It also frequently has the E45 error.
Can you comment on whether you had your 1003 serviced and the experience?
Did you have a diagnosis for the grinding sound?
Posted by: Bill Kitchens in reply to Ben E at June 21, 2012 6:26 AM |Reply
Three weeks in to my Maine cruise, I had no issues until yesterday's "E42" charging error message. Unless this is rapidly resolved by Sven ( I have already had a go-round with the original battery, which arrived unable to be charged), I will have to make a strong "do not buy if you need a reliable motor for cruising " note on this thing!
Posted by: Anonymous at July 8, 2012 9:13 AM |Reply
Well, no answer yet via email. Phone just rings.
Posted by: Anonymous in reply to Anonymous at July 9, 2012 1:16 PM |Reply
Update on my 1003 Torqueedo so far this year...
I stored the battery with a full charge last fall and found out I should have stored it at 50% charge. So far this year have been unable to get better than 86% charge on the battery but it seems to last long enough that it hasn't been an issue.
The motor made a low "growling" noise the first few times I ran it in the spring but since then the noise has gone away and it's been running fine.
No errors yet this year however I make sure I let the motor come to a complete stop before reversing. The extra pause seems to help. No issues with the connectors, etc...
Still loving it!
Posted by: Moxieskipper at July 9, 2012 2:20 PM |Reply
Does anyone use a Torqeedo Travel 1003S on their canoe?
Is it too top heavy, can the battery be kept on the floor to lower the center of gravity?
My canoe is 17ft 6ins long, any advice would be much appreciated.
We just purchased a new Torqeedo Travel 1003L for our Freedom 21, replacing the Mercury 2-stroke 8hp outboard that came with the boat. Just mounted the motor for the first time on Friday 7/27/12, so nothing to report yet but will post here as we acquire experience with it.
Next project is complete overhaul of the boat's electrical system so we have lights; there's already a solar panel for battery charge on the boat so I'm planning to follow Timb42's lead and build a charging cable to be able to run the Torqeedo off the house battery.
Posted by: SamuelS at July 29, 2012 11:28 AM |Reply
I purchased my Travel 503S about 18 months ago and my experience with it is so-so.
Of course, I love the cleanness of the concept - no gas to carry on my sailboat. Recharge from my inboard inverter etc...
But too many issues:
- 4 months after purchase - we had to replace the control board in the tiller. We were told that the board was damaged by plugging the tiller-battery cable prior the battery-motor cable. It was not mentioned at that time - and even when you know - does not show a robust design (you have to train any newbie on your board for it...). Torqeedo USA is nicely responsive but the servicing was delegated to a connecticut company - and it took a full month to get the tilled back. I had to pay for the shipping of the tiller to the retailer.
- 16 month later - an another issue - when the battery LED starts blinking forever even once disconnected and displays always reports 99% charge when turning up the engine... until you end up totally discharging it. Condition reappears after recharge.
- Then a little later the tiller shows E41 when turning up at the tiller, engine not working and battery stops charging... waiting from Torqeedo answers on this.
- Corrosions: In two parts:
* The two nuts on the trimming bolts. I can not believe it but does not look like stainless steel...
* Some galling on one of the transom bracket screw. I originally failed to rinse the engine the first few months - but still has been rinsing as much as possible since then (hard to do when cruising at anchor with 20 Gallons of fresh water for cooking and consumption...).
I still love the concept but still a few annoying issues... I would wait until service (US), reliability (electronics) and true marine protection are addressed...
Posted by: Georges at August 13, 2012 4:54 PM |Reply
Sorry to hear about your problems, Georges. As mentioned earlier, the 1003 hasn't been perfect for me either. My issue is a high rpm "bad bearing" type noise and vibration, but it only happens if I crank the motor up to about 300 watts consumption and shortly thereafter I get an E45 error code, which seems reasonable as "E45 is a safety feature which shuts off the motor if it tries to consume too much power." But the 1003 didn't make that noise or generate that code when it was new in early 2011.
However, I'm still in love with the darn thing. I drive it around Camden Harbor as in the top photo almost every day, and enjoy its quietness and precise control every time. I don't need the high RPM at all, and I'm reluctant to lose use of it while it's being repaired. And, by the way, I've almost never rinsed it with fresh water and I always leave the motor in the down position. (I'm determined to test it long term in a realistic way, and that's how we have to use outboards around here.)
Posted by: Ben E at August 14, 2012 8:42 AM |Reply
I had a 1003 a few months last season. I loved it and did not have any reliability problems. I used it on a J-80 sailboat 26 ft approx 1.5 ton, just to go in and out of the dock. You could easily get the boat to 3.5-4 knots and I typically got back to the dock with over 60% capacity left (after 1.5 - 2 miles). The problems was at the end of the season when we get a lot of seaweed in the channels here. The motor was just not working well in those conditions. The two-bladed prop seemed to catch more weed and loose too much of its efficiency, that in combination with keel and rudder in the seaweed actually got us stuck at times or only able to run at about 1 knot. Had to frequently stop and clear the propeller. Anyone else with same experience? Would it help changing to the 3-bladed propeller? To me it seems as it would not get tangled in as badly as the original 2-blade? Had to change to a 4hp gas 4-stroke with a 3-blade aluminum prop and have no problems in the weed this season. I miss the clean no hassle electric... But I don't miss getting stuck! Any suggestions. Light weight motor important to be able to easily store away when racing.
Posted by: Peter at September 6, 2012 4:56 PM |Reply
Timb429
Thanks so much for your very informative post. I have the 1003 L on my J/80 sailboat (also 26 ft.)
I'd just like to add a comment about range when dealing with currents. I dealt with this when trying to return to the marina at maximum ebb tide, facing a 3mph current (and strong headwind). In these conditions, the best range is actually at a higher power setting. Ignoring the headwind (which is too difficult to calculate), the best range when facing 2-3.5 mph opposing current is actually around 650 watts. And the range is MUCH shorter!
I mistakenly used too little power for too long, making barely any headway, but made it back to the slip with 20% of battery remaining. Next time I face these conditions, I'll sail in a bit closer before dropping the sails, and use a higher power setting.
Thanks again.
Posted by: David Wenstrup in reply to timb429 at September 17, 2012 9:17 AM |Reply
A quick followup regarding the issue with E41 standalone, battery not charging and incorrect charge display on the Traveler 503S.
Torqeedo USA replaced free of charge the battery, as well as graciously my tiller enclosure which suffered a bit at the beginning of the season - taking care of the hazmat back and forth shipping for the battery.
I do not know what was the issue, but the engine works fine now. So although it was still a pain for this year cruising, Torqeedo did the right thing and you can count on them for helping you out.
I still like the cleaness of the concept (no oil, no gas), charge on your inboard battery concept... and will continue giving it a chance.
I got the same issue than Franck regarding the tilt bracket: I will upgrade as well.
I have the same issue than Adam regarding cross-threading of engine battery connector... An upgrade would be lovely there too.
Cheers,
Posted by: Georges in reply to Ben E at September 22, 2012 4:35 PM |Reply
Hi there I am located in Peru and also have problems with a brand new 1003 ( less the 2 hours use) and has the bearing sound like noise at over 3.5 speed.... has any found out how to solve this ( E 45 ) being in Peru I am quite far away from USA tech shoop.
thanks
Emilio
Posted by: Emilio in reply to Bill Kitchens at November 1, 2012 7:16 PM |Reply
As far as e47 goes, i emailed the service center and they said it can be a surge of current maybe a jammed propeller or if the problem isnt that simple probably a short in the wiring in which case you will have to take the engine into the nearest service station and let them do a check up.
Hope that helps.
Dillon
Posted by: Dillon at December 28, 2012 10:36 PM |Reply
Have you ever tried a torqueedo on your cat?
Posted by: David Mozingo in reply to Peter at January 3, 2013 1:22 AM |Reply
Hi David
I own a PDQ 36 catamaran that weighs in at 5 tons ready to cruise. As I mentioned very early in this thread, I have researched using a pair of Cruise 4.0
Torqeedos in the place of my present Yamaha High Thrust 8's. I am very disappointed to report that the Torqeedo solution doesn't quite meet my needs. They may work for a much lighter cat that won't be going off shore, such as a Reynolds 33, a Stiletto 30, or something similar.
The Devil is in the details. The Yamahas on my PDQ are quite refined prime movers; They will push her into a 30 knot headwind with waves fast enough to steer, or in a dead calm at 5.7 knots burning a total of one gallon an hour. The Cat carries 30 gallons of fuel in a safely vented inboard tank, and as many as 6 jerry cans (5.3 gallons) can be stored in another well ventilated area, without blocking pedestrian traffic. That is 60+ hours of getting somewhere when sailing isn't going to work. That's 350 NM, or enough to get from the Bahamas to the Virgins in average conditions.
To accomplish the same, a pair of Torqeedo 4.0 Cruises would require a prohibitively large solar array and an agonizingly expensive pile of batteries, or an 8kw generator and fuel, most likely diesel. Since there are no diesel outboards suitable for a good third cruise dinghy, you will still be carrying gas.
At this point we have exceded the limits of weight, convenience of use, and budget.
Two High thrust 8's cost about $4800 to $5600 installed. They will run 2500 hours with good care, and burn 2500 to 3500 gallons of gasoline to move the boat 22,000 nautical miles, never putting more than 550# on the boat worst case.
Two Cruise 4.0's will add perhaps 180#. Not bad. But they will need an 8kw generator, fuel tank, cooling water and exhaust system, heavy cables, and no less than 4 batteries, totalling (in my case) 1200# of permanently installed weight, at a cost of $17,000 installed, less the engines, which cost $4000 apiece. It might be possible to keep this combination running for 7,000 hours, but I doubt that this is a practical expectation.
Bottom line: the cost of electric propulsion on a cruising cat cannot be justified by the end results, and ends up weighing far more per cruising mile.
But it would be wonderful to ghost past a 70' downwind sled in a zephyr barely adequate to ripple the sails, sipping a cup of tea. You should ask that twenty man crew if they all share the same toothbrush....
Posted by: Sandy Daugherty in reply to David Mozingo at January 3, 2013 12:20 PM |Reply
Thank you for the detailed answer. I hear you. My thoughts are very similar. My boat probably needs more power as well. I think about the times I am headed into a strong wind and a strong current. Maybe you know the East bound passage South of Normans Cay Bahamas? One of my favorite places on earth. Maybe wishfull thinking for another option. I have sail drives and 20hp yanmars. They are old & a little under powered. Soon to be rebuilds? The idea of pulling outdrives on outboards or electric out of the water at dockside, is also appealing. Less prop barnacles and drag when sailing.
Posted by: Anonymous in reply to Sandy Daugherty at January 4, 2013 4:19 PM |Reply
I loved my Torqeedo 1003 until is broke down.
Less than 2 months after buying it new, the e45 error appeared. I could still use it, but only at 1/2 throttle. Then it got worse and worse.
I sent it in to be fixed under the warranty ... and Torqeedo have gone silent.
Torqeedo seems to be still in its infancy, which is a shame, because it is a great concept.
If I had my time again ... I would not have purchased one.
Buyer beware!
Posted by: Troy Smith at January 18, 2013 12:03 AM |Reply
RE: torqeedo 1003
I have a 16.5 sailboat I let the motor tilt back into the water as I enter the harbour. Twice when I was coming in under sail I let the motor down and the propellor turned fast with the forward movement under sail. The motor with this fast movement of the propellor turned off with error 45 displayed. I am 56 and sail alone it is not always easy to sail a boat into a marina slip on a windy day , but i expect to see error 45 and this moter to turn off on windy (whitecap) day.
Roger: I've had a Torqueedo travel 1003 for two years. I am retired and fish with it all the time. It's an over engineered and troublesome motor. You need to get two batteries as it gives an E 45 error all the time for no apparent reason. The manual says to go recharge the batteries ( neat trick when in the lake or up a river). The real fix is to swap the battery. This can crate a safety hazard because sometimes when you really need the motor to get you out of an area ( for example big waves breaking on a shore), bam E -45.
It has other issues but if you can factor in the additional cost of a $600 extra battery, it might be OK. As for me, I'm going gas when this one is out of warranty and breaks. I got the extended waranty from West marine and I'm on my third unit. I'm retired and fish several times a week. I'm sure these wont wear out if they are just garaged.
Posted by: Mike Cannonie in reply to Brad at July 4, 2013 2:49 PM |Reply
The 2012 model Torqueedo 1003 should be an in harbour tendor motor . It could also be used in flat water near a lee shore but it should be stated that it is unsafe in wave conditions because it will cut off with with the E 45 error. It will cut off when you need it. It is unsafe. It is possible the newer models have improved this problem roger
Posted by: Anonymous in reply to Mike Cannonie at July 4, 2013 8:36 PM |Reply
I too have been using a Torqeedo 1003 for two years and it's never failed me.
However, from nearly the beginning it often made a bad sounding whine at high RPMs and if I pushed it further it would conk out with an E45 overload error message (as mentioned above in an early comment). But it always started again immediately after rebooting the power.
Despite that issue, I've always had more confidence that the Torqeedo would get me where I wanted to go than I ever have had in a small gasoline outboard. But then again I seemed to have very poor luck with small outboards.
The whine seemed to go away at one point but then got worse this spring. It still didn't really affect my normal lower RPM use but then I managed to drop the battery on the tiller, breaking the waterproof window over the LCD.
It still kept running for weeks with water between cover and LCD but I sent it in for servicing when I got back to Maine. It turns out that early-build 1003's sometimes had their permanent motor magnets get loose. Torqeedo has redesigned this part and replaces broken ones free even in motors out of their warranty period.
I think the fixed 1003 will be at my house when I get back to Maine tonight, and I'm looking forward to using it again. I suspect it may run better than ever, even if I goose it.
Still waiting till that E45 issue gets resolved, seems like just a few lines of code, anybody know a way to get in there and "fix" it?
(after your warranty expires..)
What exactly is your E45 issue and what does Torqeedo say about it?
Posted by: Ben E in reply to John K at July 5, 2013 2:16 PM |Reply
The issue I guess, is that I will not buy one until the E45 reports have stopped because somebody finally decided to fix it.
Don't care who.....
Posted by: John K in reply to Ben E at July 5, 2013 3:05 PM |Reply
On Friday, with the lanyard attached to my shirt, I leaned forward too much, the lanyward magnet came out and the motor stopped.
I put the lanyard back (without first throttling back to zero), the motor whirred for a small fraction of a second, and E45.
I plugged and unplugged the cables a couple of times, no cigar.
We had to row the Zodiac back to the boat. Not easy against 15 knots of wind and a couple of knots of current.
Posted by: Xavier Itzmann at July 8, 2013 7:49 AM |Reply
I will attempt to find out more about problems like yours, Xavier. It seems odd because I could generate E45 errors at will due to the high RPM magnet problem on the 1003 I just sent in for servicing (recent comment above), but the motor always started right up again after I used the power button to shut it down and power up again. I never fiddled with cables and never had to row.
So is my experience normal, or are problems like yours and Mike Cannonie's common?
I'm starting my second season with a Torqeedo 1003L, purchased new in 2012, on my Freedom 21 sailboat (roughly 2100 lbs. displacement). I had one instance of E45 shutdown last September while docking in 20-knot winds. Trigger appeared to be my switching from forward (low speed) to reverse (near max speed) without stopping at the intermediate detent (panic move due to inexperience). I was able to reset the motor using the power button on the controller, without having to resort to disassembling the power connections.
Since that incident I've been careful to stop at the detent between forward and reverse, and to be deliberate in motor speed selection. No further E45 events so far. Usage since the September incident has been limited but did include motor-sailing about 10 miles last October from our mooring in Cundy's Harbor, ME to winter berth in South Harpswell (Pott's Harbor); the last couple of miles under motor alone for which I swapped to my spare battery. For the trip back this June we had more favorable winds so did most of the trip under sail, motoring only to maneuver out of Pott's Harbor and into Ridley Cove at either end of the trip (about two miles under motor all told including much-needed docking practice with several forward-reverse changes at the start of the trip).
I've had one for a couple of years now and have not had issues since getting it repaired / reprogrammed (previous posts). The E45 is meant to shut the motor down if the prop gets caught up on something which is determined by some algorithm of too much sudden change in the torque/speed. This is meant to keep the motor from burning out and/or the prop from getting completely destroyed. The setting was too sensitive apparently and torqueedo re-programmed mine (free)to a new setting presumably with a higher threshold. Going from zero to full throttle too quickly used to set it off (which is what Xavier did with lanyard). The reprogramming, coupled with knowledge of what was causing the code, has prevented any further E45 issues with mine. It used to take several disconnects + reconnects to get it to function again sometimes, which was very frustrating, but it always did come back and I never had to paddle.
The only issue I have now is that of range vs speed (even with home-made battery extension). It can't push my Macgregor26 fast enough for long enough; 2 or 3 mph gets to be a drag sometimes on longer motoring, low/no-wind conditions. This prevents me from taking certain trips across the lake (Kerr) for fear of a potential 10-hour 200-watt pace. This is something I knew/expected going into it.
E45 comments from Sven Kirchhoff, Service Manager at Torqeedo USA:
"The error code E45 means that the battery is complaining that the motor is pulling too much power. To protect the system, the battery will turn the system off and displays the error code E45.
There are different causes of this “overcurrent”:
1. If a user gets something stuck in the propeller (such as a rope) or hits an object, the motor will try to still spin forward but needs a lot of power and the battery shuts off.
2. If a customer changed from very fast forward to reverse or vice versa, the motor will try to follow your command and might overshoot that power limit as well. We realized that this happened sometimes with some bigger boats and adjusted that limit to make the motor “less sensitive” with a software upgrade.
3. A mechanical defect of a component inside the lower motor unit can cause the E45 as well where this defect causes a short sometimes and triggers the E45. Sometimes that comes with a grinding noise (that’s what happened with your motor).
If the customer cannot reset the error at all (we usually recommend to spin the propeller by hand for at least 2 revolutions when the motor is turned off and turn it on again), then it must be an internal defect such as a short of the circuit board in the lower unit, maybe water was able to get in the lower motor housing.
Sometimes it can take a little bit until the error code inside the battery resets itself. If you plug the charger into the battery, that is a “stronger” reset and can reset more error codes than just by powering it off and on again. However, most of the times you are able to reset by turning it off and on.
I have a Torqueedo Travel 1003 S/L
I use it on Picnic Cat 14 foot sailboat
I get error messages
E45
I have done everything, It will not go away. I even bought a new batery from Defender and hooked it up...still the same error massae E45
How do you reset this error message
many thanks
Renee
Posted by: Renee Delaplaine at August 3, 2013 10:04 AM |Reply
Have you talked to Torqeedo customer service, Renee?
There are some specific Torqeedo notes about E45 error causes in a July 8 comment not far above this one.
For instance, it may be that you have something binding on your propeller shaft where you can't see it and the motor is trying to protect itself by shutting down under extreme load.
Do you use an electric motor on your Cat?
How is that working for you?
Saw your post on Torqueedo site.
Posted by: David in reply to Peter at August 4, 2013 10:53 AM |Reply
As a point of interest if the shear pin needs replacing the shaft rotates while trying to loosen locknut . To prevent this drill a 4mm hole in the body of the propeller 17mm from face of prop and central to the spindle .
Then screw a large self tapping screw into the hole until it gives enough friction to unlock the nut.
Posted by: Ian Petrie at January 11, 2014 4:38 PM |Reply
Thanks, Ian. That sounds effective but I'd like to hear how other people have done it. Do I recall that you can carefully use the motor torque against the socket wrench on the locknut?
Also, I recently wrote up last season's 1003 testing:
Posted by: Ben E at January 11, 2014 4:56 PM |Reply
Frank,
We have used the motor torque to undo the prop nut and it works very well using a 17mm socket on a ratchet. No sprained wrists nor damaged fingers!
John (in North Wales)
Posted by: John in reply to Frank at August 10, 2014 9:42 AM |Reply
I have a 2003 1003s that I bought young used on ebay. Fresh water use only until I bought it to run my Marshall 18' Sanderling Cat boat, 1800 lbs. I have been using it all summer and I love it. Never got an error message but I do understand the causes so I try not to let it happen. My only complaint is that the kick up lock keeps bending in and then allows the motor to drop down a bit. It then drags in the water. I have bent it back out and now it has weakened, soon it will break. I seems it is too lightly built. Time for the old wood stick solution I used on my ancient Evinrude. Has anyone else had this problem?
Posted by: Jack at September 4, 2014 2:51 PM |Reply
I recently bought one of these motors (with a sailboat I purchased). The concept is good, but I got an error message soon after starting to use it. Called Torqeedo and they told me I'd have to send it back to CT to get it fixed (blown fuse). Round trip this will cost me $400. Which doesn't cover the cost to fix it. This is wild - I'm selling it if anyone wants to buy it - I live in NY. For $200 extra, I can have a .second-hand 6hp engine that I can get fixed when I have a problem. As I said, great concept, but in practice, if you ever have a problem, you're in for a big cash outlay just to ship it. Also, what if you're out cruising and one of these errors occurs? You'd have to buy a new engine - you don't always have months to wait to get your engine fixed.
As an aside, has anyone worked trying to fix a fuse on this engine? I've searched high and low and can't find any information on how to do it. I can't figure it out when looking at the engine (another bonus, by trying to fix it on my own, I know I've voided any culpability on Torqeedo's part). Any help would be appreciated.
Posted by: Matt at September 9, 2014 6:43 PM |Reply
How much do you want for it? Reply in private email to davidfay999 at gmail.com.
Posted by: davidfay in reply to Matt at September 13, 2014 8:11 AM |Reply
Wow ,this is very sad, I was just getting ready to buy one of the 503L for my fpb ,I guess I'll have to wait and see what happens with the next generation of motors ?
Posted by: Carl Marchione at October 19, 2014 8:34 AM |Reply
What's so sad, Carl? Do you know any marine product that someone hasn't had problems with? In fact, I had small issue with this Torqeedo, documented here...
... but it's been working perfectly since the repair and I've just been using it the last couple of days to commute to a dinghy dock a half mile away. I still love it!
Used our new Torqeedo T1003 for the first time this weekend in Catalina and it passed all tests with flying colors. We're running it on a 10' inflatable floor dingy so there is no real stress on the available power. We did discover that it's a real conversation starter on the dingy dock.
Have you had any experience with the Emarine solar panel mentioned in the other thread?
At least on paper it looks like a good solution to keeping the battery up and ready. At 60 watts it should run the motor as well. I see that Torqeedo claims a 2.2 knot continues run speed with their 45 watt panel but it's considerably larger and more expensive than the Emarine unit.
Posted by: bobc at October 28, 2014 12:48 PM |Reply
Hi Guys, have the 1003 and have tried hooking up 80w solar panel (actually 2 x 40watts hooked up in series) which puts out about 40v at about 2.8w. on an average day. However when I plug it into the battery I do not get any charging light. The tiller display also does not show any charging status at all.
Just a note, I plugged in the AC Adapter charger that came with it and while the red charging light blinks the information display on the tiller does not show any charging info.
When I am running the motor and have the AC adapter plugged in (I have a portable AC battery / inverter combo) the red charging light turns off. Also in charging info is displayed on the tiller info panel.
In fact I have never seen the charging indicator show up on the LED display panel on the tiller. (I know its there as it shows up when you first power on.)
Is this normal or is there something wrong with my battery. The battery still charges normally with the AC adapter.
Posted by: Larry at January 12, 2015 1:18 AM |Reply
I'm still using the Torqeedo Travel 1003 a lot and still loving it. But I'm glad to see that Minn Kota will soon offer EO 1/2 and 1 hp electric outboards retailing at $800 and $900 respectively:
1. 18 months ago we got a 2nd battery. This way, range anxiety is a thing of the past and on the very rare occasions we lock the motor (E45 or E31) and are unable to unlock by disconnecting/connecting, etc., we switch batteries and off we go.
2. The propeller now has a small chip. I'll have to get a new one, because the rep at a boat show 6 months ago told me prop vibration causes a bunch of consequential problems. I understand why Torqeedo uses plastic propellers, but it weakens the product as a whole too much.
3. We got one of the nifty high-speed chargers as a courtesy.
4. We still want to get the 12v voltage charger, and wish they made one for 24v.
5. We use the gasoline engine so sporadically now that fuel aging has become an issue.
6. We've never had a warranty claim or anything like that. Product works as advertised (other than the rare E31/E45 lockup).
Economically, this motor does not make sense. As a cruising sailboat with no davits, the ability to remove/stow away the engine is a small and much enjoyed luxury.
Posted by: Itzmann at July 15, 2015 9:34 PM |Reply
Frank,
Your last commend about running the motor in the correct direction was just what I was looking for. The nut came right off and a couple gentle taps on the prop and it came off too. It is going to take longer to get the sheer pin than perform the repair. I am going to buy two.
Posted by: Mark in reply to Frank at August 7, 2015 5:18 PM |Reply
After about 6 hrs my 1003 needs $680 repair to pylon magnet bell. I am out of warrenty and am asking Torpeedo service to help me. Understand there has been a problem with this part and it looks like it should have been recalled.
Posted by: Bob Gardner at October 14, 2015 7:13 PM |Reply
Yike, Bob! There was a problem with magnets getting loose in early production models, which I described above in a July, 2013 comment. It didn't stop my motor but did cause high RPM noise and sometimes a shut down. Torqeedo was fixing it for free then, and my 1003 has been running very well since. I'm just ending long season #5 and may send it in for a precautionary seal replacement, but the lower unit is in salt water almost all the time.
Ben,
With your interest in Electric propulsion you might be interested in the Solar Splash Competition (solarsplash.com). "SOLAR SPLASH is the World Championship of intercollegiate Solar/Electric boating."
Posted by: Anonymous at November 12, 2015 9:18 AM |Reply
Hi Carlos, I have a J80 in Australia and sick of my mercury petrol 5 hp.
What Torqeedo product would you recommend the 1003 Long Shaft ??
Thanks David.
Posted by: David in reply to carlos martinez at November 22, 2015 3:25 AM |Reply
David,
I have a J80, and you definitely need the long shaft.
Dave
Posted by: David Wenstrup at November 22, 2015 7:56 AM |Reply
RE: Changes to the TORQEEDO 1003 in 2015 forward
1. From mid-2015 the Torqeedo 1003 has a battery that charges much faster, as standard. This is a really significant improvement: it’s halved the charging time to 7hrs instead of 14. This makes the optional "fast charger" accessory pointless, as this fast charge rate is now standard.
2. The 2015-onward model also ships with a USB adapter which means you can use the Torqeedo battery as a supply for your phone, camera, navigation light, etc while on the move. It’s a very simple, innocuous looking thing but cannot be retro-fitted to older batteries.
3. In Jan 2016, Torqeedo announced a 915Wh spare battery option - it ships with a standard 532 Wh battery. Same size case, slightly heavier.
4. In 2015 forward, a 12V charger accessory is offered, so you plug is directly into your car "cigar lighter" outlet. Charge time (dead to full) is about 11 hrs. You can also charge while the motor is running, to increase range, if you have a 12V battery on board using this connector.
5. A folding solar charger, half the price of the old roll up version, slightly more powerful (50W). Waterproof, like the motor and battery.
In short, some good tweaks to address range and recharge issues.
2015 Torqeedo 1003. Rhodes 22 sailboat, 3000 lbs. Cambridge MD (across Bay from Annapolis)
I assume I've sheared a shear pin per below. I've searched for anyone selling shear pins and found none. West Marine and others will sell prop with shear pin.
1) Does below problem sound like a shear pin problem?
2) Does anyone sell just shear pins (and washers) in the states?
Thanks of any help/
I mistakenly had my retractable rudder in partially up position backing up and rudder and prop made contact for a few seconds. I don't think prop ever stopped completely. It seemed to be working ok and got me out of slip in reverse. I switched to forward, moved to slow forward, saw 1.7 knots, moved to higher speed, heard increase in motor noise but no increase in speed. Turned off and sailed. Later when tried to motor in to marina, speed of boat went lower and lower till finally 0.6 knots no matter where put throttle. Barely made it to entrance dock. Prop seems ok. I held boat hook against prop, turned on engine, engine noises but easy to keep prob from turning.
Brooks, that definitely sounds like the shear pin. When we had the T1003 in 2010 it was easy to find the shear pin kits...we brought a bunch with us on our Pacific crossing.
However, like you I now can't find anyone who is selling just the shear pin online. I would contact Torpedo directly to find out either a) where you can get them (buy extra!); or b) what the spec is so you can source them from McMaster-Carr or the like.
RE: Shear pin (found Torqeedo calls them drive pins also).
Thanks for your inputs Ben and Adam.
I was a bit down yesterday so whining instead of thinking. I had also tripped on something and broken boat tiller - turned out to be a bit rotten at rudder head. Not a great launch day. Went home, had a scotch and some dinner; came back and wife and I sailed/paddled/motored to slip.
Talked to a friend this morning who thought it was definitely a shear pin. Said take it out and bring it over - he has a collection for low horsepower engines.
Brought home - without battery and motor tiller so couldn't loosen nut because it just turned shaft. Hauled out my favorite new toy - battery powered Dewalt impact driver which took nut right off. Dug out two pieces of shear pin. I'll take it to friend tomorrow and hope he has right size. If not, then I'll try outboard motor place.
Does anyone know if it has some special characteristics? It looks like a normal . shear pin.
I'm assuming right diameter and length is all I need. My plan is to do this and if I hit something and it tears up prop just buy a new one ($87 from West Marine including shear pin). I may go forever before this happens. Maybe buy a spare and keep on boat.
Posted by: Anonymous in reply to Adam at May 14, 2016 11:30 AM |Reply
I've long preferred a hard dinghy and oars but recent back problems may have put paid to rowing for me - at least into a chop and/or head wind so I think a Torqeedo is the answer.
I have two questions - should I buy from West Marine so I can also buy their extended warranty (an extra $150 or so for another 2 years) and is the "Torq Trac" bluetooth transmitter and app combo worth getting?
I know Ben enjoyed having the Torq Trac but is it actually worth extra money - either buying it directly or buying from a dealer who will include it "free"?
Posted by: Patrick W at May 25, 2016 8:30 PM |Reply
Hi Patrick. I'm hesitant to give this sort of advice as we're all different, but if it were me I might get the extended warranty but not the Torq Trac. The latter is neat but certainly not necessary (and I thought Torqueedo would simply incorporate Bluetooth into the tiller by now).
I haven't done well with extended warranties myself, but the West Plus plan seems worth further exploration...
...especially if you're going to use the Torqeedo a lot in saltwater. While I think that early 1003 problems documented in this thread -- E45 error shut downs and the high RPM noise I reported in August 2012 -- have been redesigned away, I think it's still possible lose a lower seal or have the tiller electronics fail.
On the other hand, the Defender discount almost equals a new tiller, I think:
I'm certainly leaning towards the West Plus Plan - partly because of the hassle and cost of shipping the motor or battery back to Torqeedo if there is a warranty issue. The local West is 2 miles away and they will handle it. Neither Defender nor any of the local stockist seem to offer any sort of extended warranty. I'm not in a big rush so may wait and see if there is a promotion of some sort - even if it is is only triple points.
I already had the impression that the Torq Trac was something nice to have but by no means essential - nice to have that confirmed.
I know you have a long shaft on your Fatty Knees but I'm not sure why that is desirable - I may use mine on our Dyer but as we have a slip not a mooring I think that too has to go and that we will end up with a roll up inflatable for which I assumed we should get a short shaft. Is there something I'm missing? Does that big prop with no cavitation plate mean that a long shaft is the smart way to go even on a small dinghy?
Posted by: Anonymous at May 26, 2016 11:58 AM |Reply
Sorry about that Ben - the above comment was clearly mine. I thought I was signed in though.
Posted by: Patrick W at May 26, 2016 1:54 PM |Reply
After reading this very informative discussion I recently bought a 1003 last week (after rebuilding the dingy's Mercury carb one too many times).
Seems to work fine -- except that I find that if one twists it up the "throttle" too fast it just dies. Found if I start slow and then build up speed its less likely to happen, but if I'm running near top speed and then try to twist the speed control all the way up it still dies. Once I got the EC 45 message, but usually it doesn't display an error, but if you try to operate it the motor makes a humming noise but won't spin. Either switching it off and waiting a moment, or uncoupling/recoupling the cables seems to restore it. I've recalibrated it but this doesn't seem to make this problem go away.
Is this normal?
Posted by: Chachere at July 18, 2016 9:35 PM |Reply
While I'm sure that it is not intended to work the way your's is working, I wouldn't quite say it's "not normal". Sorry you are having troubles. Mine currently is throwing error codes after several years but perhaps less than 50 hours of use. Also the battery only lasts about 1/2 as long now. This is not the first time it has failed. In hindsight, I don't think they are any more reliable than a gas motor, which was the main reason I bought one. At least with a gas motor, you can trouble shoot and figure out what's wrong or take it to a mechanic to do the same. The torqueedo is a temperamental black box.
Chachere, that's not normal in my opinion. While I had some high RPM "bad bearing" noise and E45 error codes early in this very long test (see March 11, 2012 comments), they went away completely after the motor was serviced in 2013. Torqeedo also made changes in production and error code sensitivity back then (see July 8, 2013 comment).
At any rate, I don't recall getting an error code in the last several seasons of use and I'm not shy with the throttle. I also don't detect substantial loss of battery capacity and this is its 6th season. (I have been good about leaving it mostly discharged during the winters the boat has not gone south.)
I did have a little trouble getting the power button to work this spring but it's fine now after I exercised it and also soaked the electronics box to tiller area with CRC QD Contact Cleaner with the tiller upside down (that shouldn't work as the electronics are sealed, but may have helped ;-)
So into season 6, the main problem I have with the 1003 is a faded window over the tiller screen. In retrospect, I would have been smart to fashion a sun cover for it. I also think I would have been wise to send the motor in to check the seals etc. as I leave the lower end in saltwater pretty much all the time. If the motor fails later this season, I'm going to kick myself.
Finally, Chachere, I think you should contact Torqeedo USA about your issues (and you too, Tim). I'm also curious if you can find a date of manufacture anywhere on the motor. It seems unlikely that you could have purchased a new unit that was actually built 3 or more years ago, but possible.
Thanks for the feedback. I've just emailed Torqeedo to see what they have to say on this, and will report back.
Posted by: Chachere in reply to Ben E at July 19, 2016 9:19 PM |Reply
Update:
After I contacted Torqeedo, they got back to in a couple of days and indicated that this seemed to be a problem in the "leg unit" (i.e., the motor).
I just received an email today that they are FedEx-ing to me an entire replacement, with a return postage label. Thus far, great service!
Posted by: Chachere at July 27, 2016 12:54 PM |Reply
It's been a year since my last update.
In early October 2015, screwing on the big connector (battery), I bent a pin, which then broke immediately. We were then in Galicia, NE Spain. Per the website, there were no facilities in Portugal (next door to Galicia) and only two repair facilities in Spain: one turned out to be no longer in business and the other one was in the Balearics. Which is like being in Alaska and having the facility in Puerto Rico.
The Balearic Islands concessionaire advised me he no longer does repairs, only sells parts. And the repair requires opening up the lower case, where the actual motor is! One drop of water and your motor is toast.
I called Germany to have the motor fixed. They were extremely curt and directed me to the Spain Balearics dealer. I told them the dealer would not fix it, only sell the part: they said I needed to work it out with him and they could not talk to me. And hung up. The absolutely _worst_ customer service experience you could imagine. I contacted the German manager for Spain/Portugal @torqeedo.com and he wasn't much help beyond platitudes and indicating there would soon be more dealers in Spain. As if.
The Balearics dealer was very helpful in overnighting us the part a couple of months later to Seville, Spain, but would _not_ provide instructions. Come on, I said, just send me a scan of the relevant page from your service manual? Nope. Said he could not help. Flat out refused. Note: I speak Spanish at native level. May God help you if you don't in a situation like this.
I e-mailed to the U.S. marketing person I met at the Miami boat show. Very nice guy, he had one of the U.S. techs send me a personalised e-mail with his own procedure and notes. Apparently there is no manual, for otherwise he could have sent a scan. The technician's notes and personal tips were amazingly good: one runs the wire from the bottom of the bulb thru the shaft to the top.
I performed the surgery at Cartagena, Spain, in February, and told my wife: don't be surprised if we only get to use this thing once. I mean, there's only one slim rubber gasket keeping the water out of the actual motor, which is surrounded by a beautiful assembly of microchips on a sort of circular/angular structure! Use plenty of silicon grease, which is not to be found in at least 15 different chandlers in a dozen towns in Spain, considered an exotic for special order to Madrid only (couple of weeks!), or absolutely never heard of, but finally found on a shelf at a car parts shop in Gibraltar.
Since the motor was potentially a goner anyway, I installed my spare propeller, as the original had a couple of tiny deformations, but at the Miami boat show the marketing guy had explained how vibrations are bad for the Torqeedo overall. And it's good I did: the old metallic washer between shaft and plastic propeller crumbled on disassembly, so who knows what would have happened w/o replacement! The old shear pin was all rusty and difficult to pull out. The motor was 3 yrs old at the time.
We are now in Italy and the motor serves us well at 3.5 years. Batteries seem to be as good as new. We do have a gas engine that gets used from time to time, so use on the Torqeedo has not been heavy nor "daily" by any stretch of the imagination.
US customers can rely on good, even exceptional US customer service. European customers, unless in Germany, and located in Germany at the time of need, might be screwed. Probably are.
I would much rather have paid $400/€400 shipping to Germany, or whatever, than have done the repair myself and I think it is disgraceful Torqueedo Europe refused to provide any sort of help. The German home office behaved like authentic jerks.
Commendations on the other hand to Torqeedo of the United States.
Posted by: Itzmann at July 28, 2016 9:03 AM |Reply
Brand new motor. Getting intermittent e30 messages. Anyone have any solutions ?
Having broken pins already, which is something you _really_ don't want to do, here's my recipe for the big connector.
1. Take your time. You'll get done faster.
2. Aim the head straight, and push, as if the plug had no screw at all. Think an old PC connector. Feel it go in a bit.
3. Half turn "counter clockwise" to make sure the thread goes in correctly without skips.
4. Hand-tighten with finger force only. The truth is that once the pins are making contact, the final half turn or quarter turn is just to ensure water-tightness.
5. From time to time (once a year?), clean with electronic contact cleaner spray, and the tiniest little drop of electronics contact grease.
Sorry, no feedback on N. 30 errors.
Posted by: itzmann in reply to Paul at July 29, 2016 1:03 PM |Reply
I've gotten the e30 a couple times. In my case it was because I did not have the battery cable inserted straight. I had tried to screw it down slightly askew and got the error. Once I started paying attention to connecting it correctly no more error message.
FYI, Best price I could find...
I bought a 1003S on July 1, 2016 for $1725 (that included shipping and handling to Seattle) from Jamestown Distributors.
Posted by: Anonymous at August 4, 2016 12:38 PM |Reply
This is my report on a new 1003 that I bought this summer for my inflatable dinghy...
I'm generally pretty happy with it. It was an upgrade from a Minn-Kota trolling motor. Being able to easily recharge the battery from the on-board battery bank and the range display has eliminated range anxiety.
I am an electrical engineer with 35 years of experience in high tech. With this perspective I provide the following observations to those who have purchased or are considering a purchase.
1) Motor whine on my unit is significantly louder than my very old Minn-Kota, even at low speeds. And there seems to be an very noticeable oscillating nature to the whine as speed is increased. (I think this might indicate a bearing issue?) Now I'm worried about my motor. I have no idea if this is more-or-less normal or if I have the impending motor problems mentioned above.
2) The battery connector they've chosen is abominable. It is a disaster waiting to happen. I can't believe that an engineer ever signed off on it. A quarter-turn locking Bendix style connector would easily solve the problem. So many user complaints, and still they haven't changed it since introduction many years ago. Come on Torqeedo, this is a simple fix. I expect better on a premium priced German engineered product.
3) The throttle... a)The throttle control seems overly stiff. I have to supply quite a bit of torque to make throttle adjustments. I have to use two hands to make smooth speed adjustments, especially when starting from zero. b) There is about a 3 second lag time when starting from zero. It has made for some very jerky sudden starts as I'm trying to get used to it. My Minn-Kota didn't do this. I don't know if this is normal for all 1003's. c) If using with your right hand (sitting on the port side of the dinghy) the throttle control is opposite of a motorcycle. In other words, on the 1003 you twist up to accelerate forward. This seems like a counter intuitive user interface design. ???
4) I have to tow my dinghy. When towing I raise the shaft. But it only raises up about 50 degrees. So half of the motor still drags in the water. This seems like another poor design oversight.
I would be interested to hear if others have noticed the two unique issues I've mentioned.
As I said, I'm generally happy with it. The benefits to me greatly outweigh all other outboard options. These may seem like minor complaints, and I know that production changes are expensive. But I expected a little higher level of refinement and quality control on what is a very premium priced product.
Mic
I would strongly recommend NOT leaving the motor on your dingy when towing. I generated several "E" message issues with that practice, and have had none since figuring out that that was the issue. It caused the bearing/seals to leak!
The great thing about the 1003 is in fact how little effort is needed to take it on or off the dingy- so that is my practice now.
Posted by: Anonymous in reply to Mic at August 5, 2016 9:02 AM |Reply
This Torqueedo thread seems evergreen. :) We have carted our 1003 from SFO up & down the entire West coast & Mexico, and now almost all the way up the East coast - we don't use it every day, but our experience has been generally good.
Mic, your experience with the lag on startup matches ours - when you first turn the control, the motor makes growling noises (without moving the prop), then starts after a couple of seconds - if you increase the throttle setting, it will either a) start turning at the higher setting (sometimes exciting!) or shut down entirely - patience is the answer. It doesn't seem to suffer from this lag when changing settings, except that going to fast reverse while still moving forward seems to cause a lockup problem.
We also had our display go mostly blank, even though the unit was performing properly - I looked at it and all that was showing was a couple of dashes. Turning it off and on again fixed it.
The motor whine, while noticeable, has not shown any oscillation while in use.
We have the long-shaft model, which was the dealer's recommendation - a mistake, as it turns out, as the "normal" shaft would have been fine on our Fatty Knees 9. I'd love to find a way to trade, as the long shaft is EXTRA in-the-way when hauling it up or down a beach. (I shoulda listened to Ben instead of the dealer)
That said, it has been quite reliable - even better than our olde Johnson gas engine - and with none of the hassles and stink of hauling gasoline around!
Posted by: Hartley at August 6, 2016 12:22 PM |Reply
«The battery connector they've chosen is abominable. It is a disaster waiting to happen» Ha! The disaster happened to me. Read up on my experience on my post of July 28 2016.
The stiff throttle loosens up with time. Mine eventually loosened so much it pulled out during an accidental interaction with our sailboat's hull and fell into the water (my fault, not Torqueedo's). I'm trying to get a new one from Torqeedo this week.
Motor whine started on ours from about day 3 of ownership and never improved until earlier this year when I installed a new prop and the replacement metallic washer that came with it (the remains of the old washer crumbled into dust as I removed it). With the new washer, there is significantly less whine (but there is still plenty of whine!). Now you may think that the strong whine may have come from our old propeller, but I tell you: on day 3 of ownership and for a long time, our old propeller was unblemished, so I am thinking washer or torque applied to it.
Throttle activation is identical to our 8 hp Tohatsu. I have never driven a motorbike. I sit on the starboard side with either motor and have a difficult time sitting on the port side.
Posted by: Itzmann at August 10, 2016 6:03 AM |Reply
Further update. The replacement that Torqeedo shipped to me took care of the original problem. But now I experience a different bug: sometimes when I'm starting off, or shifting from reverse to forward, the mother just makes grunting noises and the prop moves an inch or so, then nothing. If I turn it off and on a few times it usually clears it up. Alas, this usually happens at the worst moments, of course, like maneuvering around a crowded dinghy dock.
I'm a little surprised that with 2 brand new motors in a row I'm still getting these sorts of problems with an expensive outboard. I'm in the middle of a 4 week cruise (coincidentally anchored in Camden, Maine at the moment) so I'll have to wait till I get home to deal with Torqeedo service further about this.
Other than that, love the motor, particularly the ability to creep up at slow speeds when approaching a landing (something my old 2 stroke could never do....)
Posted by: Anonymous in reply to Chachere at August 15, 2016 9:51 AM |Reply
Meant to say "motor", not "mother"...( far from the worst autospell errors I've made)
Posted by: Anonymous in reply to Anonymous at August 15, 2016 11:25 AM |Reply
Anon, Ours has done the same thing - highly annoying, and ALWAYS at the worst possible time. :) What I've found is that if you turn the throttle slowly, it is less likely to do it - if you go from stop to a large setting, it will do it almost every time, along with going from forward to reverse with a large setting (like a panic stop). I demonstrated mine for Ben - his doesn't do it!
Posted by: Hartley in reply to Anonymous at August 15, 2016 8:03 PM |Reply
Good Afternoon Ben,
I just got the E45 error code on my one month old Torqeedo. Charged the battery, so far no joy.
Best,
Maldwin
Posted by: Maldwin Drummond at August 27, 2016 4:52 PM |Reply
We just returned from a 1 month cruise where we had hoped our replacement 1003 that Torqeedo had shipped to us would be a reliable motor for our dingy. (See my prior post from July 27, 2016, and my post as “Anonymous” on August 15, 2016).
However, I regret to say that the replacement has been an even bigger disappointment.
We have this recurring problem that sometimes when we turn the tiller speed control to start off, the motor just makes a grunting noise, and the prop makes a couple of shuddering turns an inch or two, and then nothing.
I have never had an error code displayed, but the prop just doesn’t start spinning (the readout shows current consumption levels of 10 to 20 watts, no matter what the position of the tiller control). Other times – as Hartley noted in his/her post above – we turn the control and the motor does nothing for 4 or 5 seconds, and then finally the prop starts to spin. Makes no difference if we turn the speed control up slowly or quickly.
This problem started almost as soon as we received the replacement, and has gradually gotten worse over the month we were using it.
I’ve tried everything I can think of, including:
- power the motor off, wait a few seconds, power back on;
- recalibrate;
- Unplug and replug all the connectors;
- Spray the contacts with contact cleaner;
- Raise the engine and try rotating the prop by hand.
None of these make any difference. The motor either works when it chooses to -- or doesn’t at all. Sometimes after 2, or 3, of 5, or 10, or 20 attempts, the prop finally starts moving. Sometimes we have to give up and start rowing. COMPLETELY unreliable.
The whole reason I bought this motor was to get away from the unreliable starting of our gasoline outboard. But the 1003 has thus far been even more unreliable. And at least with the gas outboard I could usually diagnose and repair the problem. Here, however, I have a non-working motor that doesn’t indicate any error codes, nor is this recurring problem listed in the “trouble shooting” section of the manual.
This is not at all what I expected after shelling out for a very expensive motor. When it works, it’s a great motor – but it seems totally hit and miss.
I've contacted Torqeedo service, will update when I know more.
Posted by: Chachere at August 29, 2016 1:27 PM |Reply
I'm sorry for your pain, Chachere, and I have to wonder if some recently manufactured 1003 Torqeedos are lemons. You should expect a high degree of reliability and you should get it!
Meanwhile, I finally got an error code last week, the first in two seasons I think. But then again I was backing hard with the 1003 not locked down so that it pulled itself upward and cavitated. All I had to do was reboot the power button and it was fine. So the darn things can be reliable season after season even when constantly left exposed to sun and saltwater like mine.
My one month old 1003 has just gone back to Torquedo following E 45 code, and total inability to restart. The dealer has given me use of a loaner.
Posted by: Maldwin at August 30, 2016 9:04 PM |Reply
Hi Ben et al - since we "discovered" one of the schooner mooring cables in Camden, I've gotten interested in the subject of shear pins for our 1003L! What I've discovered is that you can indeed buy them from Torqeedo - part # 005-00051, costs $.97 each - BUT!! they want $20 for "flat rate shipping" from Illinois :(
Nobody in the USA seems to have them (it is a 3mm X 27mm pin) - and a commonly available 1/8" pin is too big to fit.
I wonder if I can find 3mm SS pin material and make my own? 3mm bolt, anyone?
Interestingly, it appears that retailers in the UK carry a "kit" with two shear pins, two washers and one nut - at a reasonable price - but no one in the USA carries this. All you can buy here is a spare prop, which comes with the nut, two washers and one measly pin.
Posted by: Hartley in reply to Ben E at September 12, 2016 3:18 PM |Reply
Posted by: John K at September 15, 2016 11:34 AM |Reply
Further update on our troublesome motor(s).
Torqeedo took both the original and the replacement back in one shipment two weeks ago.
I received the following update today:
"The technician has informed me that your motor has been repaired and shipped yesterday. We were not able to recreate the hesitation issue you’ve have mentioned however we did go ahead and install all new components. Once the repair was complete your motor went into our test tank and was ran at 1000 watts for a full battery duration. During this procedure the motor was also stopped and changed directions as well. We’re sorry for the inconvenience the motors have caused you."
We shall see how this works out. Its getting to the end of our boating season, so probably won't get much chance to put it through its paces.
Posted by: Chachere in reply to Chachere at September 27, 2016 10:51 AM |Reply
Posted by: Ted Arisaka in reply to Hartley at September 29, 2016 8:28 AM |Reply
Last august we rented a boat that had this outboard http://www.torqeedo.com/en/products/outboards/travel on the tender.
The thing did simply not work; after two partial replacements of tiller and battery in the first day of rental, the second day we received an entire Torqeedo outboard.
The first time we used it, in deep water, no shocks possible, the support broke apart, freeing the entire engine, the propeller sprung off the water rotating very close to the nearest passenger.
These engines are highly dangerous and are not navigation-fit, at least not for rental conditions.
Posted by: Anonymous in reply to Peter at October 4, 2016 12:22 PM |Reply
I think you failed to lock it down before reversing.
I have had my torqueedo travel for 4 years now, use it very often, with no reliability issues whatsoever. It is different, so one does have to go through a learning curve (not locking down before reversing happened to me in the begining as well, for example). The people renting them should have provided basic instructions. But once you get used to them, you will never want a small gas outboard again!
Posted by: Southatlantic in reply to Anonymous at October 8, 2016 7:20 AM |Reply
My Torqueedo was fixed under warranty. No word yet on what the problem was, but Torqueedo fixed it for free when the dealer sent it in.
Best,
Maldwin
Posted by: Maldwin at October 14, 2016 10:24 PM |Reply
We've gotten a LOT more use out of our 1003, so a followup:
1. Got 3mm SS rod and cut myself a few spare shear pins. (haven't needed any yet)
2. The occasional "growling instead of engaging" has persisted, but it seems that once it engages, the problem disappears.
3. Twice I've left the motor turned on and it has timed out - and it won't come back until I disconnect the throttle/control handle connection.
4. I'm now officially ticked at Torqueedo for the plastic connector on the motor-to-battery connection. If that plug isn't inserted exactly square and the lock ring carefully squared so it threads all the way in, it's "E30" and no-go. As the plastic gets more worn with use, it gets harder and harder to get it properly connected (but the plastic threads will happily thread on crooked).
Hartley
S/V Atsa
(Sent from Green Turtle Cay, Abacos)
Posted by: Hartley at February 21, 2017 5:35 PM |Reply
I bought a Torqeedo Cruise 4.0, and it threw an error on first use. It turns out that mine was an older model with two flaws: 1) A Plastic motor housing that was something less than bulletproof 2) A Shipping carton that, if handled VERY badly, mashed the skeg up into the motor housing, cracking it.
Torqeedo support was awesome. I shipped the motor to their US service center, and they replaced the motor pod with the newer aluminum version at no charge, and returned it to me.
On an Avon 2.8 meter dinghy with an inflatable floor, I get an easy 11 knots of speed with around 3,200 watts of power draw. I think I'm a candidate for the higher speed propeller, since the Cruise 4.0 is happy drawing 4,000 watts continuous and over 5,000 for some period of time.
It is a darn expensive setup, even though I went the eBay route for batteries, and I worry about theft, but having a quiet and non-smelly dinghy is really really nice.
Posted by: jeff at February 23, 2017 5:33 PM |Reply
I'm amazed this comment thread is still active.
I have the 1003 and absolutely love it for getting in and out of the marina for day sailing or an overnighter.
I'm looking to do some long weekends this year and have an old 80 watt solar panel a salty dog gave me from his storage shed. Does anyone have experience charging the Torqeedo battery directly from a third party panel? Is a charge controller needed and if so what size?
I'm a total noob when it comes to electronics.
Posted by: Michael at March 18, 2017 9:08 PM |Reply
I have not charged directly from a panel, but according to the manual it “is possible to charge the battery from any DC voltage source within a range of 9.5V ... 50V. The required minimum current is 4A.” and “It is also possible to charge the battery with solar panels with an open-circuit voltage of up to 50V. For charging please use a wire cross-section of at least 0.5 mm 2. In that case the battery will dynamically adjust to the panel power.“ There are apparently built-in electronics in the battery, according to their website ("All Torqeedo batteries are equipped with an integrated BMS. The BMS protects against overcharging, overcurrent, excess voltage, deep discharge, short-circuit, overheating etc.")
Posted by: Chachere in reply to Michael at August 31, 2017 10:31 PM |Reply
Readers may find the following email exchange I had with Torqeedo USA regarding charging from different voltage sources:
I had posed the following question:
"I find that its very difficult to charge the battery on my sailboat’s 12V system. Either the engine has to be running or the solar panels need to be putting out a lot of amps. I suspect that the 1003 battery only charges when my house batteries are seeing 14V (i.e. a charging voltage). I have limited experience with lithium batteries, but according to the manual : 'is possible to charge the battery from any DC voltage source within a range of 9.5V ... 50V. The required minimum current is 4A.' and 'It is also possible to charge the battery with solar panels with an open-circuit voltage of up to 50V. For charging please use a wire cross-section of at least 0.5 mm 2. In that case the battery will dynamically adjust to the panel power.'
I have several solar panels on my boat, but they all feed into charge controllers to reduce the voltage and then feed the house batteries first. I was wondering whether there would be any advantage – i.e. quicker charging – if I fed the output of one of the solar panels directly to the 1003 battery. For example, one of my panels is rated at 145 Watts, with a voltage of 18V and a max current of 8.1 amps. When fed through the charge controller, the output is 10.5 amps at 14.4v.
So, my question is: given the same wattage, does the 1003 battery charge quicker with a higher voltage (and lower amps); in other words, if I charged it at 18 V at 8 amps (directly from the panel), would it charge more quickly than at 14.4v at 10. amps (via the controller and the house batteries)?"
Torqeedo USA's response was as follows:
"The battery determines how much power it wants to draw. The higher the voltage the less current draw there will be. After testing I found that max 3.72 amps is the highest the battery draws. The battery circuitry will not allow much higher than 4 amp input without displaying an error code. I hope this information was useful for you."
My take away from this is that -- all things being otherwise equal -- charging at higher voltages is going to get the Torqeedo battery up to a full charge quicker, since the battery will not accept more than around 4 amps but will accept higher voltages (and therefore higher wattages). This would seem to explain the huge difference in recharging time between using a 12 volt source (which, at 4 amps, means the battery will only be accepting around 48 watts per hour) and using the line voltage recharger. If you work backwards from the charging times for the line voltage charger indicated in the Torqueedo manual, it would appear that the line voltage charger puts out around 90 watts per hour (it says 6 hours for the 530W battery and 10 hours for the 915W battery, but I don't know whether lithium batteries have a charge acceptance curve, unlike lead acid cells, so I may be way off here on my math), so that's a lot more than the battery can accept from a 12 volt source.
So, apparently if I charged directly from my 18V solar panel the Torqeedo could be accepting 72 watts per hour, which would be a significant reduction in recharging time.
Also, to answer an earlier query, the shear pins are now available from Defender. Item # 457591
Posted by: Chachere at September 14, 2017 2:41 PM |Reply
In my experience with Valence and Simpliphi lithium batteries, the constant current phase (similar to lead-acid's bulk phase) can go up to C/2 without any issues at all. Higher charge rates are possible with careful temp monitoring and a good BMS. Neither requires voltage limiting until reaching about 95% SOC.
Posted by: Saffy The Pook at September 15, 2017 8:27 AM |Reply
The times they are a changin: Torqeedo was just acquired by venerable engine manufacturer DEUTZ and apparently will operate pretty much as is "within the framework of the new E-DEUTZ strategy."
Posted by: Ben E at September 28, 2017 5:31 AM |Reply
I have a Torquedo 503L. It was working fine. One day it just stop working. There is no signal at all in the tiller. The battery is fully charged. There is nothing in the display and it wont start.
What shall I do. This motor is always giving us grief. There is no display and no indication of anything in the tiller.
Thanks for your help
Posted by: dario sotoabril at January 13, 2018 10:39 AM |Reply
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at July 25, 2011 5:05 PM 
I am surprised more boaters don't go the electric route for skiffs and dinghies.I have a one on my 9.5ft skiff.
Just make sure your battery is fully charged and you're off!
No worries about old gas or stabalizers or clogged carbs,lower gear oil and on and on.
The lack of noise is the main thing.
Sigh..still have not seatrialed my 32ft cat with the cruise 2.0 ,hoping it will work out ok.