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Duffy Electric boats....?

Discussion in 'Tenders & Dinghies' started by Norseman, Sep 18, 2013.

  1. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Well, the Duffy guys can't be picky and may get the occasional fat one:)
  2. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Yo Capt J, want to go for a Duffy Ride?
    16:00 @ The Pirates Republic, or Marina Bay, your choice.
    I will will be roaming the New River looking for bikini girls and may need backup if too many try to climb aboard.
    (It has been a problem since I switched to the Duffy, chicks love cool guys in cool boats:))
  3. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Thanks for the offer, I just literally got home from flying back from Harbor Island. One of these days I'll take you up for it.
  4. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Aye, promises, promises.
    Today was rough: Virgins swimming out to catch a ride on the Duffy.
    (Had to fend them off, but felt guilty: Poor young things deserve better, God promised them a Duffy guy:))
  5. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Aye, despite all the good rides with the Duffy, I am now selling it.
    Looks like I am getting an Albin 28 TE for cruising the Bahamas.
    (The Duffy could also do the Bahamas with a long cord, but for now I will go back to diesel power)
    Advertised here on Yacht Forums as well as Craig's and on eBay.
    Great boat for canal and river cruising, a charge from 50% cost about $0.50.
    Certified for 8 folks, hardly any mainteance except cleaning.
    Works good and last a long time..
    boatpoor likes this.
  6. robbie59

    robbie59 New Member

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    Hello all,
    I just found this forum about Duffy boats. Im looking for some help getting my new project in the water. I picked up a 1981 Duffy Edison?? for a couple dollars. Its very clean but needs new batteries and some other small fixes. Hers a photo, please don't mind my makeshift boat stands, I have since reinforced the boat with bigger safer stands.

    First off, I have (6) 6 volt batteries. Im not sure of the DC motor though. The motor is a GE and the plate says 24/36/36. Can anyone help me out understanding if it is a 24 or 36?

    Also, I have the original controller. How do I upgrade it? Or do I even need to?

    Thanks, Looking forward to your replies!
    [​IMG]
  7. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Hi Robbie.
    Congrats on your boat.
    (You know the two happiest days in a boat owner's life right?:))

    Not sure you need to upgrade the controller. Either it works, or it does not.
    It is also the most expensive piece on the boat so if it works, lucky you.
    (They are vulnerable and finicky)
    As for voltage, ask the factory. Call the Service Department, waiting time is usually not long and they swear there is no difference in service or attitude towards owners of old used boats vs new/warranty boats.
    When you buy new 6 Volt (golf cart) batteries, you will find the best prices at Sam's or Costco, West Marine are the most expensive.
    Looks like your boat needs a bottom job?
    Good Luck and welcome aboard.
  8. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    You should be able to tell the voltage by looking at the battery cables. Are they ALL parallel then you have 36 volts. If some are parallel and some series than probably 24, but if 24 I would guess they'd either use 4 or 8 12 volt batteries. 6-6 volt batteries probably means 36 volts.
  9. todd kromer

    todd kromer New Member

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    Lets see a photo of your motor bay !
  10. robbie59

    robbie59 New Member

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    Yea, I know its a challenging investment but I picked up the boat for under 1k and its in really good shape considering its a little dirty. The previous owner said the boat worked great up to the day he parked it in a slip for a year. The boat sat in a slip with no use for a year.

    The batteries need to be replaced although they have a little charge in them. I need to get some batteries in there just to figure everything out. The wiring worries me because I don't know much about wiring the switch and 6 volt series/parallel ..

    My big question is, what is the voltage of this motor? 24 or 36?

    OK where do I start on this project? I know the boat needs paint but I want to see the propeller move before I get painting! Guess Im going battery shopping. Any suggestions?

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  11. robbie59

    robbie59 New Member

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    Yes, this might be true. I'll get a better photo of the wiring.. here it is[​IMG]
    Seems the middle bank is not wired like the left and right. Also not the battery orientation is not the same. some are flipped opposite.

    Note: there are 4 black wires leaving the battery bay to the switch/motor
    Last edited: Sep 3, 2015
  12. todd kromer

    todd kromer New Member

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    How do you know the batteries are bad ? Get a hydrometer and check every cell of every battery, be sure they are filled corrected with distilled water.I would start there and then more to the motor bay...hows the belt...what about brushes in the motor ? Does the stuffing box need to be repacked ? Hows the forward bearing. I would use a corrosion inhibator on all the connections.
  13. robbie59

    robbie59 New Member

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    Thanks. 4 of the batteries show about 6 volts, the other 2 are just about dead (1 volt). I filled all of them with water, each had just about no water in them

    All have been on the charger also
  14. robbie59

    robbie59 New Member

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    It works! Although the batteries are extremely low
    View My Video
  15. todd kromer

    todd kromer New Member

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    You know that you should not run it dry very much at all.....yes ? You can burn up the packing gland material .
  16. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    See if you can equalize the batteries and get them going, at least for a short while.
    Putting new batteries in a questionable boat is not good.
    You could have shorts and corrosion that will drag the new batteries down and ruim them in short order.
    Fix everything first, clean terminals, contacts, whatever.
    Then, when everything else is good, get new batteries.
    (You equalize by pumping over-voltage in the batteries, basically boiling them for a long time, 12-15 hrs. The onboard charger probably won't do)
    If 2 batteries are still dead, get some cheap used batteries, then use the boat for a few months, then get brand new batteries)

    Yeah, get some Teflon lube in there or spray water, whatever it takes to not run dry.
  17. Norseman

    Norseman Senior Member

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    Looking closer at the pictures I see heavy corrosion all over.
    Disconnect each wire/cable, clean with wire brush on an electric drill.
    (Using a pair of pliers to protect your fingers fro the heat.)
    The clean with acetone and coat with Vaseline. (To prevent future corrosion)
    The battery terminals corrode because people overfill the batteries with distiller water, then the mixture of water/acid splashes out the vent holes and corrode the nearby terminals/cables/wires.
    After all the cleaning, check each connection with an OHM meter.
    Looks like you have some heat-shrink terminals (or look-alikes) that was never shrunk properly.
    The above will take you hours/days, but is the first step.
    Then the brushes in the motor: They will sometimes stick and not make good contact. Take 'em out, clean, re-instal and check that they move freely and that the springs are not corroded or broken.
    (All of the above is not book-knowledge, but actual and painful experience:))
  18. robbie59

    robbie59 New Member

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    Thank you very much for the info. This should be a fun project and I'll post my progress here. Appreciate the advice!
  19. todd kromer

    todd kromer New Member

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    Good luck ! I just went thru the same thing with a 1999. I was amazed at the wierd sounds a worn and glazed belt made. I one point I swore I had a bad bearing , I never would of guessed it was a belt. One trick the factory taught me is to spray a bit of water on the belt, if the noise stops its belt related.
  20. leeky

    leeky Senior Member

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    If all of the batteries are wired in parallel, the output would be 6 volts assuming all batteries are fully charged. To get 36 volts, they have to be wired in series.