Adding Third Motor to the Boat

ArduRover ArduBoat
1

My boat is actually today using 2 motors for speed and steer. I was wondering if there is a way I can use a third motor in the boat to increase speed with less battery consumption. There is any one tried to use this configuration? There is any one that could give me ideas on how to implement the configuration on the channels to add the third motor?

2

I assume you have the existing 2 motors in a skid steering setup? Or do you have a rudder you control separately?

Thanks, Grant.

3

Hi Grant,

Thanks for trying to help.

I am using 2 motor for steering. What I see in the boat is that we have speed increase up to 70% of the total power, after that, we only increase them amps but the speed does not increase anymore. I was wondering if I add one more motor, maybe the maximmun speed could increase a little bit more. But I did not find a way to configure the pixhawk to use a independent motor from the steering. There is any way?

I am also thinking in use two motors for each side, this may be a way out of this problem.

Do you have any suggestion?

4

The way the code currently works when in skid steering mode any motor has to be either left or right. There is no way to add a non steering one just for throttle.

You could configure that 3rd motor for pass through and just drive it from the transmitter but that’s not very autonomous.

Thanks, Grant.

5

Hello,
reading that you “have speed increase up to 70% of the total power, after that, we only increase them amps but the speed does not increase anymore” let me thinking that probably you are approaching the critical speed of your hull, which I guess is a displacement hull (not planing).
If this is the case, a third motor would help very little, since any more speed would cost you a lot in terms of power.

What is the length of your hull /hulls ? Do you have a picture ?

Regards

6

Thanks for the tip, the hull lent is around 1,8m. I will make a test adding one motor for each side and them give some feed back on it. I amplaning to do that on first week of May.

Regards,

Jader

7

Hello, how did your issue develope ?
Did you manage at the end to reach higuer speeds ?
Bye