This panel can put out close to 100 watts ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxOqI2yqX0XVrhR2BMJciTWrHJpG8FhJyg when positioned in the appropriate southernly direction, tilted to the optimal angle for your latitude/date, and connected to a higher capacity device than a 500. The built in kickstand angle is a fixed at 50 degrees. Up to 20% more power can be output by selecting the actual date and latitude optimal angle.The 500 will only input 3.5A maximum at 18 volts for 63 watts. Some of the excess power from the panel can be fed into a USB battery bank, charged directly from the panel while also charging a 500. This will allow you to harvest as much as 63 + 15 = 78 watts.If this panel is used to charge a larger device, such as the power station, then its full output potential can be realized.
I am a lucky man with a great family. Thank you so much for your kind words. Micah and I have been building and tinkering since he was 3. He is a wonderful son. Working with him on this project was a joy and a blessing. Stay well.
I wish I had a relationship with my father but this is beyond me. What a great relationship they have. I don't know the feeling of having even contact with a father and somehow this warmth my heart
This is the content we like. You exploring unique tech. Innovative and new ideas especially diy Edit: this is something I would copy. The solar panel basically serves two purposes: providing power and sun cover. Man I wish I have a Hobie mirage kayak tho.
Hobies are great Kayaks. I have been in many others and this is simply the best. Pricey, but great. This kayak is over 10 years old and has held up great with all the mods and many trips. Thanks for your comment.
Check out fiberglass mold building on UA-cam.. it’s not that hard.. I own a killer sit ont top 14’. I tricked my boats with out with pontoons, awning , view window, Duel 30 lb. motors. I think my boat looks better than most because of the flex panels and the bow nest where the border collie rides.
I have in my possession two spare warp drives that come with a set of FOUR flux capacitors that I'll send to your father today for FREE! Those flux capacitors are hard to come by these days. I LOVE THIS SETUP and will be putting the knowledge shared here to good use on my kayak!
*I bought this model for my 14 ft Jon boat. **enjoyable.fishing** recommend love it!!! It pushes my boat with ease ( 2 men 220 each). I would highly recommend this to anyone.*
according to my math a 12v 100AH battery gets less than 2 hours of full speed runtime on a little 30watt motor like this. in terms of speed it's better than rowing but your not going very far at 0.40 horse power. a gas generator and 48V 120+ pound motor are a better compromise.
Second panel, and you could add a radio and/or extra utility power (charge phones or run a Peltier cooler for cold drinks, etc.) and some small fans for the passengers. More options than the range or faster performance that others have mentioned.
One should be able to add about 3 or so panels on it, this should provide enough power to not use the battery. Jaimie has made a lot of solar powered boats over the years you can check out his builds. ua-cam.com/video/V7flR0O-coU/v-deo.html
Those two kids are having the time of their lives! It's refreshing to see kids outside and not on their iPads, Im kinda jealous, I wish my dad had a canoe or kayak when I was little. 🥺
Great long awaited update. Lovely family! I’m planning a similar build but will be using a PWM to be more efficient with power. Stock speed selector on the trolling motor limits the range of the power your battery pack can provide. Love the rig and thank you for sharing! Micah, maybe next project is to add a brushless motor on dad’s kayak.
I really like the shade aspect of this. Those kayaks have absolutely no shade normally. You just sit out there in the hot sun. There is a lot of nice shade added by the panel.
Absolutely !! Sun is dang hot and now with the Bimini top I go out more in the summer than I used to. Having the motor push me around is a nice plus as well !! Thanks for your comment.
Love this build! I built a similar set up on my beach wagon. Converted a barbie jeep so the control is in the handle, and the deck holds over 100lbs easily. Two coolers, umbrellas, chairs, etc...Friends aren't sure whether to laugh or be impressed that I don't have to haul everything out the the sand by hand!! I even put lights on it for the night time! And the foot-well serves as a lockable compartment for valuables under the deck. Sure glad there are still guys out there that love using their minds to build useful stuff! This is AWESOME!!
This is absolutely genius. I’m interested to know how it handles in windy conditions though...could the panels catch the wind and maybe cause the kayak to flip? Or, if conditions get choppy and the kayak flips, could the panel hinder you in your attempts to roll it upright again? I have no experience in kayaking yet, so I’m just curious.
it is difficult to flip most sit on tops. I'd imagine the weight of the battery being under or at the water line would further help with stability. As far as the movable solar panels? I've never seen such thin and lightweight panels before so now I am intrigued! I currently have a tarpon 120 sit on top with a trolling motor and use my foot pegs to turn it as it has no rudder. I am going to look up the cost of these types of panels and will likely velcro 1-2 on the front of my yak to keep me on the water all dang day instead of 2-4 hours.
Micah this is so cool! Love that you and your dad share hobbies and interests (well you're more than a hobbyist but I digress) in solar electric vehicles. This reminds me of playing gadgets with my dad growing up and I hope to pass some knowledge into my children too. Thanks for all your videos and work you out onto everything you do!
Thanks for your comment. Micah and I have worked on projects ever since he could hold a wrench. Being out on the water with my son and my grandkids is fantastic.
These videos make me even more inspired! I'm modding out my 9' RIOT with solar panels and my set up is almost identical to yours, but instead of the trolling motor I'm installing a 12v DC drill as the motor. The land testing is almost complete. The drill eats 12v DC @ 1.3 Ah and my solar panels are 2x 25 watt 12v. Testing the panels has shown this puts out almost 4 Ah is good conditions and just under 2 Ah in low light. A battery serves to keep the current stable and also as a back up if the light gets too low (bad weather or staying out too long). That 100 watt flexible panel you have interests me! Might have to check that out to upgrade mine! Thank you for the vid!
@@nunjadamnbusiness Thanks for your support !! But I'm good with the one panel. I think if I do decide to do an upgrade, I'll go with a more powerful panel for the rear canopy. There are some that claim 300 Watts.
Gianluca Sini PWM pulse wave modulation controllers effectively turn off the motor thousands of times a second this has the effect of slowing the motor down without wasting energy all troll motors slow down by wasting electricity through a heat coil mounted to the aluminum body of the motor, by using a PWM controller none of this energy is wasted therefore run time is factors bigger at slower speeds, cost is negligible but ensure the clock speed of the controller is high enough that it is beyond human hearing 15,000 htz does it for me Note Minn Kota have brought their own PWM motor but they want $450 for it, build your own for $30
What Sea just some advice for the guy using old parts, all troll motors are improved doing this, it’s true motor is working well flat out but sadly not practical to run flat out all the time
I have been interested in making an e-bike, but cant use it for my work commute and dont have much time to just cruise around for fun. BUT I am trying to force myself to relax and was thinking of getting a fishing kayak. Now I'm really motivated! Thanks, Micah/ Dad!
Richard - thanks for your comment. I spend a lot of time in this kayak before I went solar/electric and had a good idea of what I wanted to do and how to do it. Spent a lot of time planning the build. Again, thanks for your comment.
Definitely teaching them early. Already had them out in the shop learning the safe way to work with tools. Come to think of it, that's what I did with Micah !!! Maybe it worked !!! Thanks for your comment
Hoping for really high efficiency solar cells and lighter batteries. The future is a skin that is all solar cells; applications for roofs, cars, boats and airplanes. Anything with an exposed surface.
@@pakde8002 that isn't really something that you could do with silicon based cells, and we still have a few more years before perovskite reach viability, so I think I am happy enough with what we can build now.
Great video, thanks for doing it. I just did an electric canoe, with an older minnkota and a store bought lithium 30 a.h. batt. I like the way your father put the solar panel on.
Big question! I bought littokala cells in the past and they are good. Today I saw littokala official store selling 36v 15ah ebike batteries for 80 dollars!? Are these real? They have 21700 cells which are expensive and hard to get hands on. Please do a review on these ebike batteries that littokala sells! It would be so interesting to see if the capacity is real and how it's so cheap! Thanks.
I can't speak of this specific pack but I do know China is overrun with counterfeit cells, especially 18650 cells that compose most battery packs. Good rule of thumb as you know, if it sounds too good too be true, it probably is. You'll find most reliable workhorse cells are around 2,400 mAh, with maximum capacity topping out around 3,200 mAh. If you see cells advertised higher, you can be certain they are fake. Not all fakes are bad but most are, with a capacity around 600 mAh in my experience. I would assume the same issues also apply to 21700 cells. Shop smart and good luck!
I bought 30 18650 cells from liitokala store for around 40$, i am gonna build 36V 9Ah battery for my DIY electroc scooter, but you need to do around 6 or more new accounts to get 4/5$ new user coupons.
@@itsglizda345 Yes, they sell cells for around 2 dollars a piece. I used around 70 cells in the past to make an ebike 20ah pack but I found out that they sell pre made packs for super cheap and wondering if they're legit.
I would like to know this as well, I bought Okoman and Laudatio Batteries before and on the Okomans the Capacity was wildly off. They sell a 36v/8.8ah as 36v/40ah for 100 bucks, which is a rip off but not a terrible price for an actual 8.8ah. The others seems ok but I haven't really tested them yet.
Great video! I'm a bike and kayak buff and we have several lakes close to me that don't allow gas powered boats. Another great way to enjoy the outdoors!
Great video I'm also in the process of building a solar kayak, it's just on an inflatable labor. The whole system will be in an enclosed pelican box. Micah you should show the diagram or better yet make a video. This will be a great project for everyone . Btw I'm using a 55lb trolling motor and working to upgrade my props. Can't wait for the NEXT video.
Very cool, solar is the way to go. I'm setting up a solar system for my ebike. My panel is going to be placed on my trailer and the panel is a 150 watt which has plenty of power to charge and ride with. Awesome dad.
amazing! I'd like to see the battery in a fireproof bag though, as it would be a massive problem if it fails and sets a small fire one day out in deeper water.
Super cool, well done. I think the future of kayaking is gonna be crazy, between battery density, drive units designed for kayaks, the future looks cool!
Super cool rig. been thinking of something along these lines. recently was gifted a bunch of now-illegal grid connect solar panels, and my old man picked up a 'tupperware' hobie cat without the sail. Its just begging for something along these lines. unfortunately electric trolling motors are not a thing in my neck of the woods (no bass fishing), so the motor is prohibitively expensive new, but Im keeping an eye out. very inspirational, quite impressed with its performance. especially if your just kickin back in the shade. the deal is, he plays with it this summer, jerry rig a sail for it and get his best speed, N I'll mod it over winter and get mine next summer. Ideally, It'll be able to use both. Thanks for confirming my hunch that this is a Good Idea.
Instead of giving one thumbs-up, UA-cam should give us the choice of how many thumbs up a UA-cam deserves, and in my opinion, you deserve at least 10 thumbs up!!! I just started following your channel on 7-17-20. Thank you.
Envy is the thief of joy, and also the only explanation for why someone down voted this video... Great content, you live a charmed life and you're clearly your father's son!
I'm guessing you may be waiting a while for the manufacturers to offer this kind of rig. And it would be very expensive. Go ahead and build your own !! Thanks for your comment
Could use the extra power for different things also... a Sonar for fun, a fan if it's warm.. or just a charge output for you mobile phone or even a small cooler (TEC) to store you newly caught fish! So I'm with you add another solar panel! :-)
As of yesterday, new Florida law, you can take an E-bike on any trail, path, or bike lane you would ride a normal bike on, no registration or drivers permit necessary.
We dutch have that too. but if you have a E bike that goes above 26 km/h then you need a bike/car licence and a licence plate. My question is do you guys have a max speeds limit on the e bikes if so do you need licence and plate
Probably ok on bike lanes in roadways, but that's asking for trouble on bike paths and trails. They weren't designed for bikes that go so fast. A friend of mine was in an accident with an eBike last week that was coming around a turn too fast.
Unfortunately, local municipalities can override that law. Such is the case with Sanibel Island where I have been reprimanded for riding an ebike on a bike path. Life is too short.
@@roy.mclean those bike lanes painted on roadways here is suicidal, you eventually WILL get hit if you choose that option., and it doesn't take long. Everybody I know who rides a bike has been hit in those lanes. I stick to the sidewalk.
In a lot of ways small boats seem like the best type of vehicle for built in solar, the evaporative cooling from the water paired with shade from the solar panels would actually make fairly warm weather bearable. The power demands are low enough that you could use cheap low quality panels and lead acid batteries to power some trawling motors while still being able to cruise around wherever you want to go.
Very cool. I have a tandem Ocean Kayak I motorized in 2010 for fishing but I used two SLA batteries, I would like to upgrade to a Lithium soon. The Solar panel is neat but probably requires a long time to charge. In NY you have to register any motorized vehicle so I went to DMV and got it registered for not too much.
Awesome! I have been waiting for that, every since you built the batt for the kayak. The Warp Drive and Flux capacitor are the secrete sauce, I am quite sure.
your dad is a legend love the canoe, nice that you two have the same interest. I have some spare 18650's & 2 canoes, will build an electric sailing catermaran. keep it going!!
Thanks for a great video. I sailed my boat around the world and became very familiar with solar panes. Never thought to this idea. It would be much easier than dealing with an outboard when out at Catalina for a weekend. As always, thanks for providing all the details about sourcing.
My ultimate goal is to build a solo touring solar boat, and I may possibly integrate ebike pedal-assist systems into it. This is a really neat build. I see where you get your ingenuity:)
Yes neat. Solar vessels have the advantage of never climbing hills but they do have to overcome headwinds. Hybrid systems including sails or kites can help. 6 knots can go a long way over a day's time.
You are correct Lawrence. However, with a 33" bean and 13.5 length, this hull design is amazing and a key reason I went with it over 10 years ago. I have sailed it with the sail kit (about 15 sq ft of sail and had it healed over pretty good but never flipped it. I made a sailing skeg out of a cassette that drops into the rear cockpit in place of the pedal drive (or motor) that greatly reduces side slip. So this is a kayak that does many things well. Thanks for your comment @@LawrenceRhodes
Great idea, we have the same kayak and now I feel inspired to go ahead and build a solar one. Could you possible list the electrical parts required please, again, great stuff.
I built a similar solar kayak using that same small Minn Kota 28lb thrust motor and power meter. Swapping out that speed switch for a Pulse Width Modulation speed controller will give you about 18 percent more range. I build mine inside a lexan GSI waterproof box with cable glands for making it water tight. I'm using the Renogy 160watt marine solar panel with a Victron 75/10 mppt with bluetooth mounted inside a water tight pelican box. My next step will be to build a battery pack like you built your dad to replace the 100 amp hour lead acid marine deep cycle battery.
That's pretty funny warp drive LOL I wish I had a dad like that. I'm seriously interested in anything I can know about solar power evokes and this is extremely cool
Thanks for letting my son know how good he has it with a dad like me !! LOL. He's a great son and I am thankful that we have such a wonderful relationship.
That's awesome! That has me dreaming up something similar. 🤔 I'm not a fisherman but it would be really cool to be able to tool around and sightsee on the water quietly and without worrying about running out of juice.
This might sound silly, but here goes: Suppose you run out of battery, or have no battery at all, and just hook the panel directly to the motor (through some sorta' voltage stabilizer/regulator), would there be a problem running it? (of course on sunny days). Thanks for the video, real nice!
Theoretically it would work, but you'd get very low power by running direct to the motor. The battery serves as a sort of capacitor to handle higher power periods.
Got that right - especially in the hot south FL sun !! Truth be told, before the canopies, I would rarely go out in the summer. Didn't want to turn into a French Fry !! Too dang hot !!
This is just awesome. Tons of respect for your dad fr the other side of the world. I'd like to see what are you talking about Electric motorcycles in your book.
Thanks much for your nice comment. Micah and I had a great time working on this project. Reminds me of all the projects we worked on when he was growing up. Have a great day and stay safe out there.
I enjoyed your video; thank you. I've been thinking about doing something similar to this with the battery from my dead eBike. (The controller unit repeatedly dies - so annoying). But my kayak is a Dagger Exodus, with a KayakSailor 1.4msq sail + 0.2msq genoa. I've made 2x homemade outriggers so it doesn't get tipped over in heavy sidewinds & waves at sea when the weather gets rougher. Regards, JohnnyK from the UK.
can you make a video about the proper lock or locks to use when parking your bike? and/or safety pointer for when locking the bike somewhere? Thank you for all the content you put out in UA-cam we appreciate it
Wonder if it would work on a 22 ft sailboat, get some flex solar panel onto the sail to charge the battery and run the motor 24/7 to help speed up the boat. Or remove the sail and install a roof with solar panel.
nice job also you can add single axis tracking system to your solar setup and you wont need adjust it by hand . did you measured your motor currents ? what are the numbers?
Yeah, the tracking system would have a tough time keeping up with the turning of the kayak - rarely in a straight line for long !! Motor draws about 6 amps on the slowest speed and about 23 amps at top speed. Wind and tidal current movement affect these numbers a little. Hope this helps
This panel can put out close to 100 watts ua-cam.com/users/postUgkxOqI2yqX0XVrhR2BMJciTWrHJpG8FhJyg when positioned in the appropriate southernly direction, tilted to the optimal angle for your latitude/date, and connected to a higher capacity device than a 500. The built in kickstand angle is a fixed at 50 degrees. Up to 20% more power can be output by selecting the actual date and latitude optimal angle.The 500 will only input 3.5A maximum at 18 volts for 63 watts. Some of the excess power from the panel can be fed into a USB battery bank, charged directly from the panel while also charging a 500. This will allow you to harvest as much as 63 + 15 = 78 watts.If this panel is used to charge a larger device, such as the power station, then its full output potential can be realized.
What genuine nice guys , rare friendship between dad n son . The kayak is a credit to you both , nice job 👍🏼
I am a lucky man with a great family. Thank you so much for your kind words. Micah and I have been building and tinkering since he was 3. He is a wonderful son. Working with him on this project was a joy and a blessing. Stay well.
I wish I had a relationship with my father but this is beyond me. What a great relationship they have. I don't know the feeling of having even contact with a father and somehow this warmth my heart
This is the content we like. You exploring unique tech. Innovative and new ideas especially diy
Edit: this is something I would copy. The solar panel basically serves two purposes: providing power and sun cover. Man I wish I have a Hobie mirage kayak tho.
Hobies are great Kayaks. I have been in many others and this is simply the best. Pricey, but great. This kayak is over 10 years old and has held up great with all the mods and many trips. Thanks for your comment.
Check out fiberglass mold building on UA-cam.. it’s not that hard.. I own a killer sit ont top 14’. I tricked my boats with out with pontoons, awning , view window,
Duel 30 lb. motors. I think my boat looks better than most because of the flex panels and the bow nest where the border collie rides.
Micah and his dad are 10/10 guys. Really decent people through and through.
Many thanks for your comment. I am very proud of my son
Very well designed and executed. Your Dad is a smart man.
I have in my possession two spare warp drives that come with a set of FOUR flux capacitors that I'll send to your father today for FREE! Those flux capacitors are hard to come by these days. I LOVE THIS SETUP and will be putting the knowledge shared here to good use on my kayak!
*I bought this model for my 14 ft Jon boat. **enjoyable.fishing** recommend love it!!! It pushes my boat with ease ( 2 men 220 each). I would highly recommend this to anyone.*
according to my math a 12v 100AH battery gets less than 2 hours of full speed runtime on a little 30watt motor like this. in terms of speed it's better than rowing but your not going very far at 0.40 horse power. a gas generator and 48V 120+ pound motor are a better compromise.
Second panel, and you could add a radio and/or extra utility power (charge phones or run a Peltier cooler for cold drinks, etc.) and some small fans for the passengers. More options than the range or faster performance that others have mentioned.
One should be able to add about 3 or so panels on it, this should provide enough power to not use the battery. Jaimie has made a lot of solar powered boats over the years you can check out his builds. ua-cam.com/video/V7flR0O-coU/v-deo.html
Those two kids are having the time of their lives! It's refreshing to see kids outside and not on their iPads, Im kinda jealous, I wish my dad had a canoe or kayak when I was little. 🥺
Great long awaited update. Lovely family! I’m planning a similar build but will be using a PWM to be more efficient with power. Stock speed selector on the trolling motor limits the range of the power your battery pack can provide. Love the rig and thank you for sharing! Micah, maybe next project is to add a brushless motor on dad’s kayak.
Try out the new super effective toroidal propellers !
this video just changed my life. can't wait to see more videos about how this is made
I really like the shade aspect of this. Those kayaks have absolutely no shade normally. You just sit out there in the hot sun. There is a lot of nice shade added by the panel.
Absolutely !! Sun is dang hot and now with the Bimini top I go out more in the summer than I used to. Having the motor push me around is a nice plus as well !! Thanks for your comment.
Your dad is a treasure, I hope to do something like this with my father and kids soon
just a small suggestion: plug up the battery pack's charging port just in case. :)
This is an excellent suggestion. Thank you !!
Micah's Dad
@@micahsdad5388 you are welcome sir. i've learnt alot about diy battery building from this channel :)
@@wtwsage My son knows this stuff !! Surprised he didn't catch the issue with the charging port !!
6 kts?. Wow! Impressive. That must be close to hull speed. More power wouldn't drive it any faster. It would just suck down.
Micahs Dad Hey Micah’s Dad, so many of us have learned alot from your son. Many thanks to you for rubbing off on him! I built a 2wd m365...
Love this build! I built a similar set up on my beach wagon. Converted a barbie jeep so the control is in the handle, and the deck holds over 100lbs easily. Two coolers, umbrellas, chairs, etc...Friends aren't sure whether to laugh or be impressed that I don't have to haul everything out the the sand by hand!! I even put lights on it for the night time! And the foot-well serves as a lockable compartment for valuables under the deck. Sure glad there are still guys out there that love using their minds to build useful stuff! This is AWESOME!!
This is absolutely genius. I’m interested to know how it handles in windy conditions though...could the panels catch the wind and maybe cause the kayak to flip? Or, if conditions get choppy and the kayak flips, could the panel hinder you in your attempts to roll it upright again? I have no experience in kayaking yet, so I’m just curious.
it is difficult to flip most sit on tops. I'd imagine the weight of the battery being under or at the water line would further help with stability. As far as the movable solar panels? I've never seen such thin and lightweight panels before so now I am intrigued! I currently have a tarpon 120 sit on top with a trolling motor and use my foot pegs to turn it as it has no rudder. I am going to look up the cost of these types of panels and will likely velcro 1-2 on the front of my yak to keep me on the water all dang day instead of 2-4 hours.
@@bullyakker they don't charge that we'll. Will extend your range a little. Will drain a lot faster than it recharges
I love the bungie cord steering stabilizer. Back in the old days of motorcycle racing, that was a hot tip to keep things straight.
Micah this is so cool! Love that you and your dad share hobbies and interests (well you're more than a hobbyist but I digress) in solar electric vehicles.
This reminds me of playing gadgets with my dad growing up and I hope to pass some knowledge into my children too.
Thanks for all your videos and work you out onto everything you do!
Thanks for your comment. Micah and I have worked on projects ever since he could hold a wrench. Being out on the water with my son and my grandkids is fantastic.
These videos make me even more inspired! I'm modding out my 9' RIOT with solar panels and my set up is almost identical to yours, but instead of the trolling motor I'm installing a 12v DC drill as the motor. The land testing is almost complete. The drill eats 12v DC @ 1.3 Ah and my solar panels are 2x 25 watt 12v. Testing the panels has shown this puts out almost 4 Ah is good conditions and just under 2 Ah in low light. A battery serves to keep the current stable and also as a back up if the light gets too low (bad weather or staying out too long). That 100 watt flexible panel you have interests me! Might have to check that out to upgrade mine! Thank you for the vid!
Sounds like your dad is telling you to spend 100 bucks for a panel.
I say buy and install a panel for your dad.
I would have already ordered it for him.
@@nunjadamnbusiness Thanks for your support !! But I'm good with the one panel. I think if I do decide to do an upgrade, I'll go with a more powerful panel for the rear canopy. There are some that claim 300 Watts.
A trick: you can watch movies on kaldrostream. Me and my gf have been using them for watching a lot of movies these days.
@Zayden Luciano definitely, been watching on kaldroStream for since november myself :)
Glad to see this kind of build out there for people to know what's possible! Time to look for a trolling motor myself
The Min Kota is really inefficient, bypass the resistor coils and use a infinite speed controller for $30 it will increase your range times 5.
Can you please elaborate a bit more? That is interesting.
Take it apart, void your warranty and wire around the stock speed controller adding your own. Or dont buy a min kota. Or only go full speed haha
@@Noone-l6g the motor his dad has is like 10 years old. Yeah no warranty voided there.
Gianluca Sini PWM pulse wave modulation controllers effectively turn off the motor thousands of times a second this has the effect of slowing the motor down without wasting energy all troll motors slow down by wasting electricity through a heat coil mounted to the aluminum body of the motor, by using a PWM controller none of this energy is wasted therefore run time is factors bigger at slower speeds, cost is negligible but ensure the clock speed of the controller is high enough that it is beyond human hearing 15,000 htz does it for me Note Minn Kota have brought their own PWM motor but they want $450 for it, build your own for $30
What Sea just some advice for the guy using old parts, all troll motors are improved doing this, it’s true motor is working well flat out but sadly not practical to run flat out all the time
I have been interested in making an e-bike, but cant use it for my work commute and dont have much time to just cruise around for fun. BUT I am trying to force myself to relax and was thinking of getting a fishing kayak. Now I'm really motivated! Thanks, Micah/ Dad!
9:50 the folks in the background, "that home-made??" lol love it!
I have wanted to build one of these for my self. have looked at a lot of different ones on youtube and this is one of the best builds I have seen.
Richard - thanks for your comment. I spend a lot of time in this kayak before I went solar/electric and had a good idea of what I wanted to do and how to do it. Spent a lot of time planning the build. Again, thanks for your comment.
"Warp Drive - Flux Capacitor" :D
That's my dad! :-D
@@EbikeSchool Nice dad!
'photon input'
Brilliant!
@@spokehedz I was looking for the "torpedo output" hehehehe
Got to have some fun, right? People always smile when they see the labels.
Easy to see where your creative and can do attitude comes from. Can't wait to see what the next generation will be building.
Definitely teaching them early. Already had them out in the shop learning the safe way to work with tools. Come to think of it, that's what I did with Micah !!! Maybe it worked !!! Thanks for your comment
A second 100W solar panel could probably be useful on overcast days in addition to extending the kayak's range
or a third .....or even 50w panels all over
Hoping for really high efficiency solar cells and lighter batteries. The future is a skin that is all solar cells; applications for roofs, cars, boats and airplanes. Anything with an exposed surface.
@@pakde8002 that isn't really something that you could do with silicon based cells, and we still have a few more years before perovskite reach viability, so I think I am happy enough with what we can build now.
Great video, thanks for doing it. I just did an electric canoe, with an older minnkota and a store bought lithium 30 a.h. batt. I like the way your father put the solar panel on.
It would be awesome to get one of those books on DIY solar power or the motorcycle, I shared this video to a couple of my friends they loved it
Your dad is a pretty smart guy really liked his kayak have a good day and stay safe Jimmy from Massachusetts
Big question! I bought littokala cells in the past and they are good. Today I saw littokala official store selling 36v 15ah ebike batteries for 80 dollars!? Are these real? They have 21700 cells which are expensive and hard to get hands on. Please do a review on these ebike batteries that littokala sells! It would be so interesting to see if the capacity is real and how it's so cheap! Thanks.
I can't speak of this specific pack but I do know China is overrun with counterfeit cells, especially 18650 cells that compose most battery packs. Good rule of thumb as you know, if it sounds too good too be true, it probably is. You'll find most reliable workhorse cells are around 2,400 mAh, with maximum capacity topping out around 3,200 mAh. If you see cells advertised higher, you can be certain they are fake. Not all fakes are bad but most are, with a capacity around 600 mAh in my experience. I would assume the same issues also apply to 21700 cells. Shop smart and good luck!
I bought 30 18650 cells from liitokala store for around 40$, i am gonna build 36V 9Ah battery for my DIY electroc scooter, but you need to do around 6 or more new accounts to get 4/5$ new user coupons.
@@itsglizda345 Yes, they sell cells for around 2 dollars a piece. I used around 70 cells in the past to make an ebike 20ah pack but I found out that they sell pre made packs for super cheap and wondering if they're legit.
@immorton joe honeslty I heard they degrade faster then Samsung and LG cells.
I would like to know this as well, I bought Okoman and Laudatio Batteries before and on the Okomans the Capacity was wildly off. They sell a 36v/8.8ah as 36v/40ah for 100 bucks, which is a rip off but not a terrible price for an actual 8.8ah. The others seems ok but I haven't really tested them yet.
Great video! I'm a bike and kayak buff and we have several lakes close to me that don't allow gas powered boats. Another great way to enjoy the outdoors!
Great video I'm also in the process of building a solar kayak, it's just on an inflatable labor. The whole system will be in an enclosed pelican box. Micah you should show the diagram or better yet make a video. This will be a great project for everyone . Btw I'm using a 55lb trolling motor and working to upgrade my props. Can't wait for the NEXT video.
Very cool, solar is the way to go. I'm setting up a solar system for my ebike. My panel is going to be placed on my trailer and the panel is a 150 watt which has plenty of power to charge and ride with. Awesome dad.
amazing! I'd like to see the battery in a fireproof bag though, as it would be a massive problem if it fails and sets a small fire one day out in deeper water.
interesting thought. thanks for your comment
How many times have you seen lithium ion 18650s catch fire in real life?
li ions, dont use many tbh honest, but li po's a whole bunch of times
Super cool, well done. I think the future of kayaking is gonna be crazy, between battery density, drive units designed for kayaks, the future looks cool!
absolutely !!
Your dad looks a bit like Dale from the walking dead
Super cool rig. been thinking of something along these lines. recently was gifted a bunch of now-illegal grid connect solar panels, and my old man picked up a 'tupperware' hobie cat without the sail. Its just begging for something along these lines. unfortunately electric trolling motors are not a thing in my neck of the woods (no bass fishing), so the motor is prohibitively expensive new, but Im keeping an eye out. very inspirational, quite impressed with its performance. especially if your just kickin back in the shade.
the deal is, he plays with it this summer, jerry rig a sail for it and get his best speed, N I'll mod it over winter and get mine next summer. Ideally, It'll be able to use both.
Thanks for confirming my hunch that this is a Good Idea.
that was really cool, has he gone through a load test to see how much time/energy he has before it goes below usable and he has to recharge?
It makes a perfect move around boat, being solar powered, awesome piece of machinery!
“Warp Drive” “Flux Capacitor”? THAT’S GREAT! 🤣😂🤣🤣❤️
Gotta have some fun, right? !!
Instead of giving one thumbs-up, UA-cam should give us the choice of how many thumbs up a UA-cam deserves, and in my opinion, you deserve at least 10 thumbs up!!! I just started following your channel on 7-17-20. Thank you.
many thanks for your comment. Stay safe
That is seriously cool! I was led here by a video from RCTestflight. Looks like I've discovered a new channel.
Your Dad and his kayak are both super cool.
many thanks !!
Why doesn’t he have a second panel on the front shade. Looks great. Well you asked that question.
7:47
Awesome video great production. It’s just really wholesome to see family working together it’s just the coolest.
Thanks 🙏
I remember seeing video, a few years back, on peddle boards (name?) Thought that was really the bees knees. This kayak is even better, imho. Thanks
Envy is the thief of joy, and also the only explanation for why someone down voted this video...
Great content, you live a charmed life and you're clearly your father's son!
Alan - Thanks for your comment. Micah turned out alright !! Like to think that I had something to do with it !!
Hey Micah, what happened to the motorcycle you were converting? Last we heard you shipped it to FL to work on it at your parents place.
Good news. I think he is going to make some progress on it this trip. Stay tuned.
Wow one of the best video of UA-cam. Hopefully kayak manufacture will make this for people .
I'm guessing you may be waiting a while for the manufacturers to offer this kind of rig. And it would be very expensive. Go ahead and build your own !! Thanks for your comment
Yes he needs another solar panel, the will go home with more battery power
Could use the extra power for different things also... a Sonar for fun, a fan if it's warm.. or just a charge output for you mobile phone or even a small cooler (TEC) to store you newly caught fish! So I'm with you add another solar panel! :-)
@@alexanderwingeskog758 definitely the opportunity is endless
Thank you for this video... I am one of the many probably who have asked you questions about doing exactly this. Nice to see it in action!
As of yesterday, new Florida law, you can take an E-bike on any trail, path, or bike lane you would ride a normal bike on, no registration or drivers permit necessary.
Cool. Seriously good news.
We dutch have that too. but if you have a E bike that goes above 26 km/h then you need a bike/car licence and a licence plate.
My question is do you guys have a max speeds limit on the e bikes if so do you need licence and plate
Probably ok on bike lanes in roadways, but that's asking for trouble on bike paths and trails. They weren't designed for bikes that go so fast. A friend of mine was in an accident with an eBike last week that was coming around a turn too fast.
Unfortunately, local municipalities can override that law. Such is the case with Sanibel Island where I have been reprimanded for riding an ebike on a bike path. Life is too short.
@@roy.mclean those bike lanes painted on roadways here is suicidal, you eventually WILL get hit if you choose that option., and it doesn't take long. Everybody I know who rides a bike has been hit in those lanes. I stick to the sidewalk.
In a lot of ways small boats seem like the best type of vehicle for built in solar, the evaporative cooling from the water paired with shade from the solar panels would actually make fairly warm weather bearable. The power demands are low enough that you could use cheap low quality panels and lead acid batteries to power some trawling motors while still being able to cruise around wherever you want to go.
Very cool. I have a tandem Ocean Kayak I motorized in 2010 for fishing but I used two SLA batteries, I would like to upgrade to a Lithium soon. The Solar panel is neat but probably requires a long time to charge. In NY you have to register any motorized vehicle so I went to DMV and got it registered for not too much.
FYI. The state of Florida requires you to register any and all vessels that have any form of propulsion other than human power. Super cool setup!! 🤙🏻
Wonderful, this is my next project for the lakes in the lakes withing the Swiss alps.
Awesome! I have been waiting for that, every since you built the batt for the kayak. The Warp Drive and Flux capacitor are the secrete sauce, I am quite sure.
Absolutely - wouldn't work without the WD and FC !! Gotta have some fun, right??
Nice! What I like the most is you've used rod holders for supporting the PV. This is the bit that's had me stumped - how to attach it.
Yep - worked perfectly !! Did have to shrink down the OD of the PVC a bit but used the thick wall material so it is still plenty strong. Best regards
your dad is a legend love the canoe, nice that you two have the same interest. I have some spare 18650's & 2 canoes, will build an electric sailing catermaran. keep it going!!
I hope you make a video about that.
Thanks for a great video. I sailed my boat around the world and became very familiar with solar panes. Never thought to this idea. It would be much easier than dealing with an outboard when out at Catalina for a weekend.
As always, thanks for providing all the details about sourcing.
What a great guy, I'd love to see any future projects or upgrades to the boat
My ultimate goal is to build a solo touring solar boat, and I may possibly integrate ebike pedal-assist systems into it. This is a really neat build. I see where you get your ingenuity:)
Yes neat. Solar vessels have the advantage of never climbing hills but they do have to overcome headwinds. Hybrid systems including sails or kites can help. 6 knots can go a long way over a day's time.
being on the water is just a constant drag[then the winds] so anything does help like a a simple sail.
@@10OZDuster a boat must be designed for sail. Ballast, body hiking or width leveraging.
You are correct Lawrence. However, with a 33" bean and 13.5 length, this hull design is amazing and a key reason I went with it over 10 years ago. I have sailed it with the sail kit (about 15 sq ft of sail and had it healed over pretty good but never flipped it. I made a sailing skeg out of a cassette that drops into the rear cockpit in place of the pedal drive (or motor) that greatly reduces side slip. So this is a kayak that does many things well. Thanks for your comment
@@LawrenceRhodes
Man people are so smart. Such a cool build
Great setup! I love how it doubles as a sun shade.
Thanks. I was actually, at first, more interested in the shade. Then the idea of adding the PV panel was an obvious outgrowth. Thanks for your comment
Those are some huge cell clusters. Hope you have a BMS on that thing
Yep - big BMS !! Really a necessity at this size and power
Amazing, Brilliant Engineering, Brilliant Dad, Looks like a Great Family. Many thanks for sharing. 🇬🇧
Thanks. Miah and I have done lots of projects together. This is one of the best.
Enjoy the boat !I hope it will last 4 ever. And you have a wonderful dad!
I'm the dad!! Thanks for reminding my son that he chose his parents well !! Best regards.
I love the hobbies you chose for this
I have mine running for several weeks now. Love it.
Great idea, we have the same kayak and now I feel inspired to go ahead and build a solar one. Could you possible list the electrical parts required please, again, great stuff.
Felt like watching a car review or something😂. This man created a masterpeice
Man this thing is great. This + a little shack near the shoreline is all I need for my post-retirement life :)
Good job. Been working out DIY kayak or super light pontoon build with electric motor and impeller drive. Got some great ideas. Thanks
I think that kayak looks like a lot more fun than my 17 foot side console boat. Very good.
It's great fun. And I can get to places the 17 footers cant !! Stay safe out there
I built a similar solar kayak using that same small Minn Kota 28lb thrust motor and power meter. Swapping out that speed switch for a Pulse Width Modulation speed controller will give you about 18 percent more range. I build mine inside a lexan GSI waterproof box with cable glands for making it water tight. I'm using the Renogy 160watt marine solar panel with a Victron 75/10 mppt with bluetooth mounted inside a water tight pelican box. My next step will be to build a battery pack like you built your dad to replace the 100 amp hour lead acid marine deep cycle battery.
That's pretty funny warp drive LOL I wish I had a dad like that. I'm seriously interested in anything I can know about solar power evokes and this is extremely cool
Thanks for letting my son know how good he has it with a dad like me !! LOL. He's a great son and I am thankful that we have such a wonderful relationship.
I am happy you have a flux capacitor ......please go back in time fix 2020. Very cool work...i love it!
Yeah. 2020 needs some work !! But we had a good day with 3 generations out on the water having fun !!
Fantastic Project that your dad has made,Its the future!!
This is probably the only that I can get my husband to kayak with me. Thank you!
@Connie - go for it !! Or just leave him home !!
That's awesome! That has me dreaming up something similar. 🤔 I'm not a fisherman but it would be really cool to be able to tool around and sightsee on the water quietly and without worrying about running out of juice.
This might sound silly, but here goes: Suppose you run out of battery, or have no battery at all, and just hook the panel directly to the motor (through some sorta' voltage stabilizer/regulator), would there be a problem running it? (of course on sunny days). Thanks for the video, real nice!
Theoretically it would work, but you'd get very low power by running direct to the motor. The battery serves as a sort of capacitor to handle higher power periods.
I’ve had it for a couple weeks, it’s worked out great for my pelican boat.
great. enjoy the time on the water
All that shade is bonus. It's just as useful as the motor on the way home after a long hot day on the water.
Got that right - especially in the hot south FL sun !! Truth be told, before the canopies, I would rarely go out in the summer. Didn't want to turn into a French Fry !! Too dang hot !!
This is just awesome. Tons of respect for your dad fr the other side of the world. I'd like to see what are you talking about Electric motorcycles in your book.
Thanks much for your nice comment. Micah and I had a great time working on this project. Reminds me of all the projects we worked on when he was growing up. Have a great day and stay safe out there.
Great idea, kayaks are light so power to weight ratio is working for you. Little bit of power goes a long way for you.
Very true. Works great. Thanks
I enjoyed your video; thank you. I've been thinking about doing something similar to this with the battery from my dead eBike. (The controller unit repeatedly dies - so annoying). But my kayak is a Dagger Exodus, with a KayakSailor 1.4msq sail + 0.2msq genoa. I've made 2x homemade outriggers so it doesn't get tipped over in heavy sidewinds & waves at sea when the weather gets rougher. Regards, JohnnyK from the UK.
can you make a video about the proper lock or locks to use when parking your bike? and/or safety pointer for when locking the bike somewhere? Thank you for all the content you put out in UA-cam we appreciate it
I love the 'solar-powered electric kayak' The 'DIY Solar Power' book, please
That's a sweet Kayak Micah! It is disappointing that more small boats aren't solar yet.
I would totally buy that book on how to build a solar powered kayak.
Micah and I will talk about putting out a book. Thanks !!
Wonder if it would work on a 22 ft sailboat, get some flex solar panel onto the sail to charge the battery and run the motor 24/7 to help speed up the boat. Or remove the sail and install a roof with solar panel.
I'd give this 100 upvotes if I could. One of your best videos yet.
This is a ridiculously cool setup
Nicely done! Any issues with the wind catching the solar panel/shade and tipping over the canoe?
Never been a problem, even in stiff winds.
The kayak is shitty at the most..but the way you honor you father...wow...I bow to you sir...
nice job also you can add single axis tracking system to your solar setup and you wont need adjust it by hand . did you measured your motor currents ? what are the numbers?
Yeah, the tracking system would have a tough time keeping up with the turning of the kayak - rarely in a straight line for long !! Motor draws about 6 amps on the slowest speed and about 23 amps at top speed. Wind and tidal current movement affect these numbers a little. Hope this helps