Hydrogeneration: The Importance of Hydro Electric Power and How It Works

Hydrogeneration harnesses natural resources to generate electricity for optimal sailing experiences and is driving the future of boating. The technology prolongs the battery life of electric outboards and is more energy-efficient and eco-friendly than conventional charging methods. Hydrogeneration could well be an important milestone in achieving completely self-sufficient cruising.

How does hydrogeneration work?

Hydrogeneration enables a boat’s electric motor to charge its own battery while the boat is sailing or towing. During hydrogeneration, water instead of electricity, passively spins the propeller on the motor in either a forward or reverse motion, which generates electricity through electromagnetic induction. This electricity is storage in the battery bank, which is then used to power sailing systems and electrical appliances such as microwaves on boats.

 

How can hydrogeneration assist you?

Travel further and more sustainably with a hydrogeneration electric outboard, such as the Spirit Evo and Navy Evo series, which are the industry’s first known hydrogeneration-powered electric outboards.

The Spirit Evo is the first electric outboard to feature hydrogeneration and is one of the brand’s lightest outboard motors. The Spirit 1.0 Evo is a portable 3HP electric outboard that was designed for dinghies, tenders, and sailboats. It comes in a remote version the Spirit 1.0 Evo Remote and allows remote steering.

ePropulsion’s Navy Evo, which the brand considers the backbone of ePropulsion electric outboard motors. The Navy Evo is available in two power levels 3kW and 6kW and they feature hydrogeneration. The Navy Series provides efficient and clean power for aluminium fishing boats, dinghies, daysailer, cruising sailboats and can operate in both salt and freshwater.

The most compact of the brand’s motors are the ePropulsion pod drives. These are great for sailboats and small watercrafts. Offered in three models – 1kW, 3kW, and 6kW – the hydrogeneration powered pod drives are a silent, eco-friendly alternative to internal combustion outboards.

 

The strength of hydro electric power

With the power of renewable resources, ePropulsion motors generate different levels of wattage depending on the boat’s towing speed and the drive system models. When it reaches a speed of 10 knots, the 3HP Spirit 1.0 Evo can generate 330W; the 6HP Navy 3.0 Evo, 660W; and the 9.9HP Navy 6.0 Evo, 1,010W. Stored electricity generated while the boat is sailing can be used to power electrical appliances, such as microwave ovens.

 hydrogeneration technology in its Spirit Evo and Navy Evo series enables you to sail further and more sustainably by harnessing the power of renewable resources.

ePropulsion’s hydrogeneration technology in its Spirit Evo and Navy Evo series enables you to sail further and more sustainably by harnessing the power of renewable resources.

Having a hydrogeneration-enabled outboard extends the runtime of your motor, which means you get to travel further and more sustainably. Take ePropulsion electric motors as an example. It takes only 4.8 hours to charge the brand’s 1,276Wh large integrated lithium battery to 90 percent while sailing at 16km/h. You could even extend the runtime by replacing the integrated battery with one of ePropulsion’s E-Series batteries. Sailing at the same speed, the 2,048-Wh E40 battery takes 7.6 hours to reach 90 percent capacity, while the 8,960-Wh E175 battery takes 33.3 hours.

How to activate hydrogeneration

Enabling hydrogeneration on your ePropulsion outboard motor is easy. Hydro generation on ePropulsion motors can be activated when the outboard is in a neutral position and the boat is sailing at 4 knots or faster. ePropulsion’s hydrogeneration system will shut itself down when the battery is charged to almost 90 percent, or if the boat is too slow for hydrogeneration.

Stay up to speed on the hydrogenation process with the tiller, which features an indicator that will flash when the battery is being charged with hydrogeneration. When hydrogenation is enabled, the indicator light will turn on. However, on ePropulsion outboards, hydrogeneration can only be activated when used in conjunction with batteries from the brand.  For safety reasons they can only be charged to a maximum of 90 percent. 

 

Be the first to comment

All comments are moderated before being published