In saltwater, corrosion protection really matters to the service life of your outboard. Normally, there are two types of corrosion that could happen on your outboard. They’re chemical corrosion (a metal material exposed to the wet or humid environment) and electrochemical corrosion (a surface contact between two metal materials). To make every Spirit truly corrosion-resistant, we have adopted multiple designs and techniques.
Prevent Chemical Corrosion
1. Base material
The first step is always about choosing the right base material. So we build the lower unit housing, clamp and the shaft, where chemical corrosion goes often, with aerospace aluminum alloy. When aluminum surfaces are exposed to the atmosphere, a thin invisible oxide skin forms immediately, which protects the metal from further oxidation. This self-protecting characteristic gives aluminum its high resistance to corrosion.
2. Protective coating
The coating is like providing body armor to the base material. It brings better corrosion-resistant performance. On the aluminum alloy, we use a anodic oxide coating first and then its powder coated. So there are two protective coatings. In addition, on the lower unit housing and the clamp, a sandblasting process is done to clean the substrate and create a surface that will hold the two protective coatings better.
ePropulsion pod drives and Spirit 1.0 RS21 drive require more corrosion-resistant protection. We have hard anodic oxidation coating and Teflon coating to replace the normal anodic oxide coating and the powder coating. So they can stay in the saltwater for many years without being corroded.
3. Metal connector
To improve the connector durability, Spirit 1.0 Plus features a metal connector between the power cable and the battery. The base material is stainless steel, and we adopt a PVD (Physical vapor deposition) processing to the connector. PVD coating is harder and more corrosion resistant than coatings applied by the electroplating process. So after hundreds of times connecting and unplugging, the metal connector can still be corrosion-resistant.
Prevent Electrochemical Corrosion
There’re sacrificial zinc anodes on every outboard. That’s the basic anti-corrosion method. On Spirit 1.0 Plus, you will find 4 pieces on the clamp and the lower unit.
Two Tips
1. An outboard is not supposed to be immersed in water for a long time. You should tilt it up after each use. If you use it in salt water, rinse it with fresh water after each use.
2. Avoid any scratches that could hurt the base material. If any scratches or paint loss caused by a collision, contact your dealer for inspection. It’s necessary to do damage control and repair before it goes worse.
If you have any questions regarding corrosion protection, contact a local dealer or reach us on our official Facebook page.
What can you tell me about long term immersion electrochemical corrosion and for the Pod 3.0?
Hello there
What we use on our boat
We have the Spirit 1.0 Evo engine. I need connector connection wire colors. Please your help.
Hi Hakan, could you tell us what connection you are refering to? Thanks!
Can the battery be left on the engine while it is mounted on the boat in between uses? In other words, will rain and the environment cause a problem for the battery and or engine if left outside?
Hi MG, though our battery is ip67 waterproof, it is still recommended to store the battery in 15°C ~ 25°C (59°F ~ 77°F) ambient temperature; As for the engine, wash the outboard with fresh water after operating in salt water and tilt up the outboard above water after use, thanks!
Hey!
Is it possible to connect the battery charger of the spirit 1.0 plus (via inverter) directly to the motor without the battery sitting there with the cable that is sold separately which is actually for connecting an external 48v battery? I understand that it is not optimal but would it be possible to run the motor at a low speed (more or less the same as the charge strength from the charger)
Thankful for help / Deniz
Hi Deniz,
The Extension Power Cable it connects the Spirit Battery Plus and the Spirit 1.0 Plus motor, allowing you to place the battery 2 meters from the motor.
Although you can “charge while run”, it is recommended to remove the battery from the motor and then charge it for battery life.
It is strictly forbidden to charge SPIRIT battery with non-official standard charger.
For more details you can contact the local dealer to obtain it.: https://www.epropulsion.com/find-a-dealer/
I hope this is helpful, thanks.
I purchased a 1.0 in May of 2021, using it daily as I am a working liveaboard sailor. The battery went from providing a solid 1 hr duration to only 15 minutes over a 1 week period, typical of cell failures in a Li battery. By my count I have cycled this battery to 50% approximately 100 times, FAR less than the 3000 expected.
Your customer service has failed to contact me even after repeated attempts.
Hello! If the battery fails. You can consult the local dealer to check the battery.
If you do not know the dealer nearby, you can go to the official website to check.
https://www.epropulsion.com/find-a-dealer/
Can the pod drive evo 6.0 stay all the time under salt water?
How much solar panel wats or amps is recomended to charge the batery?
Dear Luis, can the POD drive Evo 6.0 stay all the time under salt water.
But routine tests still have to be done. Regularly check the use of the propeller, including whether the propeller blades are worn, cavitated or otherwise damaged, whether the pins are worn or damaged, whether the propeller is wrapped with aquatic plants, fishing nets or lines, and the degree of corrosion of the anode block.
What pod drive or outboard is recomeded for a 31ft, 4000tons sailing boat?
Do you have high pitch propelers?
Dear Luis, you means 31ft and 4tons? The 6kW motor is ok.
You can refer to this:
https://www.epropulsion.com/performance-bulletins/
Thanks!