For this test, we headed to the seaside resort of Quimiac on France’s Atlantic coast, in the company of Thibaut and Carmin. The aim was to set off from Quimiac beach and cross to Pénestin, testing two modes of TEMO·450 use to see how the battery gauge evolves.
And off we go!☀️ ️
The idea behind the test.
The idea was to take 2 identical dinghies and 2 TEMO·450s, with one accelerating to 100% throttle and the other to 70% throttle, and to see how the battery gauges behaved throughout the crossing.
Test conditions.
The weather conditions for this test were ideal, with an average of around 10 knots of wind and calm seas. These conditions enabled an accurate assessment of the motor’s range. 🌊
Equipment.
For the test, two inflatable tenders under 2.6 m in length and two TEMO·450s were used. Two cameras followed our navigators on their crossing to monitor the battery charge in real time throughout their journey! ⛵️
Test procedure.
The test consisted of covering the distance between Quimiac and Pénestin.
Thibaut headed off with full throttle - at 100%, while Carmin opted for a mid-range setting.
Initially, Thibaut got a head start because of his higher speed, but his battery ran down quicker than Carmin’s. Carmin, on the other hand, maintained a moderate speed but kept his range for longer.
Test results.
The test results are impressive and unequivocal! Here’s an overview of the main observations:
| Dinghy 1 - Thibaut - 100% acceleration | Dinghy 2 - Carmin - 70% acceleration |
| · Serial number: 882 · Manufacturing date: January 2021 · Number of charging cycles: approximately 100 · Range: 51 minutes · Distance covered: 4.4 km · Average speed: 3.7 km/h |
· Serial number: 7795 |
| After 52 minutes, Thibaut's battery was completely drained. | Carmin's TEMO·450 was still showing 2 bar + the reserve! |
Carmin caught up with Thibaut in just 6 minutes and was able to continue on for a further 39 minutes! 🚀
A big well done to Carmin for his impressive TEMO·450 sailing record: 1 hour 45 minutes. Who knows, maybe we’ll soon see him entered in the Guinness Book of Records! 🥇
Understanding the results.
The results of this test highlight the nature of the lithium-ion batteries that equip the TEMO·450. If you’d like to find out everything about our batteries and become an expert on all the electrical concepts on the subject, we can explain everything in detail!
Getting back to the results: the discharge curve of lithium-ion batteries is not linear.
| The first bars of the battery discharge more quickly. There is then a more stable period of discharge, followed by a final drop. When the motor is under load, the battery voltage drops, but recovers when acceleration ceases. This explains why a bar on the gauge may reappear from time to time. |
The test report shows us that you don’t need to use the TEMO·450’s maximum power to cover long distances and enjoy a pleasant trip at sea. By judiciously adjusting your speed, you can extend your adventure... by delaying the point when you run out of juice.
Now you know that once the first three blue bars on the gauge have disappeared, you still have half an hour’s worth of power at your fingertips.
