Basically what I want to build under the swim platform on my boat is 2x t200’s that can swing the stern end around to fit my boat into a really tight boat slip. I get the basics of the esc and a servo controller. What I have is 24v dc, the boats power system. 2x 12v marine batteries. What can I do to make this works?
Hi @Llammers, welcome to the forum 
We generally don’t recommend running T200s above their rated 20V, but if you’re able to keep the throttle low it should be possible. Alternatively you could regulate the voltage to 20V or lower, in which case you could use the thrusters at full throttle without the same worries about the thrusters or ESCs overheating and becoming damaged or having shortened lifespans.
That said, the main concern with batteries is generally the current capacity. T200s can draw a significant amount of current (especially at higher voltages), and it’s important to ensure your power supply has sufficient burst capacity to handle the maximums, and sufficient continuous discharge capacity to handle the levels you’re expecting for prolonged use. I’d recommend checking our T200 Technical Details to understand the performance and power draw at different voltage levels and input commands. Consider also the weight and shape of your boat, and how that determines the speed/control you could get from some installed thrusters.
This thread discusses lead acid batteries for powering T200s, so may be relevant/of interest
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Thanks for the reply, I read the link about lead acid batteries. My boats’ engine will be running as well so should I connect to the batteries, or to the boats charging/generator system. The boat has a 6.2L raptor engine in it. The thrusters may be used for 2-3 minutes at a time maybe 4 times a day or so. If I am correct a voltage regulator to 20A is necessary, so 20A to the thruster commander, 2 ESC to 2 thrusters, dial for speed control.
Next questions are
- How do we provide reverse function?
- Do the thrusters perform equally in reverse as forward?
The ESCs take a PWM input with a pulse-duration between 1100-1900us. When it’s at 1100 it’s full reverse, and at 1900 it’s full forwards. The Thruster Commander measures the potentiometer (dial) positions to determine which PWM values it should output. If you’re using only the speed dial, when it’s at the center position the thrusters will be stopped, and turning it to each side will do forward/reverse. It’s a bit more complicated if you’re using both speed and steering dials, but it’s mostly the same idea.
If you haven’t already, I’d recommend you take a look at the Thruster Commander page’s Learn tab, including the two guides it links to
No. If you look at the T200 technical details (link in my previous comment) you’ll see there are different max forward and reverse thrust values, which is also visible in the performance charts for a range of battery voltages and input signal values