Brushless trolling motors are taking the shallow-water world by storm, letting anglers sneak up on fish that previously required a long, stealthy pole too get into casting position. But what’s the difference between traditional designs that utilize brushed motors and their modern counterparts?
Brushed and brushless trolling motors work on the same principle. An electric motor turns by spinning a coil of copper wire around a magnetized core.
Brushed electric motors have been around for over 100 years. Think of your old plug-in drill or a kitchen blender. Basically, a brushed motor uses direct contact between the electrical connection and the rotating magnets.
A brushless motor, on the other hand, uses a circuit board to control the power to the magnet reducing heat, sparks, wear and tear on the motor. With advancements in transistors, brushless motors jumped onto the scene as more efficient alternatives, though they are more expensive.
Brushed motors are still used in smaller, less expensive trolling motors, but larger, more powerful trolling motors are built with brushless electric motors.
A brushless motor makes it possible to design trolling motors with over 100 pounds of thrust and a shaft over 100 inches. Brushless technology makes it possible to rig a 30-foot fishing boat with a 100-pound thrust trolling motor.
The combination of brushless motors and new lighter, stronger and reliable lithium-ion batteries produces a more powerful trolling motor without sacrificing weight and space. Most importantly, a brushless motor is quieter than a brushed motor, so anglers can silently sneak up on shallow-water predators.
