How to winterize your TEMO·450 electric motor?

The TEMO·450 is an electric outboard motor for dinghies and small sailing boats. To prolong the life of your electric motor, we want to give you some hints and tips for winterizing it properly.

List of equipment you’ll need

For the procedure, you will need your TEMO·450 electric motor, the magnetic key, the charger, a rag, a WD40-type spray, an electronic contact protection spray, a screwdriver with a TORX 20 bit and the (optional) cover for storing it. Lastly, we recommended you store your TEMO·450 electric motor in an area that is clean and dry.

Charge the TEMO electric motor to 100%

Now that your TEMO·450 Electric Motor is fully charged, you can see that the four blue bars on the gauge on the handle are illuminated, as well as the reserve in red. The next thing is to discharge your electric motor to 80% of its battery capacity. It is recommended that the battery level is below 80% and above 30%. As the winter months progress, the battery will slowly discharge. Check the battery level every 3 months if possible. Find out more about the battery of your electric motor in our video or in the article on our blog.

Rinse the motor

The next step is to rinse your electric motor. Using a hosepipe, feel free to flush it out thoroughly, as the entire motor is sealed. From top to bottom, start with the handle (gauge, trigger, reverse button) and the charging cap. Since it is sealed, open it and rinse it well to get rid of any salt deposits in the electrical contact area. Then, rinse the blue tube and the gills at the bottom of the blue tube thoroughly. Do not hesitate to take the TEMO·450 out to the maximum of is telescopic section.

Rinse the rest of the TEMO

The next step is to rinse out the rest of the TEMO. Take a garden hose and do not hesitate to rinse it with plenty of water, the engine is completely waterproof. From top to bottom, start with the handle (gauge, trigger, reverse button) as well as the charging cap. Itself being waterproof, open it and rinse well to avoid any salt deposit in the electrical contact area. Then, thoroughly rinse the blue tube and the vents located at the bottom of the blue tube. Do not hesitate to extend the TEMO as far as possible with the telescoping.

Remove the propeller

The next stage is to protect the inaccessible parts of your portable motor with the hosepipe. The first step is to remove the propeller, to ensure that there is no algae or sand in this area. Protect your hand with a glove or cloth while holding the propeller. Simply undo the screw in the middle of the propeller with a TORX 20 key. Be careful not to lose the washer and the pin from the propeller. Be sure to remove the propeller carefully to minimise the chance of these falling out and getting lost. Make sure the motor shaft and surrounding area is clean and apply a shot of WD40 as a precaution. Finally, ensure that the pin is correctly seated in the propeller, fitting into the slot provided for this purpose during reassembly. The same goes for the screw and its washer. You can watch a video on our TEMO France YouTube channel demonstrating this process.

Application of protective sprays

The last step is to apply the two different sprays. Start by applying the electronic contact spray in the charging socket of your TEMO·450 electric motor. Turn the charging ring and apply the spray inside. Do the same for the handle (small round recess on the inside of the handle, opposite the guard). Don't hesitate to apply as much as possible to remove as much salt as possible. As a precaution, you can even put some on the sides of the blue trigger. Next, you have to apply it to the holes at the bottom of the blue tube, and then the last step is to apply WD40 to the telescopic section and to the grey tube. Make sure that the telescopic section slides well and wipe off any excess WD40. Do the same for the clamp and the screws at the bottom of the blue tube as well as those at the top of the black part of the motor. Lastly, the optional cover is highly recommended for when you store or transport your motor.

Your electric motor is now ready for winter. To sum up, charge the battery to 100% capacity and run the motor in fresh water for 9 minutes. Rinse the TEMO·450 completely and remove the propeller. Apply electronic contact spray to the charging socket, the handle and the gills. Finally, apply WD40 to the grey tube, the clamp and the screws at the bottom of the blue tube.

So there you are. Hopefully you’ve got a clearer picture! And just so our portable electric motor holds no more secrets for you, take a look at all our other articles.