15 HP outboard powered 28 footer kept on a mooring for weekend use.
I am hoping to get by with one 90 AH deep cycle battery for starting and house needs. Electrical demands should be modest... incandescent lighting, anchor light, VHF, depth sounder, engine-starting and fresh water pump. No stereo, fridge, watermaker, chartplotter, etc. The engine will pull-start if needed. I estimate 25+/- AH usage max per day/night of use.
I plan to refresh the battery during the week with a 30 watt solar panel (hoping for 8+/- AH per day) with an inexpensive Morningstar PWM controller.
Any advice or comments? Am I being realistic? For my setup, would an MPPT controller at $75 more offer enough benefit over PWM? Which would be a better way to spend another $150... LED bulbs, a second battery, or some other improvement?
I'm aware this 90AH setup won't fly for any period of use greater than 2-3 days.
Thanks... Hank
Electrics Advice??
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- Candidate for Boat-Obsession Medal
- Posts: 349
- Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2007 9:31 pm
- Boat Name: Paper Moon
- Boat Type: Luders 33 (Allied Boat Co.)
- Location: Mystic CT
Re: Electrics Advice??
Buy a couple of kerosene lamps, switch to LED lighting for anchor and incandescent and you should be OK. Also remember, a 90 ah battery is only good for 45 amps for regular discharges. Otherwise, you will start damaging the battery.
Cheers
Dennis
Luders 33 "Paper Moon" Hull No 16
Life is too short to own an ugly boat.
Dennis
Luders 33 "Paper Moon" Hull No 16
Life is too short to own an ugly boat.
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- Wood Whisperer
- Posts: 649
- Joined: Fri Aug 19, 2005 7:42 pm
- Location: South coast of Texas, Matagorda Bay
Re: Electrics Advice??
Lived aboard, and cruised full time, for 2 1/2 years (Texas to the Chesapeake and back, around 7000 miles), with a single Grp 27 battery and a 32 Watt solar panel. Agree pretty much with LazyGuy, but here's a few more thoughts-
Get rid of the electric water pump- two reasons- first it's unneeded- a foot pump works quite well and second, it'll waste water. A hand pump is a real PITA by the way-foot pumps are the way to go.
Go to all LED, I have LED fixtures inside, every where. Also get an LED anchor light. Mine is an Owl, from Bebi Electronics in Fiji. Best, brightest light on the market. I still have incandescent running lights since they don't get used all that much- only a few overnight passages, of one or two nights duration
I use the Sunsaver 20 controller from Morningstar- has worked very well. Had a problem with it while I was cruising, called them and they drop shipped a new controller to me, under warranty- good folks.
Seldom run the sounder, except when coming into an anchorage. Do run a hand held GPS, hooked to ships power, and a VHF full time when underway. Also occasionally power a laptop, and often recharge Cell phone.
Otherwise, I see no reason your setup shouldn't do well for you
Get rid of the electric water pump- two reasons- first it's unneeded- a foot pump works quite well and second, it'll waste water. A hand pump is a real PITA by the way-foot pumps are the way to go.
Go to all LED, I have LED fixtures inside, every where. Also get an LED anchor light. Mine is an Owl, from Bebi Electronics in Fiji. Best, brightest light on the market. I still have incandescent running lights since they don't get used all that much- only a few overnight passages, of one or two nights duration
I use the Sunsaver 20 controller from Morningstar- has worked very well. Had a problem with it while I was cruising, called them and they drop shipped a new controller to me, under warranty- good folks.
Seldom run the sounder, except when coming into an anchorage. Do run a hand held GPS, hooked to ships power, and a VHF full time when underway. Also occasionally power a laptop, and often recharge Cell phone.
Otherwise, I see no reason your setup shouldn't do well for you
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- Topside Painter
- Posts: 126
- Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2009 6:53 pm
- Boat Name: s/v Mooney Hahn
- Boat Type: '68 DS I; '68 Hinterhoeller 28
- Location: So. NH / Merrimac Valley
Re: Electrics Advice??
Thanks for your thoughts.
1.
I've seen some discussion (in one of Casey's or Calder's books, I think) suggesting that the overall cost-of-ownership is not that severely compromised if one takes a battery down to 35% +/-. Certainly one accelerates the rate of decay and gets fewer recharge cycles... but one gets "more" out of each recharge cycle. Deeper discharge also provides a greater quick-recharge (up to ~85%) interval before the slower topping-up acceptance rate comes into play. The trade-off of a shortened total lifespan against more utility-per-charge from the battery while it is alive seems reasonable to me. I believe the analysis cited a total loss of maybe 5-10% total AHs versus optimal cycling... for a $120 battery that's 10 bucks every few years... cheap as I am, I can handle that.
2.
For those with LED lighting, an anchor light is a no-brainer since it is on for hours and Bebi does come well-recommended. I'll order today. For interior lighting, there seems a wide range of quality and price in replacement bulbs. I am attracted to "warmer" hues... I want no part of the harsh blue-glare one sees in cheap LED flashlights. Can anyone name particular brands of replacement bulbs you are happy with (or you'd avoid)? My 4 bulkhead reading lights are single contact bayonets and my 2 dome lights are double-contact bayonets. I am fine keeping incandescents for (infrequent use) running lights.
3.
Any advice on 30 Watt (Mono or Poly, but not amorphous) panels? Are shing-shang no-name panels from E-Bay just a waste or is the technology mature enough that I'd likely get 5 years service out of a cheapie? (I know panels should last way longer than 5 years, but that's my reasonable usage and payback horizon before I likely change boats or electrical demands).
Continued Thanks... Hank
1.
I've seen some discussion (in one of Casey's or Calder's books, I think) suggesting that the overall cost-of-ownership is not that severely compromised if one takes a battery down to 35% +/-. Certainly one accelerates the rate of decay and gets fewer recharge cycles... but one gets "more" out of each recharge cycle. Deeper discharge also provides a greater quick-recharge (up to ~85%) interval before the slower topping-up acceptance rate comes into play. The trade-off of a shortened total lifespan against more utility-per-charge from the battery while it is alive seems reasonable to me. I believe the analysis cited a total loss of maybe 5-10% total AHs versus optimal cycling... for a $120 battery that's 10 bucks every few years... cheap as I am, I can handle that.
2.
For those with LED lighting, an anchor light is a no-brainer since it is on for hours and Bebi does come well-recommended. I'll order today. For interior lighting, there seems a wide range of quality and price in replacement bulbs. I am attracted to "warmer" hues... I want no part of the harsh blue-glare one sees in cheap LED flashlights. Can anyone name particular brands of replacement bulbs you are happy with (or you'd avoid)? My 4 bulkhead reading lights are single contact bayonets and my 2 dome lights are double-contact bayonets. I am fine keeping incandescents for (infrequent use) running lights.
3.
Any advice on 30 Watt (Mono or Poly, but not amorphous) panels? Are shing-shang no-name panels from E-Bay just a waste or is the technology mature enough that I'd likely get 5 years service out of a cheapie? (I know panels should last way longer than 5 years, but that's my reasonable usage and payback horizon before I likely change boats or electrical demands).
Continued Thanks... Hank
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- Master Varnisher
- Posts: 108
- Joined: Mon Oct 08, 2007 3:34 pm
- Boat Name: Dove
- Boat Type: Pearson Triton
- Location: Hayes, VA
Re: Electrics Advice??
I just bought this solar panel:
http://www.affordable-solar.com/store/s ... olar-panel
for 156.00 plus shipping. Looks to be a great piece of equipment and puts out according to specs. Good customer service, too.
http://www.affordable-solar.com/store/s ... olar-panel
for 156.00 plus shipping. Looks to be a great piece of equipment and puts out according to specs. Good customer service, too.
Jay
Dove, Pearson Triton #318
Hayes, VA
Dove, Pearson Triton #318
Hayes, VA