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18-03-2018, 05:33
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Satellite Beach, FL
Boat: Beneteau M38
Posts: 11
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Aircon at Anchor
Good morning All-
Once again...my caveat...new to this.
However, I have a 1991 Beneteau M38 for which I went through a major retrofit. I would need to get the details for you from my electrician, but my question for him was how to have air-conditioning while at anchor/mooring when our Florida evenings are still, humid, and have no-seeums and mosquitos (I blunted this by saying that I wanted my wife to be comfortable...).
His response: Generator.
My question: Can we do it with batteries instead? I don't want the noise of a generator nor the flammability issues with gasoline.
Answer: Yes, can run on a robust battery bank.
So, I/we replaced the forward/vberth water tank with 10 deep cycle lead-acid golf cart batteries. I also have wind and solar. Needed a new alternator for my Yanmar 3GM30F, smart relays, etc. This system is separate and isolated from 4 house and 1 starting battery bank. Anyway...after all was done, I can run 12,000BTU unit for 8 hours.
David
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18-03-2018, 06:08
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#2
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Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Solent, England
Boat: Moody 31
Posts: 18,398
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Re: Aircon at Anchor
David, I have moved your post to become a new thread because it is a separate question.
However, I suspect your electrician is correct a genny is the answer.
Pete
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18-03-2018, 06:35
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: W Carib
Boat: Wildcat 35, Hobie 33
Posts: 13,479
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Re: Aircon at Anchor
This has been discussed many times...search existing threads.
Youve already gotten the most realistic answer: generator (a diesel one if gas worries you).
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18-03-2018, 07:00
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#4
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Writing Full-Time Since 2014
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Deale, MD
Boat: PDQ Altair, 32/34
Posts: 9,559
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Re: Aircon at Anchor
Generator. Just do the math on the amp-hours. You can get it to work for a few hours with a big inverter, but the batteries will take a licking. All evening and night, into the morning? No way.
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18-03-2018, 07:09
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 522
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Re: Aircon at Anchor
The youtubers, Gone with the Wynns, have aircon running from batteries and powered by solar....if I remember correctly
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18-03-2018, 07:20
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#6
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Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Denmark (Winter), Helsinki (Summer); Cruising the Baltic Sea this year!
Boat: Cutter-Rigged Moody 54
Posts: 33,750
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Re: Aircon at Anchor
Spend some time at anchor first before you rush to spend a lot of money.
I cruised SW Florida (and points beyond) in all seasons for a couple of decades and never felt the need for aircon at anchor. We had air conditioning on board and desperately needed it in marinas, and used it there. But it's always cooler at anchor, and the boat will orient itself to catch the breeze. Put up wind scoops to improve air flow if necessary. Good screens everywhere will deal with the bugs.
It ruins the pleasure of silence and nature at anchor, to close yourself up in the boat and run the generator. Spoils it for others, too. Try wind scoops and I would be surprised if you don't see what I mean. Virtually no one cruising around Florida uses aircon at anchor other than giant motor yachts, and no one wants to be near them at anchor.
__________________
"You sea! I resign myself to you also . . . . I guess what you mean,
I behold from the beach your crooked inviting fingers,
I believe you refuse to go back without feeling of me;
We must have a turn together . . . . I undress . . . . hurry me out of sight of the land,
Cushion me soft . . . . rock me in billowy drowse,
Dash me with amorous wet . . . . I can repay you."
Walt Whitman
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18-03-2018, 07:29
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 1
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Re: Aircon at Anchor
Quote:
Originally Posted by andreas.mehlin
The youtubers, Gone with the Wynns, have aircon running from batteries and powered by solar....if I remember correctly
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That’s, correct. They just posted a video discussing exactly this. They use an “Easy Start” device in front of their inverter to dampen the high initial draw from the AC when turning it on. Apparently this initial high draw is what’s so damaging to the batteries. They have a large lithium ion battery bank.
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18-03-2018, 09:57
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: W Carib
Boat: Wildcat 35, Hobie 33
Posts: 13,479
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Re: Aircon at Anchor
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dockhead
Spend some time at anchor first before you rush to spend a lot of money.
I cruised SW Florida (and points beyond) in all seasons for a couple of decades and never felt the need for aircon at anchor. We had air conditioning on board and desperately needed it in marinas, and used it there. But it's always cooler at anchor, and the boat will orient itself to catch the breeze. Put up wind scoops to improve air flow if necessary. Good screens everywhere will deal with the bugs.
It ruins the pleasure of silence and nature at anchor, to close yourself up in the boat and run the generator. Spoils it for others, too. Try wind scoops and I would be surprised if you don't see what I mean. Virtually no one cruising around Florida uses aircon at anchor other than giant motor yachts, and no one wants to be near them at anchor.
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Installed AC when we lived aboard in a marina in Texas years ago...it was not a luxury, it was life support. But, have not used it since. I spin up the compressors once a year to make sure they still work, but expect they are dying a slow death. Have cruised all over FL and W Carib without using AC. Almost removed them this year to reduce weight and gain storage, probably will next season.
At anchor, good ventilation and sun awnings make a huge difference.
At anchor in the San Blas islands of Panamá now with wind scoops and sun awnings deployed. Quite comfy.
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18-03-2018, 10:17
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#9
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: W Carib
Boat: Wildcat 35, Hobie 33
Posts: 13,479
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Re: Aircon at Anchor
Staying cool tropical style, no noise, no fuel:
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18-03-2018, 10:19
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#10
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: W Carib
Boat: Wildcat 35, Hobie 33
Posts: 13,479
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Re: Aircon at Anchor
Quote:
Originally Posted by RodeoClown
...
...Anyway...after all was done, I can run 12,000BTU unit for 8 hours.
David
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12K BTU over 8 hours is a lot of juice...how to you plan to replace that?
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18-03-2018, 12:40
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#11
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Satellite Beach, FL
Boat: Beneteau M38
Posts: 11
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Re: Aircon at Anchor
Yes it is
I have a wind generator, three solar panels, and, most importantly, a 160 amp alternator on the Yan Marr.
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18-03-2018, 12:44
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: W Carib
Boat: Wildcat 35, Hobie 33
Posts: 13,479
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Re: Aircon at Anchor
Quote:
Originally Posted by RodeoClown
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Have you done the math? How long put that much juice back in?
Have you actually ran a 12K BTU unit for 8 hours off your set up or is that calculated?
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18-03-2018, 13:03
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#13
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Marine Service Provider
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 6,103
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Re: Aircon at Anchor
Quote:
Originally Posted by belizesailor
Have you done the math? How long put that much juice back in?
Have you actually ran a 12K BTU unit for 8 hours off your set up or is that calculated?
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Great question!
_________
And my questions are:
How much weight was put in the bow of the boat?
How much did 10 batteries weigh?
How does that compare to the weight of the water tank (assuming full) that was removed?
Have you slept on top of charging batteries before?
I have.
Be sure you (battery compartment, and sleeping quarters) have adequate fresh air ventilation.
I was on a boat with a big expensive new battery bank below a settee, woke up choking and had difficulty breathing when the batteries below me were cooking and off gassing while charging. Toxic fumes woke me up! If you smell "acid" beware!
______________
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18-03-2018, 13:16
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#14
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Registered User
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: canada
Posts: 4,634
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Re: Aircon at Anchor
Quote:
Originally Posted by RodeoClown
Answer: Yes, can run on a robust battery bank.
So, I/we replaced the forward/vberth water tank with 10 deep cycle lead-acid golf cart batteries. I also have wind and solar. Needed a new alternator for my Yanmar 3GM30F, smart relays, etc. This system is separate and isolated from 4 house and 1 starting battery bank. Anyway...after all was done, I can run 12,000BTU unit for 8 hours.
David
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for one night. great. then you'll need a dock for 24h to charge it. you won't be charging that out in the water. system is fine for weekend warriors. if you want to spend a week or month out, you'll need a gen
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18-03-2018, 13:18
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Satellite Beach, FL
Boat: Beneteau M38
Posts: 11
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Re: Aircon at Anchor
Is already a done deal. I’ve been using the system for over a year and it is great. Don’t need to worry about gasoline for the generator, the noise, or the hassle. Pretty quiet and all self-contained
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