Electric Range without a Generator?

[Boatwright]

Man of us are big fans of Bryan Trautman and Delos. I follow with interest the systems on his 53', 18 ton, world travelling, Amel Supermaru sloop Delos. Delos is an amazing machine -- complex, power hungry, and demanding of its captain and crew.

It should be noted that Captain Bryan is an Electrical Engineer - a professional Electrical Engineer..........

I know that we all have dreams of sailing the world in our own self-sufficient world. Experience tells me there are two ways to do this:

1) Big Bucks + Big Ability

2) Keep it Simple + Big Ability

There is a third alternative:

3) Big Dreams + Unrealistic Expectations = Hundreds and Hundreds of derelict boats under rotting blue plastic in the back end of boat yards all over.

[Q Xopa]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Yes, but the key to changing that to "entirely possible" is big ICE power, and maybe LFP.

That requires a certain size boat, some money, and a willingness to burn fossil fuels more than someone "camping" does.

And as the surface area for panels increases - and the owners willingness to cover the boat with them - then ICE runtime can be reduced accordingly.

I completely agree that newbies often come in with unrealistic expectations wanting to have their Green cake and to eat it too.

But for those willing to own their sinful desire for FF consumption, it's just a matter of learning to not be so dogmatic, and maybe getting a bigger boat.

You minimalists are always welcome on my boat when we end parked next to each other in the ancourage. I can probably find you a warm beer if you would prefer?

[Boatwright]

I'll match my cold beer up against yours. We have a super-insulated (7" of closed cell foam with gasketed top loading lid) 6 cuft. box, 12v Isotherm BD35 refrigeration, all led lighting, properly installed (that is safe) propane cooking. We use 50 to 80 AH/day which is more than adequately provided by our 200 watt solar array. Except for prolonged 100% cloudy weather, we rarely need to run our high-output engine driven alternator.

What we don't have is a 3 or 5 or 10 KWH load, a genset, etc. that would be required to power things like induction stoves, hair dryers, radar, water heaters, satellite communications and the like. We are not running 3 or 4 computers and a video production studio like SV Delos.

We do have an 1000 watt inverter, mainly to run small power tools. Our one indulgence is a small blender. Next time you are up our way, we'll have you aboard for a frosty rum punch.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Boatwright

The question is asked in many forms, but it all boils down to one theme that is, How can we go cruising and not leave any of the comforts of our modern home behind? Hair dryers, coffee makers, large refrigerator / freezers, TV, computers, etc., etc.. And, how can we do it without a genset, too many solar panels, or a noisy wind generator, etc., etc..



I have a simple answer: You can't.

Not entirely true
The large amount of 240v household electrics on our vessel is 100% solar run on a sunny day and from the water you can't even see the panels.
But it did require a bigger boat with considerable roof space to do it.
As much ice , steak dinners, icecream, clean clothes and hot water as you want over here

[Boatwright]

Gentlefolks, I give up. Yes there are ways to cruise with all the comforts of home, yes you can buy a bigger boat and cover it with 2,000 watts of solar panels and/or run an 8kw genset like Delos.

However, my original point was: You don't have to do this to cruise comfortably. IMO you will enjoy cruising more, you will have fewer maintenance headaches, and you will realize your cruising dreams faster and for far less money if you leave the high demand electric stuff at home.

We have and we do.

[OldMan]

Originally Posted by Boatwright

Gentlefolks, I give up. Yes there are ways to cruise with all the comforts of home, yes you can buy a bigger boat and cover it with 2,000 watts of solar panels and/or run an 8kw genset like Delos.

However, my original point was: You don't have to do this to cruise comfortably. IMO you will enjoy cruising more, you will have fewer maintenance headaches, and you will realize your cruising dreams faster and for far less money if you leave the high demand electric stuff at home.

We have and we do.

"Comfortably" is in the eye of the beholder! The goodness about cruising today is the possibility to meet "Comfortably" for a wide range of people. No reason to push your version of "Comfortably" on others.

[mako]

I used to sail "minimalist" when I was younger, although that is no longer relevant for my or my wife's present "Comfortably" level at this point in our lives.

However I have an issue with the whole "electricity is evil" philosophy. How much maintenance does a solar panel require? How about a small inverter, or a battery, or some copper wires? We just installed a 275kW commercial solar pV system on my project. So except for wiping the dust off the panels, the amount of maintenance required by the system is likely less than a typical sailboat generator set.

How much pollution is solar electric creating on a daily basis compared to lighting your boat with a kerosene lantern and cooking with propane? Have you ever even tried to find kerosene in backwater areas? I have and it's hard to find.

Technology has marched forward and these are no longer the days of trading paraffin to barefoot natives in the 1900's. Perhaps today's minimalist, who truly wishes to be close to nature and self sufficient, would be:

• sailboat
• no engine
• manual windlass
• lots of solar
• high efficiency electrical consumers

[Q Xopa]

Originally Posted by Boatwright

I'll match my cold beer up against yours. We have a super-insulated (7" of closed cell foam with gasketed top loading lid) 6 cuft. box, 12v Isotherm BD35 refrigeration, all led lighting, properly installed (that is safe) propane cooking. We use 50 to 80 AH/day which is more than adequately provided by our 200 watt solar array. Except for prolonged 100% cloudy weather, we rarely need to run our high-output engine driven alternator.

What we don't have is a 3 or 5 or 10 KWH load, a genset, etc. that would be required to power things like induction stoves, hair dryers, radar, water heaters, satellite communications and the like. We are not running 3 or 4 computers and a video production studio like SV Delos.

We do have an 1000 watt inverter, mainly to run small power tools. Our one indulgence is a small blender. Next time you are up our way, we'll have you aboard for a frosty rum punch.

Nice! Im up for that.

[Q Xopa]

Originally Posted by Boatwright

Gentlefolks, I give up. Yes there are ways to cruise with all the comforts of home, yes you can buy a bigger boat and cover it with 2,000 watts of solar panels and/or run an 8kw genset like Delos.

However, my original point was: You don't have to do this to cruise comfortably. IMO you will enjoy cruising more, you will have fewer maintenance headaches, and you will realize your cruising dreams faster and for far less money if you leave the high demand electric stuff at home.

We have and we do.

Im lucky, at 49ft I do have a big enough boat for a lot of solar.

But I agree with you that living as simply as we can, and getting the most out of what landlubbers call meger resources is what cruising is all about.
I am in admiration of how many cruisers do this so well and innovatively.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Boatwright

However, my original point was: You don't have to do this to cruise comfortably. IMO you will enjoy cruising more, you will have fewer maintenance headaches, and you will realize your cruising dreams faster and for far less money if you leave the high demand electric stuff at home.

We have and we do.

You're welcome to enjoy whatever works for you.... but your viewpoint isn't universal.

-Chris

[john61ct]

But those who desire laundry machines and dishwashers etc are no more "sinners" than S&B dwellers who do so.

[Adelie]

S&B??

[mako]

Laundry machines onboard...

well if your marina charges $10-15 wash and dry, in some dirty old machine, or you have to wash in a bucket while cruising, then perhaps it’s worth it.

An A+++ washer might use 600 W-hr over a 30-45 minute cycle... that’s about 40 amps pulled from your battery including inverter losses. Water consumption is super low.

Plus the convenience factor.

[john61ct]

Stick & brick

IOW people with conventional stationary homes, as opposed to mobile nomads.

[Adelie]

IOW??