How to calculate a Solar system for a Trimaran ?

[Skip JayR]

Just to complete it... in the upper video battery test done by Compass Marine Inc. they check 4x 400Ah batteries Winston LiFeP04 for a sailing boat...



It is this one...
EV-Power | WB-LYP400AHA LiFeYPO4 (3.2V/400Ah)

In USA four (4) Batteries are delivered at a reduced prize each 542.53$ = 2,170.12$ plus plus 21% VAT at a total weight of 71.24 kg.

In Europe (where I live) we'd get such a battery at a prize of 599 Euros (discount starts at a unit of minimum five (5): € 587.02 / piece)
http://www.litrade.de/shop/Akkus-Zub...LYP400AHA.html

Does anybody know a cheaper source ?

[md7a]

Originally Posted by Skip JayR

Hi, folks !

... I am new here. Actually I am in my own plannings for "living on a boat" from 2016 on. I am a big fan of multihulls and the boat shall become a Trimaran, for living + working.

As most of you know Trimaran only can deliver their potentials to the owner if they are built light weighted... and kept leight weighted (no heavy loads).

So I am researching the sales market internationally to find an adequate boat/trimaran.
It shall be in the range of 38/39 foot... eventually up to 40-50 foot (so far it is a boat in the prize range of my total budget). Something like this...

39 footer...


Mostly all the boats I have looked out have Solar, regularly 1 or 2 tiny solar panels on the amas (outriggers), e.g. this 40 Footer Tri


... rarely on the sprayhood roof (fixed on a hardtop frame) or astern on a stand, e.g. this 50 Footer has and rarely seen on trimarans.


So its clear: I have to get a feeling for the dimensions of an expanded solar system newly... as first step to get an idea for the budget (roughly pre-calculated) as the existing solar sytems wont have the dimensions I will need.

Does exist a kind of Excel Sheet to calculate the size of batteries + solar system, eventually in combination with Wind Energy or (Hdryo-Energy propellor) ?

As I (have to) work on board as cultural journalist roughly 50 % of the monthly time, mainly I will use different laptops/tablet pcs (regularly 3), screens (4x), file server with backup sytem (4x hard discs), 1x mini printer and WIFI/LTE system (router) for Internet access front coast... and some few recording equipment for a mobile radio recording studio.

The regular work process is to run at least 2-3 laptops parallel (10 hours), plus file server with backup system (24 hoursx7d)... temporarily the studio equipment (all mounted in a 19' rack) will be used for 3-4 hours within one recording session (e.g. mixer panel, external midi sound cards, active microphone, compressor/gate for sound signal processing, loudspeakers).

Beside this working station the boat shall get an infra structure to be independently, e.g. hot/cold water pump sytem (at least deckshow), hot water shall come from propan/butan gas terme, so no big hotwater tank... and for fresh water - as Trimarans only have small tanks - is required water maker... ...and for all year cruising it needs a heating system (probably propan/butan gas).

Cooking can be done with solar stoven, seperately.

The boat shall be equipped for auto-piloting (probably Windfane is not suitable for a a speedy Tri so it needs 2 electric autopilots, one in reserves), navi electronics (following SOLAS standard) e.g. Copass, GPS, radar, chart plotter and all other electronic devices (sonar, wind, speed log, vhs with AIS)... plus routing planning using one of the racing programmes and electronic weather maps on a laptop.

The light system (position lights, deck light, cabin lights) shall become LED.

If possible I try to avoid a diesel generator for charging the batteries as a Trimaran only has very small gasoline tanks. Tris only have small diesel engines, some even only an outborder.

Lets see if it is possible to realize my dream. If you have a kind of excel sheet or another tool for pre-calculating the system I'd be very thankfully.

Tks in advance for giving attention and your advices.

Happy & Safe Sailing !

(P.S.: If you are interested in Trimarans, I am documenting my search for the boat on a small blog here: https://trienthusiasts.wordpress.com )

Skip JR,

Have you considered adding a fuel cell or stirling engine to your gear?
Seems like your loads are not constant but beyond the range of easy solar.

My SeaRunner does fine in summer on a single BP 15w flexible panel that I got used after burning man, but I have been thinking about one of these:
http://www.efoy-comfort.com/how-it-works

Or maybe one of these:
http://www.whispergen-europe.com/pro...roduct%20Specs

[Skip JayR]

Originally Posted by blackswan555

There are spreadsheets out there but I find it easier to just do it on paper, ( ok I am old lol)

Nothing wrong with that... :-)

Originally Posted by blackswan555

Take a look at every appliance label, note volts & amps, X volts by amp's to give you VA, VA X time appliance will be used...

Many tks, Tim... more simple, more better. :-)

[Skip JayR]

Originally Posted by md7a

Have you considered adding a fuel cell or stirling engine to your gear?

Yes, about fuel cell I have thought, indeed.

Got some infos that the "no diesel engine on board" racing boats use such one. E.g. IMOCA Open 60 Acciona is equipped with hydrogen fuel cells + hydrogenerator (for watermaker) + wind generators...

Acciona 100% ecopowered, the renewable energy IMOCA yacht



Yet not contacted Ynovex to get a more clear picture... seems a complexe system.



Stirling Engine ??? hm... sounds like "technical museum". Must remember... :-)

Originally Posted by md7a

Seems like your loads are not constant but beyond the range of easy solar.

hm... yeah... like my life. No constant level... ups and downs :-)

Will check out your links. Many tks, Will.

[MapleSugarMan]

Another thought:

My wife and I live on our Cal 39 monohull, and we built a framework on the back of our boat to carry 2 140 Watt monocrystalline panels. We used 1" stainless steel tubing that we bought at West Marine and corner fittings that we ordered through Sailrite.com. We bought ourselves a hand tubing cutter, and with that cutter, Don Casey's book, a power drill, and a few other hand tools, it took us about two days to build the framework and install the panels. The panels are high enough that they are not shaded by rigging and are out of reach of large following seas. It was nowhere near as hard a job as we expected.

Once again, best luck. You can do this!!!