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Old 21-02-2014, 13:18   #16
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Re: can you help settle an argument?

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Photo of my boat. (Not really)

Attachment 76518
Hahaha! Gotta love it. That might be what I need.
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Old 21-02-2014, 13:20   #17
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Re: can you help settle an argument?

It is possible, there are many boats that are all electric.
It is not the most cost-effective way.

The compromise is to have a fuel powered generator, so the cost of batteries and solar, etc is significantly reduced.

You are both right, your husband is saving you money his way, which you like too right?
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Old 21-02-2014, 13:23   #18
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Re: can you help settle an argument?

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2. I don't want to have to rely on buying gas and propane... rather be self sufficient.
3. I'm kind of getting into this whole "green" thing... I love the outdoors.. and I'd like to do what I can to keep it clean..
The key to being "Green" isnt making bucket loads of power - its not using the power in the first place. Its pretty warm and humid where I live, and I still don't get A/C on boats, particularly when out of a marina.
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Old 21-02-2014, 13:24   #19
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Re: can you help settle an argument?

having lived aboard since 1990 and having used propane since 1990, i say it is the only way to cook on a boat. electric stoves genetically sukk.
havent tried convection. they need electricity.
i dont usually stay in marinas except in summer.
diesel is decent machine for power of boat,.. solar and wind for regenerating power on board.
gas or electric or propane for outboard powering.
i am female.
i very much enjoy my lifestyle even with extra stuff to do .
oh btw..i have been cruising now for only 4 years..
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Old 21-02-2014, 13:26   #20
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Re: can you help settle an argument?

ok.. so, I'm not very knowledgable about electric systems.. But, in my mind... if you can have an electric powered car.. why is an electric boat so out of the question?
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Old 21-02-2014, 13:28   #21
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Re: can you help settle an argument?

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Photo of my boat. (Not really) but I do have 4 solar panels with four more to install

DANG!!!! you could use those things instead of sails!!
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Old 21-02-2014, 13:37   #22
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Re: can you help settle an argument?

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ok.. so, I'm not very knowledgable about electric systems.. But, in my mind... if you can have an electric powered car.. why is an electric boat so out of the question?
'Cause it's soo hard to plug it into the mains grid to re-charge it every time you use it...
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Old 21-02-2014, 13:41   #23
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Re: can you help settle an argument?

Hiya Scarlet! Simply put...electric cars have a range of about 150 miles before their batteries needing a full charge. The batteries in these cars are very HEAVY. The boat's diesel engine is very heavy, as well. The "propulsion power" generated from diesel fuel is much much more cost effective than if it were solely from batteries.

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Old 21-02-2014, 13:42   #24
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Re: can you help settle an argument?

Scarlet, here is some info on nuclear RTG. Radioisotope thermoelectric generator - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Somewhere I found info on a unit designed for satellites that would produce about 6KW per day for about 100 years. It would fit nicely into a lead keel.
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Old 21-02-2014, 13:43   #25
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Hahaha! Gotta love it. That might be what I need.
I love it when one of my posts gets an instant chuckle. I would suggest looking into the lithium iron phosphate batteries. Just bring your waders if you're going to check the posts on this forum. Lots of info. but my attempts of categorizing the different aspects ran into a wall.
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Old 21-02-2014, 13:45   #26
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Re: can you help settle an argument?

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Scarlet, here is some info on nuclear RTG. Radioisotope thermoelectric generator - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Somewhere I found info on a unit designed for satellites that would produce about 6KW per day for about 100 years. It would fit nicely into a lead keel.

wow... talk about some light reading...
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Old 21-02-2014, 13:47   #27
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Re: can you help settle an argument?

And your BBQ grill is going to run on what?
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Old 21-02-2014, 13:50   #28
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Re: can you help settle an argument?

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The key to being "Green" isnt making bucket loads of power - its not using the power in the first place...........
Read no more; Factor is 10,000% correct here; no, make that 10,000,000,0.....% correct.

It is really simple, the more you use, the more it costs the environment. Yes, some energy sources are "greener" than others but they all have an impact/cost.

As a rule of thumb, the cheapest one's are usually the most polluting and vice versa.

So choose how much energy you can live with (or without) and how much you are willing to pay and then you will know how "green" you really are. Hint, it you wants lots of power very cheaply - you are brown, very brown!

Don't forget to include the "embedded" energy there is any system i.e. the energy required to design, manufacture and deliver the items you are using (like sails, engines, solar panels, hydrogen fuel cells and so on).
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Old 21-02-2014, 13:52   #29
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Re: can you help settle an argument?

Cooking with propane or electric......

Propane is source of heat energy. Fit for purpose, high efficiency.

Diesel is source of heat energy. Convert to mechanical energy in the generator and lose 75% of the energy out the exhaust. Add to that the inefficiencies with electric cooking (induction is better). Hence, electric cooking can cost 5-10 times what propane costs to cook.

Anything is possible with enough money.
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Old 21-02-2014, 13:52   #30
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Re: can you help settle an argument?

Well I would say with limitations it is possible. You will need a relatively large battery bank, a big solar array, may be a couple of wind generators. For batteries you will most likely want LiFePO4 and all the charging and monitoring systems that go with it. Lights, nav inst, cooking and refrigeration are all fairly easy, A/C is probably not going to happen and motoring is going to be severely limited, which if you have a sailboat is not such a problem. So it can be done, yes, you just have to accept what you will be able to get out the the system. There are many successful electric boats.
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