450: Just signed on a new 450s!

[davedindubai]

Thanks Warren, that looks like a big improvement on the 'F' and will provide so much more space. Almost a 3 deck yacht.

I'm hoping I can fit 2x 330w ridged panels on the supplied 'S' Bimini roof plus a stern tower of 3x 330w ridged panels.

This is the compromise I'm working on. It will still give us 1660w in total but my wife won't have the issue of looking up at a large stainless tower. I've also agreed to powder coat the frame white so it is less obtrusive to the eye. I do understand that these things are important and I'm pretty happy with the compromise so far. After all, it will be fairly easy to extend the aft tower by another 3 panels down the line should I get the nod.

[PaulinOz]

"it will be fairly easy to extend the aft tower by another 3 panels down the line should I get the nod."

2,640 watts Now you are talking Dave.

[davedindubai]

I've made a couple of "easier than the manual" pdf's of the electrical system for the 3 cabin 450. The diagrams are direct from the manual but I was getting fed up having to scroll to the next page for the part numbers. They are for the areas of interest in this thread at the moment so will hopefully be helpful to someone else.

[Pascals Wager]

Great diagrams thanks. Looks like A2 and A4 are reversed on the AC drawing?

[davedindubai]

I checked the original in case I got them mixed up but it's correct, I guess they just used the wrong icons in the diagram. The full manual was posted earlier if you want it.

[davedindubai]

This is my latest thought on our power supplies.

[steve450]

Hello dave you do not need the victron multi controller as you can control the inverter thru the color panel


Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

[Krabimike]

Dave I am in the Maldives my net not so good. For some reason I cannot reply to the PM I have the info. Could you send me your email? mlsinvest@gmail.com Thanks

[rom]

Originally Posted by davedindubai

This is my latest thought on our power supplies. Attachment 142789

Hi Dave, I have a similar setup, 2 times 2 Benq 330W. I use the victron 150/60, you might do the same for your 2 panels array, to save some $. 150/85 seems good for the 3 panels array.

I would suggest you buy 2 "MPPT control", one per MPPT, which are interesting to gather some statisics, and which will show you in real time the enery production of each array.
Alternatively victron now sales new MPPT charge controller with optional intergrated LCD screen that would do the same.

Not sure about the breakers. Well, I guess it should work fine, and would use less space than a fuse plus a switch as I have ... maybe not a bad idea !

720 Ah seems a bit small for 1650W of solar. I have 1000Ah with 1320W of solar. Most of the time I wake up at 80/85% SOC but if there are guests onboard I can easily reach 70% SOC at sunrise. On very rare occasions I went below that, lowest I remember is 50% SOC while crossing the atlantic, sun in the nose, lots of coulds, had to start the engines ... And I havent yet installed the electric oven and the washer !

[davedindubai]

Originally Posted by rom

Hi Dave, I have a similar setup, 2 times 2 Benq 330W. I use the victron 150/60, you might do the same for your 2 panels array, to save some $. 150/85 seems good for the 3 panels array.

My plan (hope for the future) is if (when) I get away with adding a second row of panels to the aft tower I'll already have the 150/85 in place and can add as you say a 150/60 for the 2 panels on the Bimini.

Originally Posted by rom

I would suggest you buy 2 "MPPT control", one per MPPT, which are interesting to gather some statisics, and which will show you in real time the enery production of each array.
Alternatively victron now sales new MPPT charge controller with optional intergrated LCD screen that would do the same.

I think that the Color Control gives all the stats that the integrated displays do as the MPPT's are both linked by VE. Direct cables into the back of the Color Control.

Originally Posted by rom

720 Ah seems a bit small for 1650W of solar. I have 1000Ah with 1320W of solar. Most of the time I wake up at 80/85% SOC but if there are guests onboard I can easily reach 70% SOC at sunrise. On very rare occasions I went below that, lowest I remember is 50% SOC while crossing the atlantic, sun in the nose, lots of coulds, had to start the engines ... And I havent yet installed the electric oven and the washer !

My mistake the batteries Lagoon supply are 140ah so I'll have 6x 140 = 840. I'm going to see how we get on with the batteries for a while as I'm paying for them regardless but I expect in the future I'll want to change to lithium. I like the automatic generator start and will set that so I can't destroy the batteries and just invade that fails I'm adding in the Battery Protect which cuts all DC loads when the batteries reach a pre set voltage. I've had so many problems with batteries in the past I'm determined to get it right this time.

[davedindubai]

This may be helpful to someone.

[jbinbi]

From doing my solar install last summer, it seems like the Ah(of battery bank/W(total solar) runs between 0.8 to 1.2 from what most people seem to be putting on as a rule of thumb. Mind you, I am not sure this is really calculated, just about what fits on the boat in terms of both. I have 420Ah and 580 W, if you have 1600W, I would think you could go up to 1000Ah.

Figure if you are in the sun, 1600W is giving you 120A in, 1000Ah gives you really 500Ah a day to use, could recharge that in 4 hours. Of course, it depends upon the weather, location. If you are in Norway during the winter, this is NOT a good ratio, on a clear day in the summer, you might be recharged by noon!

[arsenelupiga]

Originally Posted by jbinbi

From doing my solar install last summer, it seems like the Ah(of battery bank/W(total solar) runs between 0.8 to 1.2 from what most people seem to be putting on as a rule of thumb. Mind you, I am not sure this is really calculated, just about what fits on the boat in terms of both. I have 420Ah and 580 W, if you have 1600W, I would think you could go up to 1000Ah.

Figure if you are in the sun, 1600W is giving you 120A in, 1000Ah gives you really 500Ah a day to use, could recharge that in 4 hours. Of course, it depends upon the weather, location. If you are in Norway during the winter, this is NOT a good ratio, on a clear day in the summer, you might be recharged by noon!

I have 360W of solar / 480 AH batteries which is 0.75. Nearly always they are back to 100 % by midday, sunny or not. How can anyone with ratio above 1 have trouble reaching 100% ?!

Maybe your solar do not do well when shaded or cloudy ?

[rom]

Originally Posted by arsenelupiga

I have 360W of solar / 480 AH batteries which is 0.75. Nearly always they are back to 100 % by midday, sunny or not. How can anyone with ratio above 1 have trouble reaching 100% ?!

Maybe your solar do not do well when shaded or cloudy ?

If you are using the same ratio as jbinbi then yours is actually 1.33. But whatever the ratio I am impressed that 360W of solar allows you to recover from one night of use so quickly, especially on a L400 ! Unless maybe you have only one fridge, a very good one, no lights, no mooring lights and so on ...

I have 2 fridges, use LED lights, mooring light LED as well, radio, computer and all that cost me about 150 Ah per night. With 360W I would need about 6 hours @ 360W to fully recharge the battery, that would take the whole day !

[arsenelupiga]

Originally Posted by rom

If you are using the same ratio as jbinbi then yours is actually 1.33. But whatever the ratio I am impressed that 360W of solar allows you to recover from one night of use so quickly, especially on a L400 ! Unless maybe you have only one fridge, a very good one, no lights, no mooring lights and so on ...

I have 2 fridges, use LED lights, mooring light LED as well, radio, computer and all that cost me about 150 Ah per night. With 360W I would need about 6 hours @ 360W to fully recharge the battery, that would take the whole day !

different people, different needs it appears. We use max 70 AH. 1 fridge swallows 15-20 ah overnite. No tv, only music occasionally. Have 2 pc/tablets, that we charge/run from 20 AH standalone LI batteries (x4) that get charged during day.