Air Conditioning via Solar Panels

[john61ct]

I really like the idea of a big-amps direct DC genset.

Do not use aircon nor big inverters, 99% DC setup.

If it truly is impractical and too expensive, then AC gennie into big chargers it is, but will research thoroughly first.

[saghost]

Originally Posted by bluenomads

Have a look at Eniquest. Australian. We're seriously thinking of their 16kW one.

I didn't see a 16 kW Marine generator on their website. I found this, at 6 kW:

https://www.eniquest.com.au/diesel-g...ator-6-0kw-48v

I have no experience with them, but Polar Power makes quite impressive promises for marine DC generators, using Volvo Penta engines hooked to their PM generator:

https://polarpower.com/marine-dc-generators/

[pwillems]

I have recently removed my big old AC genset and will be replacing it with an Aquamarine Aquagen. Kubota 6hp spins a 200A alternator as well as the watermaker pump. Includes takeoffs for other gadgets if required such as fridge compressor, dive compressor or hydraulic pump.

http://www.aquamarineinc.net/aquagen.php

Combined with a moderate amount of solar I see this as a nice solution. Run the generator in the morning for an hour to get the bulk of the batteries filled, top off the water tanks and heat up the water for the day. Then the solar panels can finish off the day topping the batteries to 100%.

[BigBeakie]

Originally Posted by saghost

I didn't see a 16 kW Marine generator on their website. I found this, at 6 kW:

https://www.eniquest.com.au/diesel-g...ator-6-0kw-48v

I have no experience with them, but Polar Power makes quite impressive promises for marine DC generators, using Volvo Penta engines hooked to their PM generator:

https://polarpower.com/marine-dc-generators/

The Eniquest PowerMaker Marine Cruise 16kW 48V DC genset is not listed on their website. It is based on a Yanmar 3YM30AE and is milspec in performance and design, meaning it has amazing up-time reputation. They sell mostly to the military, telco, and industries that need generators operating in harsh and remote conditions that need high reliability & up-time. I got ours after I met a guy who is involved in procurement for Oz military and he was telling me how reliable they are. Also other cruisers who said it was the best piece of kit on their boat, which you tend not to hear too much about other brands....

Eniquest do all their own design and engineering on the electrical side, do their own windings to very high spec, etc. An impressive company, and very helpful to us.

There has been more demand for the 16kW recently with the uptake of EP in Australia so the 16kW is becoming more popular. It puts out a true 15kW at full operating temperature running at 1,800 rpm. We got one of the early ones, it's seriously good.

[bluenomads]

Originally Posted by saghost

I didn't see a 16 kW Marine generator on their website. I found this, at 6 kW:

https://www.eniquest.com.au/diesel-g...ator-6-0kw-48v

Hmm - try here. They do custom as well, so I would presume even if they don't advertise them anymore, they can still build them.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Hugh Howey

The genset used to come on once a week or so, depending. I doubt it'll ever run now. I'll watch how the system works and will likely pull the genset and sell it. (I'll run it an hour a week to keep the oil moving)

Hugh

Heavy cloud and winter will affect solar, at least it does with our 2.2kw array.

[valhalla360]

How big are the air/con units and how much do they draw while running.

A couple little 8k btu units, sure, no problem but that won't be effective cooling your average 50' cat. Also, what normal operating temps do you cruise in...if you keep it at 80f inside when it's 83f outside, that's a lot easier than keeping it at 70f when it's 95f outside.

I'd also be curious of the overall system cost. A $50k system upgrade can pay for a heck of a lot of fuel. Plus giant battery banks don't last forever, so there are ongoing costs.

[Checkswrecks]

There's also a space issue for the solar. Even assuming the use of non-flexible panels due to being much more efficient than the flexible ones, it'd be impossible to put 22 to 30 100W panels (2.2 to 3 KW) on the majority of boats.

On the upside, there is so much competition to make solar more efficient that the number of needed panels will continue to fall.

[john61ct]

Will be great when sails can be made from PV material.

[Luc bulterys]

I want to start, thanking Hugh for his interesting initiative. I am these days figuring out the alternative electrical layout for our new cat (FP Atréa42). And it is quite difficult to get useful advice because most people are always referring to classic solutions based principally on diesel with some added alternatives. Even after specifying that we are willing to invest in alternatives. And I know that, mathematically, I probably can never spend that much money on diesel. But this is a choice ...

What I am trying to do is close to what Hugh did, but I am still wondering if I could skip buying a generator at all, with extra budget for alternative energy ?

We will be, most of the time, only two aboard. Up till now, we sailed in Africa, Brazil, Caribbean, etc and never had AC. But for the reasons already mentioned by Hugh, we decided to install a reversible AC on our new cat. (In total 52000 BTU, that’s what they propose, but split in smaller units that can run separately.)

I also want to eliminate all gas, so we will cook electrical.
We are willing to accept some limitation, like not using the oven or washing machine during cloudy days at anchor …

I am planning to install a complete Mastervolt Lithium system , with 3 12V/360Ah batteries.
We can install about 1400 – 1500 Wp of solar panels, and we will add a What&Sea 600W to top up our batteries. Probably also a D400 wind generator, but that depends my choice for a generator or not.

If needed, and instead of a generator that we prefer not to use, I would prefer to add alternators of f.ex. 200Amp on the 40hp engines. Also because that is not to difficult to install afterwards...

More advice, thoughts and reviews, certainly from sailors like Hugh, would be much appreciated.
Luc

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

How big are the air/con units and how much do they draw while running.

A couple little 8k btu units, sure, no problem but that won't be effective cooling your average 50' cat. Also, what normal operating temps do you cruise in...if you keep it at 80f inside when it's 83f outside, that's a lot easier than keeping it at 70f when it's 95f outside.

I'd also be curious of the overall system cost. A $50k system upgrade can pay for a heck of a lot of fuel. Plus giant battery banks don't last forever, so there are ongoing costs.

What he said ^^^^^

[CatNewBee]

we have 1650Wp solar 5x330Wp BenQ panels, 80..100A at 14V output, good for one A/C unitbto run on solar

[a64pilot]

Making heat, or even moving heat around takes lots of power, but especially making heat.
If you plan on cooking electrically, and especially if that involves an oven, that is going to be tough, real tough to do on Solar alone.
It can be done, but why, when propane is so cheap and available?

To think of how much power is required to produce heat realize that an SUV at highway speed has about the same kinetic energy as a tank main gun round, and when it uses its brakes to stop, all of that enormous kinetic energy to transferred to heat, yes the brakes get hot, but they don’t melt.

How many thousands of watts does an oven consume? You need of course to cover that and more with your panels.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by CatNewBee

we have 1650Wp solar 5x330Wp BenQ panels, 80..100A at 14V output, good for one A/C unitbto run on solar

But what charges your bank then?

[Zzmeyer]

Originally Posted by Hugh Howey

Thanks, Thales!

A DC genset means all my systems run off the batteries, either directly as 24V systems, or off an inverter for 110V items. Nothing runs off the genset. It simply pumps juice into the batteries via a regulator.

My water maker is 24V DC.

My genset is wired to automatically turn on when my bank hits 35%. It shuts off at 80%. All I have to do is check the oil now and then.

The genset used to come on once a week or so, depending. I doubt it'll ever run now. I'll watch how the system works and will likely pull the genset and sell it. (I'll run it an hour a week to keep the oil moving)

Hugh

What generator and how do you have it set up? I would love to have my generator come on and shut off based on house battery charge. Would solve lots of problems