It's 2017! Can we talk about batteries, setup, etc?

[a64pilot]

I'd say it depends, for us 1000W isn't enough.
Yes we could conserve and it would easily be enough, but without conserving it's not.
However if you have been getting by on jus the one battery, you don't use much power at all.

[softdown]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I'd say it depends, for us 1000W isn't enough.
Yes we could conserve and it would easily be enough, but without conserving it's not.
However if you have been getting by on jus the one battery, you don't use much power at all.

Dang...you must use a lot of power on refrigeration and a/c. 1000 watts is quite possibly a solar 1%'er in the boating community.

As compared to those with 300-400 watts on yachts over 50' in length with six liveaboards. Constantly griping about their batteries...

[Mike OReilly]

We run 400 watts solar with a wind gen. House bank is 320 ah. We're off the dock for months and do fine (now that I have a quality mppt). Can run for two full days with no solar before needing a fossil fuel boost. Luckily this rarely happens (getting zero solar for days). Old fridge is the main power hog. No a/c.

My only plan at this point is to find more battery space for another Group 31. I'd like to boost our bank another 100 ah or so.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I'd say it depends, for us 1000W isn't enough.
Yes we could conserve and it would easily be enough, but without conserving it's not.

How do you know???? We have been full time cruising 10 months on a 43' boat not conserving and we have been watching TV for hours at night etc. and our 290W solar along with 1 hour generator use will take care of us and our 440AH batteries never get below 80%. What are you running that 340AH/day isn't enough (1000W) because if that's not enough you have a problem somewhere.

My recommendation for having about 600W is so I don't need to run the generator for charging while at anchor.

[djanis]

What size boat do you have? 5 group 31s? I was always told you can't run A/C long enough to support A/C all night.
Thanks,
Dave Janis

[djanis]

Just read more posts, that answered my questions
Thanks
Dave

[3Days_at_a_time]

Originally Posted by djanis

What size boat do you have? 5 group 31s? I was always told you can't run A/C long enough to support A/C all night.
Thanks,
Dave Janis

I always found the same information regarding batteries and A/C. I set it up so I would have shore power from the batteries for running things off and on during the day with plans to use a portable generator at night. since it's such a pain to set up the generator I didn't want to do it just to use the microwave, or run the A/c while the kid takes a nap. But I have not even bothered to bring the generator since completing the install since I don't really need it. You need to monitor your charge, and be somewhat efficient with the a/c settings, but it works for us.

[Three Sisters]

Originally Posted by softdown

Dang...you must use a lot of power on refrigeration and a/c. 1000 watts is quite possibly a solar 1%'er in the boating community.

As compared to those with 300-400 watts on yachts over 50' in length with six liveaboards. Constantly griping about their batteries...

Maybe...

galley fridge.jpg Views: 133 Size: 65.0 KB ID: 152569" style="margin: 2px" />

Just dunno

[3Days_at_a_time]

Originally Posted by Three Sisters

Maybe...

Attachment 152569

Just dunno

That is too awesome!

[fSymo]

Great posts by all, thank you!

I think this captures most of my thoughts. Yes, I'll be living aboard, mostly by myself. I'd rather sail back north to avoid the heat of the south in the summer. I'd rather not run the AC at all if I can avoid it, mostly run it for an hour before bedtime, let the heat wake my ass up in the morning.

As of now I'll have 400 to start, then I can figure out where to stick another 200W later if necessary. But the meat of the matter is answered. Ideally, 400+ watts, and as many AH I can cram into the boat... that's the hard part. Where the batteries are now, there may not be space for more than 3 AGM batteries for a house bank. I'll know more in a week or two, but the consensus appears to be 450AH bank or better.

That fridge setup tho... man that'd hold a lot of Yuengling...

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by fSymo

Ideally, 400+ watts, and as many AH I can cram into the boat... that's the hard part. Where the batteries are now, there may not be space for more than 3 AGM batteries for a house bank. I'll know more in a week or two, but the consensus appears to be 450AH bank or better.

FWIW, I was able to fit 4x AGM GC2s (440 Ah) into a space only slightly larger than 3x G31 AGMs (300 Ah). Upright, no special configuration required.

If you get decent measurements from the boat, you can usually use advertised "BCI Group" measurements -- and various configuration options -- to see what's possible. For example, AGMs can be mounted on their sides. Could be possible GC2s, G24s, G27s, 4Ds, whatever -- especially the larger of those -- could be stuffed in, somehow...

If you're really space-limited to G31s, you might check out thread on Firefly Oasis batteries.... if you haven't already. The short version is that they may be more forgiving relative to depth of discharge (DoD). At not insignificant cost.

-Chris