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Old 25-06-2012, 16:38   #1
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Offshore with Mermaid 5200 AC

Hi folks, I have a Mermaid 5200 and a boat with a mizzen mast. I have a 75W solar panel, but got the idea to put a high watt windgen up the mizzen and add some more batteries to get a few hours of AC daily if its hot. I am wondering about a few things. First if this is a pipedream and not practical. However I will be installing an LED HD TV and video audio system that draws about 75 watts. IN my expericnce the solar panel is enough for that. The Mermaid website claims that the unit uses only 5 amps or so and that they have had success using the unit with 1000 watts of portable generator and an inverter, if the unit is only used on the lower setting. So the load of the AC is around 550 watts. I just got back from a trip to Nassau and it was bloody hot on the island. We will be cruising the Bahamas for a while. I searched for a thread on this with no luck. Seems to me that wind and solar are coming finally into the mainstream.
FYI LG has TV or computer monitors 19 inch that run with 12 Volts and provide a very good picture, I used one connected directly to the battery with great success. Also there are good 12v DVD players out there for 30 bucks that only pull 20 watts or so. I just bought the LG 23 inch HD TV and will be stepping it up or down to its rating of 18 volts. The 19 inch video monitors only cost 120 dollars or so but have no TV reciever. The 23 inch with TV was around 350. Wire the whole thing together with sound for less than 400 bucks including audio. These monitors only use 18 watts or something. Audio is another 25 W max. Ok hit me up with the AC info thanks
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Old 25-06-2012, 16:54   #2
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Re: offshore with mermaid 5200 AC

mermaid also says that around 450 amp hours of battery with inverter is ok for a night. I am wondering how many wind watts to buy and what batteries, maybe go 24 V.
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Old 25-06-2012, 16:59   #3
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Re: offshore with mermaid 5200 AC

also if I need to buy a separate slip ring, or if all the good ones come with that, since it will be up the mast pretty far. and also if I need to secure the windgen manually in a blow somehow. From what I have been reading, more is better, so if anyone with average wind speed in the carib want to take a stap at the estimate I was thinking 500 Watts and getting one that could survive 50 mph without securing.
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Old 26-06-2012, 08:42   #4
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Re: Offshore with Mermaid 5200 AC

I know theres someone out there that pulled this off. The mermaid is seawater cooled and I am looking at the ghost generator with ten blades, but brand recomendations are needed. Gudcraft seems ok. I am guessing to want at least 259 watts at 12mph with some way of not overspinning the thing.
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Old 27-06-2012, 05:47   #5
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Re: Offshore with Mermaid 5200 AC

Quote:
Originally Posted by JohnWilbourne View Post
I know theres someone out there that pulled this off.
I wouldn't bet on it. To produce any useful amount of cooling, air conditioners require a LOT of electricity.
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Old 21-02-2013, 11:04   #6
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Re: Offshore with Mermaid 5200 AC

even with the wind blowing 35 knots the windgen, and its a big one, only makes about 20 amps, perhaps 300 watts. I read this is possible if you bank enough batteries, but after playing around with a high watt turbine etc I see this as only practical if its planned out from the original build.
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Old 22-02-2013, 15:32   #7
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Re: Offshore with Mermaid 5200 AC

I have a 42' catamaran with twin Mermaid 5200's, 1 in each hull. I was able to run 1 unit overnight off the 3-27 deep cycle bank on low (aprox. 6 hrs). They do a great job at the dock on shore power and I am still putting together my DC system to handle the load. I have to go along with gen set a 3000 watt inverter/charger to handle my AC needs offshore installed two battery banks as follows, 4-8D Deep cycle 12 volts (total 1000 amp hrs) and 3-27 marine deep cycle as back up (total 300 amp hrs) and 2-27 deep cycle starting batteries. With all the extra added weight in the battery banks I have to give up on some of my payload but the added amp hrs are worth it. To help keep everything charged I have installed a 600 watt wind generator and 2-300 watt solar cells. And knowing with this it will only charge the system on good sun or wind days. Our cat has a lot of the modern conveniences to make our lives at sea for extended periods very comfortable. This has been a big investment but as my numbers show we will be able to run the basics for a week or more and never run the generator. Keep in touch and I will let you know how it works out.
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Old 23-02-2013, 07:08   #8
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Re: Offshore with Mermaid 5200 AC

well thats more like it, I knew its possible, and Im happy to hear from your experience. My boat came with the AC installed, and I thought if I could get it to work with an inverter, the value of the boat would go up quite a bit, since humidity is a constant struggle. Lets keep this thread alive. I think if a different water pump was fitted, that would go a long way towards cutting the load, ie a 12v pump. Just having the luxury of running AC for a few hours in the afternoon, or when the dew falls in the early evening, would be a breakthrough towards liveaboard comfort. cheers
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Old 23-02-2013, 08:18   #9
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Re: Offshore with Mermaid 5200 AC

The stock mermaid pump is 1/50 hp with 1.5 amp draw and in my book pumps the bare min water to cool the system. The system needs min 250 gph to cool and in warmer climates more would be better. I have looked for 12 volt pumps with the gph needed and have only found submersible type available that can run continuously for hours. All other 12-volt pumps are for transfer only and would not last. There could be some out there but I have not found it yet. I am trying to switch what I can to 12 volt or solar to keep my AC needs as low as possible. I feel that the more of my vessel that can be run on the easer to produce 12 volt DC current the cheaper the cost for us and the longer we can stay offshore. There are also a lot of low draw 12 volt fans available and we have 2 in every cabin, galley and 4 in the main saloon. This along with open ports keeps the vessel comfortable even on hot days. We are based in a marina slip most of the time now but in the near future it will be under sail or on the hook full time.

I have gone in two directions on our cat with our water heater. Removed the old tank type electric water heater and replaced it with a on demand electric for use when we are on shore power at the dock or on generator power offshore. They draw a little more power but over all use much less power in the long run. You don't have to wait for hot water and you don't run out of it either. I have also installed a gas on demand water heater to meet my needs while offshore. The two water heaters take up less room then the old one and there was a small weight savings to. The cost of the on demand heaters have come down a lot in the past few years and can save 25-50% over the tank type.

Randy
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