Upgrading Sagres's Electrics

[hjohnson]

Originally Posted by rgleason

Thank you for the excellent documentation. It is remarkable how you packed so much into a small boat.

What are the advantages of using the lynx?

Since we are 95% on a mooring using 12vdc, using solar and alt with wakespeed ws500, and just 200ah lfp what parts would you suggest dropping out to simplify the system other than the multiplus?

As far as the Lynx goes, it was mostly that I needed a high current bus due to the Multiplus and alternator, along with large fuses. I did the math, and the Lynx became a relatively cheap option by the time you added together 4 fuse holders, all the lugs, and the two bus bars, with the added benefit of cutting down the number of crimps.

What you probably don't need is all the extra monitoring (the smart shunt and BMV-712). I'm an instrumentation geek, so we have way more shunts and monitoring than required. The one on the starter battery, for example, is only there because I accidentally won two eBay auctions.

That said, make sure that you're using a BMS that can integrate in (TAO or REC) so that it will also command the Wakespeed.

In the summer months, the solar is sufficient to keep the batteries topped off if we're not aboard. If we are aboard it certainly helps, but we slowly drain down the battery. Our experience is that with the refrigerator running (12vdc), the electronics we like the lighting, water pump, etc... we use about 75Ah a day or so. Building it to 460Ah gave us a good 4 to 5 days on the hook, and the solar adds probably another day. The large capacity and multiplus also gives us the option of doing stupid things like using our electric heater in the winter, at least overnight to keep some of the cold off.

[hjohnson]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Could I humbly suggest the wiring could be usefully tie wrapped up or conduited to present a neater and organised approach.

The wires have been tidied up since the picture was taken, but one always has to remember that bundling them changes their current capacity ratings, so you have to be careful. All our instrumentation/control wires have been bundled, but the current carrying wires are on their own still.

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by hjohnson

The wires have been tidied up since the picture was taken, but one always has to remember that bundling them changes their current capacity ratings, so you have to be careful. All our instrumentation/control wires have been bundled, but the current carrying wires are on their own still.

The net effect of bundling should never cause a wire to exceed its nominal ampacity rating. If it does you’re running to tight to the conductor max rating.

But yes you seemed to have it in hand. I always either conduit or bundle