What size and type batteries do I need for a crossing.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by sam_hawk

I mean mains charger. The old Dolphin 40 amp “dumb” charger with no settings for gel.

Hmm, doesn't sound great. Could easily over charge Gel or AGM with too a high a voltage or simply not provide enough voltage. We had one which provided 13.8v. Great big heavy box, removed and scrapped.

Ideally something like this or the equivalent from Victron. However, this depends on how much time you will spend in a marina. Oh is the a generator on board? if not it may be of limited value and expensive.

https://sterling-power.com/collectio...iant=873455555

How is the solar and wind regulated, hopefully with one or more MPPTs?

What do you have in the way of battery monitoring?

Pete

[john61ct]

Originally Posted by sam_hawk

I mean mains charger. The old Dolphin 40 amp “dumb” charger with no settings for gel.

What is its max output voltage?

I assume it isn't actually so dumb like the old garage chargers, no stop-charge at all, no Float.

You could choose your battery to suit the charger you already have, rather than buying a new one.

But if you do, a user-custom adjustable one will be future-proof, let you buy whatever type you like including LFP one day.

[Pete7]

Sam, whilst you are pondering this, you should fit one of these:

https://sterling-power.com/collectio...-bw-waterproof

You have 200L of diesel on board so you may as well use some of it. Running the engine early every morning for an hour will give you hot water for the day but more importantly put a good charge into the batteries which the solar and wind can then top up during the day. This for about 2L an hour.

To maximise the alternator output this widget will give you a 4 stage charging profile that is adjustable to the battery chemistry and monitor battery temperature during charging. This is potentially much more efficient than the alternator on its own.

Pete

[GILow]

Originally Posted by sam_hawk

I mean mains charger. The old Dolphin 40 amp “dumb” charger with no settings for gel.

That’s gotta go. Those things are battery killers, regardless of battery chemistry. Sooner or later they get left on too long and boil the batteries dry.

A decent multi-stage intelligent charger should not cost much at all.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Indeed and whilst I am sure the US contributions including sadly the loss of many lives is greatly appreciated by Europe and the Far East, it was the Russians that brought the Nazi era to an end.

Anyway back to the subject in hand after the above bit of irony.

Pete

Yes and no. If it had just been them, they would have been rolled right over and it would have ended rather quickly.
It was the fact there there were two fronts, plus to a very great extent the amount of equipment and munitions that were sent to them by the US that allowed them to prevail.
If your into Military history at all. You would know that the Russian Military just about didn’t exist at the beginning of hostilities, it had been purged.

Just scroll down this article to see the numbers, over 300,000 cargo trucks alone, and those cargo trucks enabled both moving Soviet Industry and without them their Artillery wouldn’t have moved, etc.
We sent them over 14,000 aircraft, to put that in perspective the Brits fought the Battle of Britain with a little over 1,000 Spitfires, they had Hurricanes and other aircraft too of course.
https://www.rbth.com/defence/2016/03...st-hour_575559
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lend-Lease

However Hitler’s gross incompetence is what lost them the war, as much as anything else.

However even the Brits would never have made it without US goods and supplies, even the famed Battle of Britain would have been lost had the US not shown up before the battle with two very important innovations for the Spitfire, high octane aviation fuel which greatly increased the power output of the Merlin engine and gave the spitfire greater speed and climbing ability, but at least important was the controllable pitch propellor, until the US gifted them the right to build the controllable propellor all Spits flew with fixed pitch props, which grossly killed performance.
100 Octane Fuel increased the top speed by 34 MPH, which is a HUGE number, and increased the service ceiling by 7,000 ft, another HUGE number, but that much more HP greatly increased the maneuverability and climb performance too. It “woke” up the Spitfire, it was American innovations that made the Spit what it was.
https://www.rsc.org/AboutUs/News/Pre...itfireFuel.asp

Story of the Hamilton Standard propellor and the Spitfire.
http://spitfiresite.com/2010/06/batt...ropellers.html

With the two speed wooden prop and 87 Octane gasoline in a Spitfire, the BF-109 was a far superior airplane and would have reigned supreme.

Even the wonderful Rolls Royce Merlin engine, the Americans made significant improvements in, the Brits allowed Packard to build it under license, and the Packard built Merlin’s were superior to the Rolls built ones.

Then just as a minor thing, the US took on the Japanese with a lot of help from the Australians pretty much alone, so the US successfully fought a two front war.

[Pete7]

Sam, assuming you are sailing with the hydrovane, it looks like the fridge is the next biggest electrical load and will continue to be if you stay in the Caribbean. Certainly worth looking at adding extra insulation to the outside of the box assuming some access, just do the best you can. Plus consider short term solution for the crossing like lining the inside of the box. Even a camping mat cut up for the internal walls and a loose sheet on top of the contents will help.

There won't be one single solution for the crossing. You will need to work at reducing the electrical consumption and maximising the charging sources including the alternator. The good news is it is a well trodden path.

Pete

[conachair]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Plus consider short term solution for the crossing like lining the inside of the box. Even a camping mat cut up for the internal walls and a loose sheet on top of the contents will help.

Ah now there's a good idea

[Mystic38]

Consumption, and charging

1. consumption - How confident are you on your daily consumption?..
a) A fridge that runs at 7 amps does not consume 168aH.. assume a 50% duty cycle would give say 80aHr daily use
b) Autopilot assuming the middle of the range would be 120aHr/day
c) lights and simple instruments..in the noise..St60 are <1a and led lights are nuttin.

so, with an daily consumption ~200aHr you should consider a bank >=400aHr (imo)

but so what.. cos...

2. charging

what size alternator do you have?.. regardless fuel is or can be an issue so an upgraded alternator and 3 stage regulator makes a huge difference to a setup... a stock fixed voltage puny alternator simply isnt man enough (many "50A" alternators at best give 30A)..so look for an 80-100A alternator and running that first thing in the morning for 30-40mins should replace >60% of your lost overnight charge..and solar/wind should make the difference during the day..

essentially a battery bank of at least >2x daily usage plus the ability to rapidly charge it is a better, more balanced option that just "a bigger battery bank" without the ability to charge it in a reasonable time

[JuliaYu]

Check the Winston LFP battery capacity and size, anything suits you?

[NYSail]

Depends what you use them for....... how power hungry is your boat and what ability do you have to replenish?

[sebathon]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Pretty much so and I have the same problem with under berth batteries, I can only get 12v batteries in the space not the taller generic golf cart type like T105. The 12v FLA equivalent from the likes of Trojan are 700 cycles compared to the 1700 for the T105, which shows why the taller golf cart batteries are so popular.



Gel might be a solution, the Victron 220AH have 1200 cycles if you don't discharge below 60% state of charge (SOC) and accept a lower charging voltage, so slower to charge up. However, would work well with solar and wind charging systems. There are Victron Dealers Batt EU with links to Portugal and SPain on their website.



Alternatively Leoch have Portuguese and Spanish dealers who may be able to supply these which have 2000 cycles if Alpha Batteries can't ship. 4 batteries should fit if the white object in the photo could be moved.



https://www.alpha-batteries.co.uk/12...isure-battery/

Hi again,

Just to follow up on how everything went with the battery install.

In the end I went with 4 x 6Volt due to configuration of the electrical locker and being able to fit the most Ah to available space. We Series/paralleled 4 x 230Ah 6volts and very happy with how it turned out.

Thanks to all for your input.

[Sailing4Jesus]

Ship Mates,

This NEW Solar Generator MAY or MAY NOT be a welcome addition to any yacht. Personally, I do not have the required Electrical Engineering studies to give it a Thumbs Up, or a Thumbs Down. But just maybe there might be someone here on Cruisers Forum that might have the needed knowledge to rate it as GOOD or perhaps BAD. Click below under my Sign Out.

Senior Chief United States Navy Retired

https://a.patriotpowergenerator.com/...f_sub5=&email=

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by sam_hawk

Hi again,

Just to follow up on how everything went with the battery install.

In the end I went with 4 x 6Volt due to configuration of the electrical locker and being able to fit the most Ah to available space. We Series/paralleled 4 x 230Ah 6volts and very happy with how it turned out.

Thanks to all for your input.

Attachment 203223

I reckon that your selection will be just great

Originally Posted by Sailing4Jesus

Ship Mates,

This NEW Solar Generator MAY or MAY NOT be a welcome addition to any yacht. Personally, I do not have the required Electrical Engineering studies to give it a Thumbs Up, or a Thumbs Down. But just maybe there might be someone here on Cruisers Forum that might have the needed knowledge to rate it as GOOD or perhaps BAD. Click below under my Sign Out.

Senior Chief United States Navy Retired

https://a.patriotpowergenerator.com/...f_sub5=&email=

Sport, this is the result of the link you posted.
"It looks like nothing was found at this location."

[Sailing4Jesus]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

I reckon that your selection will be just great

https://a.patriotpowergenerator.com/...f_sub5=&email=



Sport, this is the result of the link you posted.
"It looks like nothing was found at this location."

https://a.patriotpowergenerator.com/...f_sub5=&email=

Ya gotta Copy & Paste the Above address in it entirety.Not just a portion of it.NOTE:It starts at:

https://

And ends at: &email=

Try that and let me know.
Senior Chief Chauncey "BUDDY" Freeman

[Sailing4Jesus]

Attention Rob aka Uncle Bob Sydney Australia. See below the Entire address.
Senior Chief Freeman
Copt below exactly as it is seen below:

http://a.patriotpowergenerator.com/t...AFID=1095&aff_
sub=1176-20191116-s115c069T&aff_sub4=&aff_sub5=&email
=