Generators needed on boat with solar and lithium.?

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by smj

It’s all relative upon who’s eyes your looking through.

For sure
Our first decent cruising cat had carry on 20 litre water containers, a built in fiberglass Esky with cold beers and soggy everything else, a cheap car battery and an incredibly expensive (then) 80 watt solar panel.

We could listen to music AND have a decent anchor light on at the same time, Amazing advancement in technology for us at the time
Back then, we couldn't understand why people would want much more.

[smj]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

For sure

Our first decent cruising cat had carry on 20 litre water containers, a built in fiberglass Esky with cold beers and soggy everything else, a cheap car battery and an incredibly expensive (then) 80 watt solar panel.



We could listen to music AND have a decent anchor light on at the same time, Amazing advancement in technology for us at the time

Back then, we couldn't understand why people would want much more.

Though we have much more than that, after 30 years of cruising we have our comfort zone which is simple is better and more enjoyable. We don’t need the fluff.
Having said that, after 30 years it may be time to go back to land life, and when we do I’m sure we will take in more of the “necessities” of life!

[noelex 77]

I can settle the argument which is the best generator.

It the generator that you don’t need to run (with the noise and heat), repair, service, or even buy in the first place .

[sailorboy1]

Even better is the one you have when you do need one!

[Chotu]

I could never cool my boat without a generator. I actually have 2 smaller ones instead of a big one. Vital for my situation.

[sailingharry]

A very important concept is that batteries do not MAKE power, they only store it. No matter how big your battery bank is, or how fancy it is, you need to actually MAKE every kWh you use.

An up thread post has 1600W of solar. I currently have 500 on my 43' mono. This winter I will upgrade to 800. I have no idea how I would double that! We don't have a generator, so we make good use of the 270A of alternators! If we had A/C (and wanted to use it), I can't imagine we could ever make enough power to run it.

Bottom line, if your weekly consumption is more than your weekly generation, you have to make more. If you make water, run A/C, fill scuba tanks, run washer/dryer, charge an electric dinghy motor, make hot water, use electric kitchen appliances, etc -- you may need more solar than you can fit (or in my case, more than the "architectural review committee" will allow me to fit). Large and fancy batteries can get you through tough times, but you still need to make the power.

[SV Confianza]

Originally Posted by sailingharry

A very important concept is that batteries do not MAKE power, they only store it. No matter how big your battery bank is, or how fancy it is, you need to actually MAKE every kWh you use.

An up thread post has 1600W of solar. I currently have 500 on my 43' mono. This winter I will upgrade to 800. I have no idea how I would double that! We don't have a generator, so we make good use of the 270A of alternators! If we had A/C (and wanted to use it), I can't imagine we could ever make enough power to run it.

Bottom line, if your weekly consumption is more than your weekly generation, you have to make more. If you make water, run A/C, fill scuba tanks, run washer/dryer, charge an electric dinghy motor, make hot water, use electric kitchen appliances, etc -- you may need more solar than you can fit (or in my case, more than the "architectural review committee" will allow me to fit). Large and fancy batteries can get you through tough times, but you still need to make the power.

We are getting a new arch made as we speak, so will be up to 2020 watts of solar. Benefits of a cat, though.

[UYA]

Originally Posted by sailingharry

An up thread post has 1600W of solar. I currently have 500 on my 43' mono. This winter I will upgrade to 800. I have no idea how I would double that!

@sailingharry, this is how we set up our system:

• 400W in our dodger
• 200W in our bimini
• 400W on top of our davids
• 2x300W on each side of the cockpit

If it wasn't for the fact that our mizzen boom shades our bimini I would place more solar in the bimini.
For the asthetics: The solar for the dodger and bimini is part of the structure. It's in the dodger / bimini rather than on top. No snagging ropes and not looking like an afterthought. But aesthetics are subjective

[Grith]

I have added more solar panels and a second EcoFlow delta max powerbank and ditched the Honda eu2.2 generator which my trailerable yacht came from the manufacturer with an inbuilt stern compartment specifically to accomodate.
I now have just under 1000w of solar panels and 4100kwh of lithium battery storage via the two EcoFlow units.
We now cook via induction, have a separate fridge and freezer both portable compressor style, a 240v 800w 22 litre hot water service, charge and power supply assist my torqeedo 1003 two batteries with this being my yachts secondary quiet auxiliary along with its dingy outboard.
In addition we have a variety of other occasional use 240v appliances including battery tool charging including powering a winch, and rarely used zero breeze air conditioner and electric fan heater at both temperature extremes.
In addition I have fitted a vitron 12-24 volt voltage increaser to more effectively use my outboards alternator for both the Torqeedo cigarette lighter plug in charger/power supplement and EcoFlow charging.
I have retained my AGM battery system which supplies the normal yacht systems along with outboard starting whilst the EcoFlow powerbanks provide the equivalent of being connected to shore power whilst cruising in remote locations.
With the exception of one flexible panel the whole array remains insitu whilst long distance towing my yacht to distant cruising locations.
I am really happy to do without the noise and petrol consumption of the generator.

[sailingharry]

Originally Posted by UYA

@sailingharry, this is how we set up our system:

• 400W in our dodger
• 200W in our bimini
• 400W on top of our davids
• 2x300W on each side of the cockpit

If it wasn't for the fact that our mizzen boom shades our bimini I would place more solar in the bimini.
For the asthetics: The solar for the dodger and bimini is part of the structure. It's in the dodger / bimini rather than on top. No snagging ropes and not looking like an afterthought. But aesthetics are subjective [emoji2]

We are kind of reversed. We (will) have 600W on the arch, although I could push to 800 if I was willing to extend further aft (the aesthetic issue). Our dodger is 80% covered with two nearly useless 100W Solbian flexibles. I'd love to replace them, preferably with rigid, but nothing will fit (I'd even grudgingly use Solbian again, but they no longer make this size). Our bimini is much smaller, with less than 3' forward of the backstays, and only 8' wide (with a window in the middle to see the main).

But with regard to the bimini. Our canvas is shot and our frame is bent, so "something" needs to be done this winter. Rigid comes to mind (so another 200W of solar!) and your hard tops look really slick. Did you make them?

[UYA]

Originally Posted by sailingharry

We are kind of reversed. We (will) have 600W on the arch, although I could push to 800 if I was willing to extend further aft (the aesthetic issue). Our dodger is 80% covered with two nearly useless 100W Solbian flexibles. I'd love to replace them, preferably with rigid, but nothing will fit (I'd even grudgingly use Solbian again, but they no longer make this size). Our bimini is much smaller, with less than 3' forward of the backstays, and only 8' wide (with a window in the middle to see the main).

But with regard to the bimini. Our canvas is shot and our frame is bent, so "something" needs to be done this winter. Rigid comes to mind (so another 200W of solar!) and your hard tops look really slick. Did you make them?

Thanks for saying that! Just don't look too close ;-)
I made the Bimini out of Nidacore and some boat building foam. Ans glassed them over (was my covid project):










The dodger is an aluminum frame I had made in Mexico. I then bolted the panels into the frame. Here a picture while still in construction:

[UYA]

Originally Posted by sailingharry

We are kind of reversed. We (will) have 600W on the arch, although I could push to 800 if I was willing to extend further aft (the aesthetic issue). Our dodger is 80% covered with two nearly useless 100W Solbian flexibles. I'd love to replace them, preferably with rigid, but nothing will fit (I'd even grudgingly use Solbian again, but they no longer make this size). Our bimini is much smaller, with less than 3' forward of the backstays, and only 8' wide (with a window in the middle to see the main).

Maybe you can send a picture? Maybe we can come up with some ideas how to increase PV surface...

[The Yacht Rigger]

It's really a case by case issue. It all depends on your usage needs and your setup budget.
We deal with a lot of new boat owners that are opting out of a factory gen install because we are contracted to do large solar arrays with adequate LifePo4 battery storage AND high output alternators.
The alternators can charge considerably faster than a setup with a generator, and it means one less engine on board.
If however a vessel has a preexisting gen in good condition, then it becomes a decision of whether or not they want to spend the money on high output alternators and keep the gen, or if they really want to get rid of the generator (for weight savings, simplification, extra storage, etc).

Running AC without a gen is no longer an issue unless it's a huge vessel with multiple AC's - you can easily run a DC Air conditioner or variable speed air conditioner overnight on an appropriately sized LifePo4 bank.

Bottom line. With adequate setup - you no longer NEED a generator - but it's not a bad thing to have if it's already on board.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by The Yacht Rigger

.

Running AC without a gen is no longer an issue unless it's a huge vessel with multiple AC's - you can easily run a DC Air conditioner or variable speed air conditioner overnight on an appropriately sized LifePo4 bank.


Bottom line. With adequate setup - you no longer NEED a generator - but it's not a bad thing to have if it's already on board.

But you still need to get those amps back in the battery

Rainy days and no sun
Stuck in an anchorage due to bad weather
Batteries getting low
Where is the power coming from?

A kite in the sky with a key?

I'm guessing start the main engine and if engine is small enough the big alt should put on some load.

[The Yacht Rigger]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

But you still need to get those amps back in the battery

Rainy days and no sun
Stuck in an anchorage due to bad weather
Batteries getting low
Where is the power coming from?

A kite in the sky with a key?

I'm guessing start the main engine and if engine is small enough the big alt should put on some load.

Yes exactly. Fire up the engine, instead of the generator - 300A going in to a Lithium bank gets the juice put back in real quick. If you're on a cat, make that 600A with both engines running. Bump the batteries back up to 50-75% first thing in the morning and then let solar take over.