Most efficient way to boil water on a boat

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

If the thread is not interesting to you, then why do you choose to post in it? Surely you'd be better off spending your time in one of the 243,000 other threads on here?

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Its better than last years mmgw thread.

[foufou]

As Tayana suggested, that energy is not free. All that solar comes at a price. The photovoltaic panels, the installation, and the fact that they wear out. Not only that but since they are only 20% efficient at best when new then the 80% inefficiency goes to warming up the world which is exactly the opposite of what we need to do. How about that? F

[Three Sisters]

Originally Posted by newhaul

Its better than last years mmgw thread.

So what is mmgw ? Either you tell us or I guess.


Is it > married men gone wild ?


Did I win anything ? Oh yes !

Grand Prize
Your very own Hamilton Beach 1 litre stainless steel electric kettle(4998)
(40998 out of stock)

[newhaul]

Man made global warming

[Cotemar]

Cruisers only have 3 ways to make power when cruising.

Solar = Silent, Maintenance free

Wind = Noisy + maintenance, down time and parts

Engine = Noisy + maintenance, down time, parts and fuel

You make the call, but their is a clear winner here that even your daughters, friends little sister can understand.

A Solar Panel system is cheaper to put on a boat than a Wind turbine or Generator.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I would assume most efficient would be a Solar collector? Big parabolic mirror?
But maybe what is more important than efficiency is cost per BTU? I bet then propane or Diesel will come out the clear winner.

Sent from my iPad Pro using Cruisers Sailing Forum

You can buy small flat platic frensel lens now...could have some interesting applications.

[Cotemar]

This Medium 400 Watt Solar Panel system for $1,280 is what most cruisers would put on a boat.

Wind Turbines and Generators cost more that this........

This Large 3000 Watt Solar Panel system for $8,500 is what most home owners would put on their house.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

This Medium 400 Watt Solar Panel system for $1,280 is what most cruisers would put on a boat.

Wind Turbines and Generators cost more that this........

This Large 3000 Watt Solar Panel system for $8,500 is what most home owners would put on their house.

Prices seem a bit high to me I can put a 4 x100 watt panel system on a customers boat for a bit under800 all included.
I am about to put a 400 watt wind generator on my boat that I procured for under 100 bucks ( used air x 400)

[knockabout]

tried heating stainless steel mug of water by sitting it on a square piece of aluminium foil on the dodger / worked well / had to use a cloth to pick the mug up / the water didn't boil so would have to be filtered for pathogens before heating for health reasons / plenty hot enough for tea / tin mug with a lid would be safer / to be very efficient with much faster hydration rates drink the water cold

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

Cruisers only have 3 ways to make power when cruising.

Solar = Silent, Maintenance free

Wind = Noisy + maintenance, down time and parts

Engine = Noisy + maintenance, down time, parts and fuel

You make the call, but their is a clear winner here that even your daughters, friends little sister can understand.

A Solar Panel system is cheaper to put on a boat than a Wind turbine or Generator.

This is thread drift, but it's interesting thread drift.


I think everyone knows the wonderful advantages of solar power. Had it on my last boat; it was terrific.


However, it has a few disadvantages.

First of all -- it only works when the sun shines, so you can't turn it on at will like you can a generator.

Second -- it's hard to put together a large enough installation to power a really electrical-intensive boat. This might not be as true on a catamaran, where you have more space, but for a mono it can be tough.

Third -- WINDAGE, which is what kills it for me. If you really like to sail and care about sailing performance (admittedly, a minority of cruisers), then this is a serious problem.


So many of us have to do it in other ways. Actually of your three ways, I think you can also scratch Wind off the list -- it just doesn't put out enough power to be really useful.


Having redundant engine-driven power sources (generator plus large main engine alternator) works pretty well. Advantage is having as much power as you need, whenever you want, on demand, day or night, and if something breaks (you are correct that this is less reliable than solar), you have a whole backup system.


This will work even much, much better with better storage -- once LiFePo4 battery systems get out of the tinkering stage. Because you will be able to store a whole lot of power very quickly, which uses engine-driven sources much more efficiently than lead-acid does. But solar power will also work better with better storage.

I'm really hoping that flexible solar panels will continue to be developed, so that I can use some of these (maybe cover the whole pilothouse roof?) on my next boat without causing windage problems.

[StuM]

Originally Posted by foufou

As Tayana suggested, that energy is not free. All that solar comes at a price. The photovoltaic panels, the installation, and the fact that they wear out. Not only that but since they are only 20% efficient at best when new then the 80% inefficiency goes to warming up the world which is exactly the opposite of what we need to do. How about that? F

Shirley, you jest!

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

However, it has a few disadvantages.

First of all -- it only works when the sun shines, so you can't turn it on at will like you can a generator.

Second -- it's hard to put together a large enough installation to power a really electrical-intensive boat. This might not be as true on a catamaran, where you have more space, but for a mono it can be tough.

Third -- WINDAGE, which is what kills it for me. If you really like to sail and care about sailing performance (admittedly, a minority of cruisers), then this is a serious problem.

I agree with having backup systems. We have a generator and high output alternators.

Solar Panels done right should never cause a windage problem.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Cotemar

I agree with having backup systems. We have a generator and high output alternators.

Solar Panels done right should never cause a windage problem.

Well, in those photos you're adding solar panels to an already existing windage problem. So I guess you are right to say that they're not causing windage problems, but none of that would be ok for my boat.


But I do think that with flexible walk-on panels getting better and better, there will soon be ways to install solar on low-windage monos without causing windage problems. If I'm not mistaken, another problem with low-windage solar installations is shading, which wrecks the efficiency of normal solar installations, but not if you use individual controllers for multiple panels, is that right?

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by foufou

Not only that but since they are only 20% efficient at best when new then the 80% inefficiency goes to warming up the world which is exactly the opposite of what we need to do. How about that? F

Say what?

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by foufou

As Tayana suggested, that energy is not free. All that solar comes at a price. The photovoltaic panels, the installation, and the fact that they wear out. Not only that but since they are only 20% efficient at best when new then the 80% inefficiency goes to warming up the world which is exactly the opposite of what we need to do. How about that? F

Since I've never gotten a fuel bill for the UV from the sun, it really doesn't have much of a play in cost efficiency...