1983 Catalina 38; Add Electrical Power

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by Dave22q

propane hot plate. $10 or so.

Bad idea.

I don't care if you have used that (and been lucky) for 50 years without incident, there's always tomorrow.

Your boat, your life, but please, tell your liability insurance company, any guests as they come aboard, the marinas you enter, and your slip neighbours that your boat is patently unsafe.

I got a call some years back about a houseboat in the marina we kept our sailboat at, due to a similar set up. Took out 5 boats and a dock, but saved a couple hundred bucks compared to a marine standard compliant stove. No insurance. Leaky propane set-up combined with faulty bilge pump wiring.

[ramblinrod]

Originally Posted by robbievardon

Hi,I am curious about the 2 votes for solar rather than wind power. Industrial versions of the above come in at 9 to 11 percent efficiency for solar and 25 percent for wind (approx)so are you saying boat versions are different or is it a case of more sun down south and no night sailing when the turbine would be generating.

Semi-flexible panels are 22% efficient. But efficiency really means nothing.

The important question is how much energy can it produce in the average day, at what initial and ongoing cost.

Solar is relatively cheap, effective, silent, and long lasting.

If you're not planning to be in the trades constantly, favour solar over wind.

Plan on 25 A-hrs per 100 W of panel per reasonably sunny day, and install twice the power generation and 4 times the battery (standard lead acid) capacity of your average daily needs.