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Victron 3KVA Inverter power use


PCSB

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6 minutes ago, Loddon said:

Just to aid power consumption we do cold washes most of the time when running from batteries.

I used to use Thermostatic Valve but it has to be switched to cold before the rinse cycle :(

Mine is set to 40 degrees so it just rinses with warm water, no hassle. And as we are cruising with the engine running the water is still warm at the end and the batteries charged.

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Are you dong any recharging calculations?  That is when things get scary, especially as alternators normally only reach their rated output for maybe 30 minutes or less. You can assume 50% of rated output over maybe 3 hours, and from then on the output keeps dropping until it's only a very few amps.

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Just now, PCSB said:

Yep the domestic alternator is  175 Amp so pretty pokey :)

Same as ours. The only slight issue is that when you have to slow down to pass moored boats, with the washer on heat cycle, the mechanics start to struggle because the power sent to the alternator is the product of belt force and belt speed, so if the belt speed reduces the belt force increases. A 175A alternator at full load and low rpm may cause a bit of belt slippage / wear and anyway load the engine up quite a bit so it hunts and is generally unhappy, puts a lot of side force on the crank. Also alternator fan speed is low so it gets very hot.

So if possible try to avoid the washer on heat cycle with the engine at or near idle. Try to keep it over 1000rpm (engine speed) and more preferably 1200+

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Google search Victron inverter efficiency and the first Victron hit is

 

https://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Output-rating-operating-temperature-and-efficiency.pdf

 

If you download the doc it explains inverter efficiency in detail and answers your questions making the point that was made earlier that a 20W load will be 50% effecient because the inverter will be drawing 40W total.

 

when i did my power audit with a 3000VA victron inverter I counted the continuous 20W and took light loads as 95% efficient and heavy loads as 90%.

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12 hours ago, nicknorman said:

If it's a new boat with a modern engine, chances are it will have a pretty powerful alternator that can cope with the washing machine heater, either entirely or mostly. Even if the latter the batteries will be charged again before the wash cycle is finished, because as said for most of the cycle, the washer doesn't use much power. So the moral is to do the washing whilst you are cruising, then you don't have to worry about hot water fills etc.

Yes the alternator supplies a lot of the power but it still goes via the inverter to become 240v for the washing machine, so you still need a big inverter.

 

My 3000/120 Phoenix takes just under 2 amps doing nothing, the amp hour counter reckons it adds up at 1.9 amps the ammeter displays 2 so take your pick.  The powersave seek mode screws up a lot of things, the fridge will not bring it out of power safe mode on it's own, the microwave keeps beeping and the mains radio looses its settings, so I leave it on. 

 

As a summer boater mainly, the solar does the work anyway 600 watt via MPPT means full batteries at tea time virtually every day without using the engine. 

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5 minutes ago, Detling said:

Yes the alternator supplies a lot of the power but it still goes via the inverter to become 240v for the washing machine, so you still need a big inverter.

 

My 3000/120 Phoenix takes just under 2 amps doing nothing, the amp hour counter reckons it adds up at 1.9 amps the ammeter displays 2 so take your pick.  The powersave seek mode screws up a lot of things, the fridge will not bring it out of power safe mode on it's own, the microwave keeps beeping and the mains radio looses its settings, so I leave it on. 

 

As a summer boater mainly, the solar does the work anyway 600 watt via MPPT means full batteries at tea time virtually every day without using the engine. 

Agreed about inverter size. This whole inverter idle power consumption thing is a minefield! Our present Mastervolt Combi takes 9w but I see that if I had to replace it with a newer model, they are all up around 30w or more. Earlier Victrons seemed to be very thirsty as you have discovered. Whereas their new products seem much more economical.

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