Another question from an newbie

[mrsmelly]

Just can,t seem to get my head around boat electrics. When you need the gennie when you don,t, is a 12/1600/70 inverter going to be enough. I can,t get to grips trying to understand.

 

Look at it this way. When I first became a liveaboard inverters didnt exist they had not been invented, well not for joe blogs on boats anyway, they were simply unheard of and we all survived extremely well without them. Much like mobile fones they were not invented until I was in my thirties and now everyone seems unable to live without one. You can live on a boat without a gennie or an inverter if you want. You can power lights, waterpumps, tvs, radios, fridges and many other things all on 12 volt and simply charge the battery bank through an engine mounted alternator it realy is as simple as that. HOWEVER most of us complicate our lives and if you want a washing machine, iron hairdyer etc then you will have to generate mains power either thro a gennie or inverter or more popularily a combination of both. If you can use a launderette and dont need the other heavy user items then you simply need neither a gennie or an inverter or the quite considerable purchase and running costs they both bring with them. We lived for 5 years aboard our first boat with a gas fridge and everything else 12 volt and simply loved it.

[sueb]

Just can,t seem to get my head around boat electrics. When you need the gennie when you don,t, is a 12/1600/70 inverter going to be enough. I can,t get to grips trying to understand.

I agree with Mrsmelly. Think of the boat as a large car rather than a house unless you are hooked up in a marina.

Sue

[jelunga]

I agree with Mrsmelly. Think of the boat as a large car rather than a house unless you are hooked up in a marina.

Sue

I would say more like a touring caravan that floats!

[carlt]

I would say more like a touring caravan that floats!

I like to think of mine as a boat....Then again, I know a lot more about boats than I do about cars or caravans.

 

 

ETA : or houses, for that matter.

Edited February 1, 2012 by carlt

[lesrollins]

Thanks folks

Slowly and surely I,m getting there. Frightning to think I could be on a boat next month can,t be as bad as taking an artic into the centre of London.

[bottle]

Les

 

lighting on a boat is usually 12 or 24v DC, pumps are the same so the inverter does not get involved.

 

TV's can be either 12v DC, 24v DC or 240v AC

 

Yes the travel pack / generator would be required for the washing machine.

 

"3 220 domestic batteries"?????

 

Now if you mean 3 of 12v. 220 amp.hour batteries, so giving a bank of 12v 660 amp hours then yes it would be 'well' OK. If it was adequate for your usage.

 

Any battery bank of any size is OK if it will cope with the amount of usage you will put it to. A power audit is required.

[sue1]

I personally don't see what you've got to think about the answer to me seems obvious!

And whats the obvious answer??

 

Les

 

lighting on a boat is usually 12 or 24v DC, pumps are the same so the inverter does not get involved.

 

TV's can be either 12v DC, 24v DC or 240v AC

 

Yes the travel pack / generator would be required for the washing machine.

 

"3 220 domestic batteries"?????

 

Now if you mean 3 of 12v. 220 amp.hour batteries, so giving a bank of 12v 660 amp hours then yes it would be 'well' OK. If it was adequate for your usage.

 

Any battery bank of any size is OK if it will cope with the amount of usage you will put it to. A power audit is required.

 

Do you know of any books etc that i can read to better understand canal boat electrics and find out what would be best for me

Thanks susan

[Grace and Favour]

Hi Susan,

 

Like you, I am trying to understand boat electrics, (electrics have always baffled me - even bicycle torches!)

 

One web-site that I have found very useful is 'Smartguage' - ignore for the minute that they make a product to simplify ones understanding of battery charging (there are those whom praise the product - and almost as many detractors) but there is a wealth of infoirmation in their info pages that is invaluable, well-written, and slightly baffling.

 

Smartguage cannot be the only reference you use, (it doesn't cover the 'domestic electrical' circuits of a boat, for example . . . but it IS useful, and certainly helped me develop some understanding.

[jelunga]

Thanks folks

Slowly and surely I,m getting there. Frightning to think I could be on a boat next month can,t be as bad as taking an artic into the centre of London.

Maybe. But I hated driving a coach in London too. Parking it was another proble !

[ditchcrawler]

And whats the obvious answer??

 

 

 

Do you know of any books etc that i can read to better understand canal boat electrics and find out what would be best for me

Thanks susan

You could do worse than looking here http://www.tb-training.co.uk/MarineE05.html#The power audit

[Arthur Brown]

http://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Book-EN-EnergyUnlimited.pdf

 

Download the book and read it carefully. Audit for yourself the energy cost of your intended lifestylw and work out your power consumption and battery capacity needed then work out how you will recharge the batteries.

 

Decide on the battery voltage -possibly to suit the starter motor of your engine. Run loads less than about 300w off the DC rail and run an inverter or mains generator for bigger loads and long term loads.

 

Ensure that the alternators spin at a good speed at charging tickover without exceeding their max rpm at full power

[bottle]

SNIP>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Do you know of any books etc that i can read to better understand canal boat electrics and find out what would be best for me

Thanks susan

 

Hi Sue

 

See posts: #33.#35 and #36

 

One more http://www.batteryfaq.org/

 

Tony Brook's (member of this forum) site, TB training is good and even better if you go on one of his courses.

[sue1]

Thanks you your info everyone i`ll get started on reading the websites and articles

 

susan