Charging & Electric

[dmr]

6 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

HeHe - that's because folks don't know better... No I don't run Linux - I just swear at  windows 10 when MS insists at downloading huge updates.

Nobody uses NiFe batteries over-here most likely because they take up a helluva lot of space (and are heavy), but for a sailaway it's 'easy' to plan them in. Their characteristics are such that you can't kill them by undercharging and if there's sufficient capacity in your bank that you can get-away with undercharging them in the week and giving a full charge at the weekend (whatever).

Whatever technology you chose it MUST have sufficient resilience / overcapacity to deal with whatever your demand / recharge pattern must be.

You can be a prat - management wise - with NiFes, but not with Lead acid or Lithiums.

Folks in the USofA ise NiFes in a domestic environment because of their resilence. Over here we Faff around  with bad resouced kit and whinge about it...     

I did do a bit of Googling about Ni Fe's a little while ago. I got the impression that the low voltage when part-discharged, and possibly the charge characteristic, were both significant limitations. They are no good for me as space is a bit limited but if I was designing a new boat from scratch I would certainly have another look at them.

 

...............Dave

[ditchcrawler]

When I first worked Offshore in about 1976 our fire detection in some parts of the installation was powered by them, I am not sure how well they performed or how abused they had been  but as they were on constant charge it was hard to tell. The only other time I came across them was in stainless steel hand lamps

[Guest]

I guess Im just trying to find a solution to this winter problem - i.e. a bit of juice for lights, and a socket powering laptop for a while.

 

Im honestly willing to be quite minimalist.

 

But if batteries, charged by engine or generator are not viable, then I guess shore power is most likely the only option, (for winter)

 

if thats the case, I now need to find a mooring for winter. I don't have a couple of grand right now for lithiums.

 

But thanks all for feedback and contribution, most helpful.

 

Are most here hooked up to shoreline 230V?

Edited December 1, 2018 by Guest

[Guest]

Ill run gas for hobs, diesel stove heater, no fridge, electric water pump for tap.

 

[ditchcrawler]

12 minutes ago, Charles_Graham said:

I guess Im just trying to find a solution to this winter problem - i.e. a bit of juice for lights, and a socket powering laptop for a while.

 

Im honestly willing to be quite minimalist.

 

But if batteries, charged by engine or generator are not viable, then I guess shore power is most likely the only option, (for winter)

 

if thats the case, I now need to find a mooring for winter. I don't have a couple of grand right now for lithiums.

 

But thanks all for feedback and contribution, most helpful.

 

Are most here hooked up to shoreline 230V?

You can run your engine every day for a few hours

[MtB]

23 minutes ago, Charles_Graham said:

I guess Im just trying to find a solution to this winter problem - i.e. a bit of juice for lights, and a socket powering laptop for a while.

 

Im honestly willing to be quite minimalist.

 

Unfortunately, the answer to the 'winter problem' is quite the opposite of 'minimalist'. 

 

You have a lot to learn, Grasshopper. 

(As previous posters have explained.)

[Guest]

What do you mean by that?

[MtB]

4 minutes ago, Charles_Graham said:

What do you mean by that?

 

You're really not getting it. Maintaining your electrical supply as a CCer is a MAJOR undertaking not to be underestimated. There are no 'minimalist' solutions as you seem to expect. 

[LadyG]

30 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Unfortunately, the answer to the 'winter problem' is quite the opposite of 'minimalist'. 

 

You have a lot to learn, Grasshopper. 

(As previous posters have explained.)

I too  wondered exactly what MtB meant.

 I decided he meant a nice lady friend to warm the bed for him, cook supper,  and go to the launderette. Trim the oil lamps and replace the gas mantles.

Edited December 1, 2018 by LadyG

[Alan de Enfield]

49 minutes ago, Charles_Graham said:

But if batteries, charged by engine or generator are not viable, then I guess shore power is most likely the only option, (for winter)

It has been said several times :

 

Most CCers will use their engine to charge the batteries.

Your engine is more than a viable option - why do you think it isn't ?

You will need to run them for 4 hrs to 8 hours per day but that can only be decided when you have done a FULL power audit.

 

Alternatively, use your batteries until they die (probably around beginning of Jan), replace and run them until they die, (probably March), replace them and run them until they die …………………… repeat ad infinitum.

 

You are entering the most demanding time for electricity :

The longest dark nights of the year - you need lights on 18 hours per day.

You are sat in the 'dark and cold', you need your PC on for a 'few' hours to pass the time.

You put the TV on for a few hours.

 

November to March - no such thing as minimal electrical usage.

[Tumshie]

4 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

There are no 'minimalist' solutions as you seem to expect. 

Obviously Charles can speak for him self but I think he meant a minimal amount of energy guzzling gadgets rather than minimal energy system - I think?

[Chewbacka]

6 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I too  wondered exactly what MtB meant.

 I decided he meant a nice lady friend to warm the bed for him, cook supper,  and go to the launderette. Trim the oil lamps and replace the gas mantles.

What a nice idea, Emmm I mean only a sexist throwback could think that is a nice idea......

[MtB]

Just now, Tumshie said:

Obviously Charles can speak for him self but I think he meant a minimal amount of energy guzzling gadgets rather than minimal energy system - I think?

 

It doesn't matter how large or small the electrical requirements of an off-grid boater happen to be, learning how lead acid batteries behave and need to be charged is mandatory if they are not to need replacing every three months. 

 

The OP will have to learn the details rather than seek his 'minimalist solutions' unless he has deep pockets! 

[LadyG]

Of course we don't know what resources are available to OP.

It;s not unknown for folks to use alternative sources, like charging their laptop battery at work, plus a portable battery bank or two.

That would help.

 

Of course we don't know what resources are available to OP.

It;s not unknown for folks to use alternative sources, like charging their laptop battery at work, plus a portable battery bank or two.

That would help.

 

Of course we don't know what resources are available to OP.

It;s not unknown for folks to use alternative sources, like charging their laptop battery at work, plus a portable battery bank or two.

That would help.

 

Edited December 1, 2018 by LadyG
laptop stuttering

[MtB]

9 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I too  wondered exactly what MtB meant.

 I decided he meant a nice lady friend to warm the bed for him, cook supper,  and go to the launderette. Trim the oil lamps and replace the gas mantles.

 

Hmmmm.... 'lady friends' in one's boat usually turn out to have minds of their own and sooner or later start moaning about stuff like how clean the shower is, or isn't. Always! 

 

DAMHIK. 

[Tumshie]

1 minute ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

The OP will have to learn the details rather than seek his 'minimalist solutions' unless he has deep pockets! 

There we go - that is what I was looking for, so it doesn't matter how little or much you use the batteries the practice of looking after and 'servicing' them remains the same, got it - I think. 

[LadyG]

5 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Hmmmm.... 'lady friends' in one's boat usually turn out to have minds of their own and sooner or later start moaning about stuff like how clean the shower is, or isn't. Always! 

 

DAMHIK. 

I'm sure if you found the right one you would find a way round these little eccentricities.

hmm xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ccv xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx yyy zzz

I had to delete my next comment, it was about  MEN!

 

Edited December 1, 2018 by LadyG

[rusty69]

6 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

DAMHIK

How much of that wine have you consumed? 

[Alan de Enfield]

4 minutes ago, Tumshie said:

There we go - that is what I was looking for, so it doesn't matter how little or much you use the batteries the practice of looking after and 'servicing' them remains the same, got it - I think. 

Yup, it doesn't matter if you drain the battery by 10% per day, or 25% per day, if you don't top it up daily its "DEDED" very quickly.

[cereal tiller]

2 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I'm sure if you found the right one you would find a way round these little eccentricities.

hmm xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ccv xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx yyy zzz

I had to delete my next comment, it was about  MEN!

 

C'mon let's hear it , we are Grown up Chaps(apart from Rusty)

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

How much of that wine have you consumed? 

 

You can't figure out what my leetle abbreviation is, can you!! 

5 minutes ago, LadyG said:

I'm sure if you found the right one you would find a way round these little eccentricities.

hmm xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ccv xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx yyy zzz

I had to delete my next comment, it was about  MEN!

 

 

Splutter.... I would have to???????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cereal tiller]

4 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

You can't figure out what my leetle abbreviation is, can you!! 

 

Splutter.... I would have to???????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes but Don't Ask Me How

Edited December 1, 2018 by cereal tiller

[LadyG]

1 minute ago, cereal tiller said:

C'mon let's hear it , we are Grown up Chaps(apart from Rusty)

No way, it would be trotted  out on every inappropriate occasion and always out of context.

.

[rusty69]

Just now, LadyG said:

No way, it would be trotted  out on every inappropriate occasion and always out of context.

.

I'll put my fingers in my ears while you type. 

[cereal tiller]

1 minute ago, LadyG said:

No way, it would be trotted  out on every inappropriate occasion and always out of context.

.

Tradition has it's Merits ...make it sew..