Be Well,
Hi all,
I'm in the planning stages of converting a Cal 2-27 day sailor to electric power. I've been reading through the gobs of information in this group and elsewhere on the net and am hoping I have the general picture, but I could really use the advice of wiser more experienced heads here.
The boat has a broken 12hp Farymann diesel in it at the moment, with a $3K quote to fix it, so it'd be a good time to convert. The primary goal is end up with a reliable propulsion system while keeping the costs down (big surprise, I know). I like the idea of an electric boat, but if it ends costing as much as a new diesel re-power, it looses much of its attraction. So, my budget is tentatively set at $5K. Is this reasonable, or am I dreaming?
That pretty much disqualifies turn-key commercial kits. I realize I'd be giving up the benefit of manufacturers' experience and support and adding lots of headaches, but $7-10K price tag just doesn't make financial sense.
So, with that in mind, I'm thinking of going with Thunderstruct 8.5Kw kit. It seems to provide all the needed components except the mounting and the charger, all for a very small markup. I get the impression Mars motors and Sevcon controllers are well regarded here, but I would appreciate any opinions on this kit, as well as possible alternatives at this price range.
Next, the batteries. I'm leaning towards 200Ah AGMs, mainly for the maintenance-free factors. I'm not too worried about longevity, pretty much any battery should last 4-5 years of weekend sailing and I don't really care if I have to replace it at that point.
Any recommendations on the brand, or any good sources, especially in the San Francisco area? The cheapest I've found are Universal 4D units around $400-450 on Amazon. Are they decent, or should I spring for more expensive brands (Mk, Concorde, Lifeline)?
Next, a good charger that would allow hooking up a generator in future. Elcon PFC-1500 seems to be mentioned quite a bit here, would it work with the popular choice Honda 2000 hooked up to it? I'm not all that clear on how that works in conjunction with the "smart" charging profiles. What happens when batteries are full, for example? Would the charger still supply the power from the generator to the motor, or would that require a separate hookup?
Am I missing anything? Would the existing prop work or would I need a new one?
And lastly, I'm a little concerned about the safety of having so much electrical power running through the boat. It seems most installations don't provide any watertight enclosure for the motors/batteries. Are you not worried about cabin flooding shorting everything out? Would it be a good idea to insulate all the components/connections, or would heat buildup be too much of an issue?
Thanks for reading through my ramblings. Looking forward to your advice.
Cheers,
Alex.
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