T-Pain Is On A Boat: [Electric Boats] Re: Battery charger limits and the Honda 2000 generator

Thursday, March 4, 2010

[Electric Boats] Re: Battery charger limits and the Honda 2000 generator

This idea of a 'serial hybrid' (genny-2-charger-2-batts-2-motor) certainly works and has it's benefits. But realize that many of these high-tech smart chargers have sophisticated algorithms in their firmware that factor 'time of recovery' as part of their computations. So for instance even a deeply discharged bank should get up to optimum bulk charge voltage (let's use 14.7 volts/12 volt battery for example) in a certain period of time.

When you add the load of the motor into this equation the firmware is now wondering why it can't attain that pre-programed bulk charge voltage in a given period of time, and may shut down thinking that there is a problem with the battery bank itself.

I would guess that most chargers could handle short periods of use in this way, but extended runs might be a problem.
Capt. Todd
www.epowermarine.com

--- In electricboats@yahoogroups.com, "aweekdaysailor" <aweekdaysailor@...> wrote:
>
> In practice, you run the generator/charger in parallel with the batteries -- not waiting for them to run down below comfort. Now you are drawing say...10amps from the batteries (which they like) and another 20 from the charger - 30 amps gets me almost 4 knots.
>
> I'm not sure the long-term effects of this on either charger or battery though...
>
> -Keith
>
> --- In electricboats@yahoogroups.com, Hans Kloepfer <hanskloepfer@> wrote:
> >
> > Dave H.
> >
> > For what it is worth I am pretty sure that you can get at least 2 knots at .750kW. People get 1.2 knts with sculling oars. The key is a clean bottom and prop. I just got my bottom and prop cleaned and it was a dramatic performance nudge. I got 3 knots at 1kW. Of course this is only in dead calm water in the marina. This is the first time I was able to monitor my performance so well because I recently installed a new meter.
>