Maria,
Please keep in mind that my estimates for load, distance and speed are merely guesses, I don't have any data from a similar houseboat conversion.
Although you have decent generation capability, the challenge will be getting the 6.5kW of 120V A/C into usable 48V DC. The typical chargers used by people on this board are about 15A and cost around $500. Using a 15A charger to feed your batteries while underway in my previous scenario, your load on you batteris drops to 45A and each bank will now last about 2 hours 10 minutes, or 8.5 miles at 4kts. Once parked, each 15A charger will take more than 9 hours to recharge its respective battery bank.
There are more powerful chargers that are used by the electric car guys. If you could pump 30A into each drive while under way, your range jumps to 3 hours 40 minutes or 14.5 miles at 4 kts. Unfortunately, a 30A to 50A charger usually costs more than $2000 for the charger alone and your setup would use 2 of them.
Solar could offset some of the estimated 6kW total load. 1500 watts of panels would be equivalent to the 15A chargers discussed above. A 200W solar panel costs $700 or more, covers 15 square feet (5'x3') and you would need 4 to provide 15A of charging to each battery bank or 8 total ($5600+) for your houseboat. Hi-power solar charging regulators are also not cheap and would be needed to keep from damaging your batteries.
A 400W wind generator typically costs about $1000, the drawback is that they take 25 mph winds to generate their full output and have barely started to produce energy at 10 mph.
I think that Denny stated it well, "I love electric boats but they are not a universal replacement for gas engines."
Fair winds,
Eric
Marina del Rey, CA
--- In electricboats@
>
> Thanks for all the feedback. The boat has a 6.5kw gas genset. I would also consider adding solar and wind generation. How much would that extend the range? I definitely like the idea of using green power. We basically intend to use this boat to go out to raft up
> for the weekend then head home. This is not going to be a coastal cruiser.
>
>
> --- In electricboats@
> >
> > Maria,
> >
> > I have to agree with Denny, your boat is not a good candidate for an electric conversion..
> >
> > Looking at the available range, I don't know what load your boat would put on the drive systems, but it should be considerably more than most of the other conversions described onthis board. If the motors were run at 60A (3kW), each battery bank has a usable range (65% depth of discharge) of just under 90 minutes. If your cruise speed with both motors ends up at 4kts, that is a range of just under 6 miles before you need a full recharge. Two 48V chargers will run another $1000, putting your basic installation past $7000.
> >
> >
> > Fair winds,
> > Eric
> > Marina del Rey, CA
> >
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