Sunday, February 26, 2012

Re: [Electric Boats] Re: Newbie Question- Converting a 45' catamaran

 

Hi Eric,
Many liveaboards arriving here in the Carib from Europe and the USA had (have) car AC compressors build on the main engine next to the alternator. Typically they ran the engine one or more hours a day to recharge the house battery and charge the holding plate in the fridge at the same time. Gradually over the last 2 decades with increasing popularity and installation of wind turbines and later increasing amount of solar panels, holding plates with 2 different sized copper tubing 'coils' inside were used. The second (thinner) tubing was used for the electric compressor running on the batteries and more and more liveaboards live mainly on renewable power as a rule and use the main engine or little gas generators solely as emergency power plant on cloudy windless days, so compressors on main engines make less sense, unless already installed...
I'm sure you knew all this, but just my 2 cents

Rob on Linda.

--- On Fri, 2/24/12, Eric <ewdysar@yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Eric <ewdysar@yahoo.com>
Subject: [Electric Boats] Re: Newbie Question- Converting a 45' catamaran
To: electricboats@yahoogroups.com
Date: Friday, February 24, 2012, 11:36 PM

 

Hi Sean,


Land based systems are finding that cogeneration is more efficient, driving the A/C compressors directly from the generator ICE as well as cranking an alternator rather than generate only electricity and then run electric A/C units. But I haven't seen any company that is doing that in the marine market yet. I'm sure that if there is a company out there that has an off-the-shelf, somebody in the group will identify that company.


Fair winds,
Eric
Marina del Rey, CA

--- In electricboats@yahoogroups.com, "seansullivanjobs" <seansullivanjobs@...> wrote:
>
> Replying to all discussions in this single post... thanks, guys!
>
> Steve:
>
> Hi Steve. I have a very high performance Kurt Hughes cruising catamaran which has no engines at all. To give you an idea of the type, it's just like a Gunboat 48. Very similar numbers. It's a blank canvas. Brand new build... which is the reason I'm considering the electric propulsion. There are major advantages to being able to support massive HVAC loads easily if already producing power to move the boat.
>
> My wife and I do charters for a living and this is our new charter boat. We run a professional galley in the "crew hull" and serve 3 gourmet meals per day, plus snacks. Our guests also run hair dryers, we microwave and guest comfort (massive HVAC systems) is a top priority.
>
> We charter in North America and the Caribbean. I've consecutively owned a boat for the past 20+ years and have lived aboard full time since the early 2000's when we started chartering. So "world cruising" with extra demands for charter guests is probably the best way to sum up the usage.
>
> Budget? I'd have to say no more than a typical diesel installation. Same cost as installing a pair of Yanmar 3YM30's and a genset. That would be my maximum budget. That means the packaged products are not in my price range. If I go electric, I have to build it myself using industrial components, not overpriced marine stuff.
>
> I actually agree with those naysayers... sorry! :) Performance is my top consideration here. My goal is to have props clear of the water when sailing. It makes a huge difference... a coupe knots... having no props there. A couple knots is nothing at 20 knots, but it's quite a big deal at 6 knots. My main goals for going electric are:
>
> 1) Having props clear of the water when not in use
> 2) Producing enough electricity to run HVAC - for instance, shut down one side's propulsion and send the extra energy into HVAC.
>

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