Re: [electricboats] AC vs DC gensets, how many?

Check Out this blog. They have a 44' Lagoon and I believe they are operating a dual genset.

http://www.sailingmusicandlyrics.com/our-sailboat/

Other than that Their system is a Solomons Tech. setup like mine with us having some different equipment upgrades and I run LiPo's.

 

Steve in Solomons MD

Lagoon 410 S2E

 

From: electricboats@groups.io <electricboats@groups.io> On Behalf Of Robert McArthur
Sent: Tuesday, June 2, 2020 9:07 PM
To: electricboats@groups.io
Subject: [electricboats] AC vs DC gensets, how many?

 

We are in planning to parallel hybridise our 50' powercat. One of the questions (of many!) is the genset. We have an old Onan 6.5kW AC. We would probably remove it. 

 

But we will need more than solar to keep us going for many hours at slower speeds (higher speed = diesels). Do we go with large alternators off the diesels (maybe get 2kW off each) to supplement solar, or 1-2 gensets as main power supplemented by solar?  2kW or even 4kW isnt going to be enough, so big alternators are probably out.

 

Given AC gensets are more common, and the i-series from fisher panda are variable speed, is there a lot of difference in this application to use AC or DC?

 

Also, apart from some obvious points, are there any advantages/disadvantages in two small units vs one? The i-series can parallel each other which seems an advantage for 2 units...

 

Thanks

Rob