Liveaboard solar electric boat

[Q Xopa]

Originally Posted by john61ct

Yes regular Webasto 16,000 BTU units are fine powered by a portable 2000VA genset, just need to add an EasyStart.

8,000 BTU even runs in Eco mode.

'2,000VA' Generators are max surge ratings.

Webasto, I dont think have SEER ratings. But I would be pretty confident they would be lucky to be comprable to average window units which are most south of 10 SEER, alot are a lot south of. Their simply isnt the volume demand in Marine Air conds to push R&D or energy efficiency. Someone here might have more concrete information.

So probably 1/4 the energy efficiency as the Carrier ones mentioned previously.

A 16,000 BTU is also a bigger capacity than 9,000 so obviously more Watts.

So getting back to required Solar. You stated 2,500W min. You also say a 2,000W Generator can run a bigger, less efficient Air cond units.

Also I hope you werent including Steve Dashew in your label of "Silly scammers looking for clicks"?

Obviously I dont understand this as well as you do.

[warrior 90]

Have not seen those Air Cons in action and that´s all I have, but at least there are some decent spec sheets or something that looks serious. Anybody knows more about it ?

Those guys talk about 12.000 BTU
ACDC12C compressor runs on DC. This special solar air conditioner can accept DC power directly from solar panels, without needing an inverter, charge controller, or batteries. But then they also say grid asist and then the specs talk about min. of 208 V and average 544 W
https://www.hotspotenergy.com/solar-...ot-ACDC12C.pdf

Those guys are really small and seem to have relative good numbers
http://www.aquaair.net/SSIG_Self_Contained_Brochure.pdf


Those guys talk about numbers that are close to what I would consider realistic on a cruising CAT for a more extended run time @5-600 W of the AirCon without using the Gen.

MES-12L 9K BTU/h:
power consumption with our optional thermostat that utilizes our Sequential Compressor Technology :
High Blower Speed 42 nominal amps @ 12.8 Volts DC
Medium Blower Speed 40 25nominal amps @ 12.8 Volts DC
Low Blower Speed (Whisper Mode) 35 nominal amps @ 12.8 Volts DC

https://www.cruisencomfortusa.com/marineseries

Best I have in my cookie jar regards AirCon but even so with 9000 BTU that would be a mayor struggle unless it is for a smaller cabin and then maybe the smaller 6000 BTU unit for the night. The sleeping quarters are closer to the waterline and during the day some of the cooled air from above will get lost down below. Of course that would need a bigger Lithium bank to compensate but then I would at least be able to decide the time when I have to run the Gen and could also time some other high consumers at that moment

MES-12s 6K BTU/h:
power consumption with our optional thermostat that utilizes our Sequential Compressor Technology :
High Blower Speed 30 nominal amps @ 12.8 Volts DC
Medium Blower Speed 24 nominal amps @ 12.8 Volts DC
Low Blower Speed (Whisper Mode) 21 nominal amps @ 12.8 Volts DC

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

Steve Dashew has had success running a/c off solar.

SetSail FPB » Search Results » solar

Can this be done on a smaller cruising sailboat? I don't know, but it's pretty cool

5440 watts of solar and 1600 amp hour bank at 24v... and only occasionally runs two 12,000 BTU ac units (Not 24/7 at all). But even with all that, he still has to run the generator every few days.


Matt

Finally some reality and as I suspected.

[Nauti Cat]

Originally Posted by StuM

I suspect that he is talking about a powercat (no way to get the solar he's after on a sailing cat of that size).

The Silent 44 is apparently 11 ton (22,000#) lightship and he's looking at finding an existing catamaran hull which doesn't currently have any propulsion and creating something similar from scratch.
Don't know how much he would save compared to just buyng a Silent for a milliion bucks or so.

That's just about exactly what I'm looking for, would those 9Kwp panels run aircon and appliances on a typical live aboard day and leave batteries full without running generator so I could also do a day cruise of about 50 nm on batteries (again without running genset)

And the silent 44 with options runs $1.4m

[CharlieJ]

The Termodinamica (Italian) units distributed by TMD Marine are awesome and stingy with power consumption. They have a 24VDC 16,000 BTU unit that uses between 250 and 750W. I have personal experience with their 60,000 BTU/240VAC unit and have seen it keep a 44' power cat at 77F using 650W.

[Nauti Cat]

Sounds it is doable to cool a 44' cat then using 16kwh for a day and a 5kwp solar setup producing 25kwh a day and have some extra for appliances and keep batteries full

[Q Xopa]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Finally some reality and as I suspected.

Im not saying this is reality, I havent done it, so I dont know.

All Im saying is what this guy is saying. Some may get something out of it. Or maybe nothing, you decide. Sounds like you have already, that's fine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjVIxqTHahY

and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmOkQerIITk

[valhalla360]

[QUOTE=CharlieJ I have personal experience with their 60,000 BTU/240VAC unit and have seen it keep a 44' power cat at 77F using 650W.[/QUOTE]

In what conditions? When it's 80F and overcast...quite possible.

When it's 95F and Sunny...I'm a lot more skeptical.

[Simi 60]

Originally Posted by Q Xopa

Im not saying this is reality, I havent done it, so I dont know.

All Im saying is what this guy is saying. Some may get something out of it. Or maybe nothing, you decide. Sounds like you have already, that's fine.

]

What I got out of it was his RV is heavily insulated
Most boats are not heavily insulated.

[Q Xopa]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

What I got out of it was his RV is heavily insulated
Most boats are not heavily insulated.

Sure, no arguements from me.

[Q Xopa]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

What I got out of it was his RV is heavily insulated
Most boats are not heavily insulated.

I dont know enough to have a good answer.
But from what it looks like is that it is possible.

Sure not easily, but also not as impossible or completely impractical as others are saying with some of these newer units. I hear 2,500W solar min.

This guy is claiming he is doing it with-
Not plugged in,
900W of solar, upgraded now to 1,440W to run extra stuff in his RV,
600Ah of AGMs, now upgraded to 600Ah(6 x 100s) LFP Battleborns,
1000W inverter (he says it could run on a 750w inverter), for 616W max air cond draw on high, 239W on slowest speed, ie at Thermostat set point. Claims measured with killawatt and high hold Ammeter.
Runs 24/7/365. So depending on your Insulation would determine your compressor run time duty cycle.
Cranks his generator after a few cloudy days in a row.

Maybe as earlier claimed this guy is a "Silly scammer, fishing for clicks". I dont know. But so far the nay sayers have not shown any evidence to disprove it.

Of course as you say to get his performance there are some caveats. Its not easy and you need to jump through some hoops like-
a small area,
LFPs,
good insulation and
a new high SEER unit. I have seen higher SEER rated units that this guy is using. He is using a 9,000 BTU 24.4 SEER unit. I posted a Carrier 9,000 BTU 42 SEER unit before. So you would have to assume this should do better.

To me this doesnt look small but not too disimilar a setup to what many cruisers have. Maybe to some this is worth it to have air cond?

I realise there are a lot of sceptics, that's fine, in fact welcomed. But unfortunately most of them only seem to offer their opinions or wild numbers not backed by any actual calulations or experience. Atleast this guy has provided some numbers and how he arrived at them and he actually has his money into doing it.

You be the judge.

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by Q Xopa

I dont know enough to have a good answer.
But from what it looks like is that it is possible.

Sure not easily, but also not as impossible or completely impractical as others are saying with some of these newer units. I hear 2,500W solar min.

This guy is claiming he is doing it with-
Not plugged in,
900W of solar, upgraded now to 1,440W to run extra stuff in his RV,
600Ah of AGMs, now upgraded to 600Ah(6 x 100s) LFP Battleborns,
1000W inverter (he says it could run on a 750w inverter), for 616W max air cond draw on high, 239W on slowest speed, ie at Thermostat set point. Claims measured with killawatt and high hold Ammeter.
Runs 24/7/365. So depending on your Insulation would determine your compressor run time duty cycle.
Cranks his generator after a few cloudy days in a row.

Maybe as earlier claimed this guy is a "Silly scammer, fishing for clicks". I dont know. But so far the nay sayers have not shown any evidence to disprove it.

Of course as you say to get his performance there are some caveats. Its not easy and you need to jump through some hoops like-
a small area,
LFPs,
good insulation and
a new high SEER unit. I have seen higher SEER rated units that this guy is using. He is using a 9,000 BTU 24.4 SEER unit. I posted a Carrier 9,000 BTU 42 SEER unit before. So you would have to assume this should do better.

To me this doesnt look small but not too disimilar a setup to what many cruisers have. Maybe to some this is worth it to have air cond?

I realise there are a lot of sceptics, that's fine, in fact welcomed. But unfortunately most of them only seem to offer their opinions or wild numbers not backed by any actual calulations or experience. Atleast this guy has provided some numbers and how he arrived at them and he actually has his money into doing it.

You be the judge.

Looking at his channel, he seems to be promoting (ie: advertising/kickbacks) from the systems he's installing...so take it with a big grain of salt. Not saying he's lying but he is not an unbiased source of information.

Quote from his youtube channel: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Also, the videos all appear to be in temperate areas and he is using a small non-slide motorhome...if you don't need much cooling, it's much more feasible. Having owned both boats and RVs, I'm betting his rig needs a small fraction of what an average 40ft cruising boat needs for cooling.

While RVs don't have great insulation, they are significantly better than most cruising boats.

[john61ct]

Much easier to seal up and retrofit aftermarket insulation too, more 90° angles, cheap buildout to start with.

I've seen small well insulated spaces a fan in an ice cooler could keep comfortable in Death Valley at noon.

[Simi 60]

A guy I know has a 60 ft houseboat on the hook and the MASSIVE living area and roof is all 4 inch foam, aluminium clad insulated panels.
Plenty of cross ventilation,opening front windows, cool as.
No a/c required
Heater maybe.

[Nauti Cat]

Originally Posted by Simi 60

Finally some reality and as I suspected.

That's a good blog by Steve Dashew on aircon management and solar/genset
from real time experience on boat