My Solar Project

[djmarchand]

Alan:


I looked at your power usage chart. Very comprehensive, but very, very conservative (high). For example you have three refrigerators all at 500 watts each. FWIW I measured the AC wattage of a new Samsung 28 cu ft refrigerator, Energy Star (our govts designation for a green fridge) and it was 200 watts. But your icemaker's 75 watt draw is low. And 12 hours a day of computer use leaves little time for anything else. Turn them off or put them to sleep when you are not using it.

I suspect that you will use 1/2 of what you are projecting.

Oh and check your controller's maximum input voltage. Most cannot accept the 60 V Voc of your panels. Is it an 80 amp unit? Then the maximum wattage of panels that it can accept (while supplying current into 24 v batteries) is 24*80/1.5 = 1,300 watts. I agree that the 50% safety factor is really conservative, but I wouldn't go below about 20% which yields 1,600 watts maximum.

David

[noelex 77]

The Outback controller shold be fine it is rated up to 2500w at 24v and a VOC of 125v.

I think you will find your power consumption will be less than your table indicates. The plate attached to appliances often refers to their maximum consumption.
On the other hand you will not replace on average 14Kw consumption in all seasons in HK with only 2250W of solar. You will be lucky to replace this power on the very best days.
Hopefully your overestimation of power consumption will be compensated by your overestimation of the solar output, but if you want to achieve your goals a more accurate analysis will be required.
This is a large expensive system Get someone to crunch the isolation numbers for HK in the seasons you want to use the boat .
Be careful about your choice of appliances small differences in the efficiency of fridge and water maker systems will have a big impact on your generator run times.

[deckofficer]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Not sure what's the fixation on 135%.



Dave

My "fixation" on 135% is simple. One, I don't want the charge to taper too soon, as it is the voltage differential that allows electrons to flow, and two, I want enough charge voltage to be able to equalize the batteries about once a month. Now do you understand my fixation?

I've only been setting up off grid installations on and off for the last 25 years.

[nwdiver]

For hot water look at a LPG demand system, lots of instant hot water at low cost, or as a boost to your solar heater. Look at Sun Frost Refrigerators they do custom designs for high end houses and they use much less electricity than even the best energy saver units. Air Con is a big one, hopefully you will be at dock and on the mains much of the time when you really need it, but look at air flow through the boat and how fans may help when not plugged in. Use 100% 12 volt LED lighting and convert TVs Computers and other devices to 12 volts so you don’t store 12 volt then lose power converting back to 220.

I applaud your carbon reduction work.

[deckofficer]

Ah, someone else knows about Sun Frost. I don't know of anything more energy efficient as the Sun Frost line. How about a monster sized 19 cubic foot which is 1/2 freezer for 0.77 Kwh per day? I have used them for off grid homes for years.

[bill good]

Alan, The one thing I will say, check the performance of the solar charge controller before you buy. I put in a MX60 & it works well BUT the radio interference is so bad that I can't use it with the VHF radio on. Also request from outback for tech help has not so far come forward. MTTP would not be my first option on a boat today. (that said I have not tried to add external filters pending advise from outback)

Regards Bill

[Hkalan]

Originally Posted by bill good

Alan, The one thing I will say, check the performance of the solar charge controller before you buy. I put in a MX60 & it works well BUT the radio interference is so bad that I can't use it with the VHF radio on. Also request from outback for tech help has not so far come forward. MTTP would not be my first option on a boat today. (that said I have not tried to add external filters pending advise from outback)

Regards Bill

I never thought about that...

I will do that today !

Thank You

Alan

[Hkalan]

Originally Posted by nwdiver

For hot water look at a LPG demand system, lots of instant hot water at low cost, or as a boost to your solar heater. Look at Sun Frost Refrigerators they do custom designs for high end houses and they use much less electricity than even the best energy saver units. Air Con is a big one, hopefully you will be at dock and on the mains much of the time when you really need it, but look at air flow through the boat and how fans may help when not plugged in. Use 100% 12 volt LED lighting and convert TVs Computers and other devices to 12 volts so you don’t store 12 volt then lose power converting back to 220.

I applaud your carbon reduction work.

Hello,

I have been thinking about LPG the last 24 hours.

I had a small wall bout unit at a flat in Shenzhen China in 2000 to 2004. They work great, cheap as chips as well (or at least in China).

The water heater will be in the forward cabin under the single bed (see attached floor plan), so I would need to use install a valve to bypass that and then mount the LPG someplace in the aft where it will have proper ventilation for exhaust.

I have to admit, I am having a ball planning this. It will be a wonderful vessel to call home next year !

Alan

[noelex 77]

LPG water heaters used to be considered unsafe, on a boat, by most people. The technology may have moved on, but the safety concerns would be worth some investigation before you are committed ( not in the mental institution way ).

[Hkalan]

The more I learn/plan the more complex it gets !

Best priced and warranty are 12 panels at 300W each... 3,600W total

Single Panel:see attached specs
Max Power: 300Wp
Short Circuit Current (Isc): 5.48A
Maximum Power Voltage (Vmp): 48.6V
Maximum Power Current (Imp): 5.15A

Battery Bank:
4 X 6v 2,000Ah Batteries

Charge Controller (MPPT):
I seem to get good information about the Apollo T80 TurboCharger. I have not read anyone complain that it effects their VHF radio or other equipment. It has a max of 5,200W PV Array (I am currently at 3,600W). It is rated for a 24V system to have a PV input form 32 - 102 Vdc, so I think I am in the right ball park when I connect the panels in parallel to a string box and run that directly to the charge controller.

Since the panels are 48.6V and the battery bank is 24v 2,000Ah that fits with the 135% for the charge controller to equalize the bank and have happy batteries. specks are in the attached image...

Combiner - String Box:
I have found a 16 string, Combiner box. 20 amps each string with lightning protection and a main DC disconnect.

Now I have been looking at several inverters. several speak of the Mastervolt and Victron. The shipyard building my vessel now installs as a standard AC to DC Charger equipment a Victron 80amp charge for the 24 volt systems and a 25amp for the 12 volt system.

Where I seem to be going brain dead is how to put all this gear together with the Star Power system that is planned on the vessel see attached image, and have the generator, shore power, battery banks, new inverter/charger with monitoring and auto generator start if the bank falls too low... I read so much on the Victron Quattro (230V) but do not see a diagram to flip the Mental switch to "Get" how it comes together in my situation !

Thanks,

Alan