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Old 10-12-2008, 07:58   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peter.bomberg View Post
...will have between 4 and 5KW of solar cells ...
Comments please
You are going to have over 30 square meters of solar cells on your boat?
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Old 10-12-2008, 22:24   #17
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very close exact calculations are still to be determined as I am working on the design but the solar cells will start close to the mast and run all the way back past the last step
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Old 10-12-2008, 23:26   #18
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Hallo Peter
with our retractable system it standard comes wihtout a generator, we depend on regeneration from the Motogen's Solar panels and the wind generator on top of the mast, only if you go thru areas like the Doldrums you would really need a back up generator unless you are not in a hurry, with our Lithium Ion battery,s on board we can motor the boat for 3 hours @ 6 knots or 2 hours 7.5 knots or if you are really in a hurry 1 hour @ 8.8 knots. we put 20 Kw of batteries in the boat for the propulsion side and 6,6 Kw for the service side, we have 4 solar panels on the boat 3 of these feed into the propulsion side and the 4th one together with the wind generator into the service batteries.
If mounting solar panels close to the mast or boom and other partially shaed area's keep in mind that only 10 % shade reduces the output with more than 50 % so that is not very usefull.
The best solar panels on the market today are manufactured by Sunpower corp from California and they have an efficiency of 19.3 % or 193 watt per squire meter in optimal conditions ( the conditions are hardly ever optimal) so if you want 5 Kw of net solar power you would have to cover 35 to 40 squire meters !!!
the cost for good quality solar panels is around € 5.50 per watt peak or for your area to be covered would cost you € 38.500,00 ex installation if you can by from the factory .

warm greetings and good luck with the project.

Gideon
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Old 11-12-2008, 05:42   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peter.bomberg View Post
electric propulsion system. (600-800lbs for a dual diesel setup with 200GL of fuel)

Comments please
Even Yanmar 1GM10's (8 hp diesel) are 200 pounds apiece. On a 40 to 50ft Cat you'll find a pair of 3 cyl engines which will weigh close to double that. Fuel is 7 pounds per gallon. Where in the world are you getting your numbers?

I'm also confused by your 4-5KW generation numbers. My 75 watt panel is roughly 5 sq feet of solar cells. In 10 hours of sunlight it will generate 500 watts (in the tropics). Your numbers indicate you're planning on mounting the equivilent of 10 of these panels on a 40FT cat? Where exactly are you planning on putting them? At the very least, this will be one curious looking boat.

As for Electric Propulsion? There are some very nice systems available. The 600 pound gorilla in the room is when you turn those systems on they burn through 100 amps per hour, per engine. No pleasure boat can regenerate that level of power without turning on an engine. As many experts have pointed out, if you need engines to run the boat, why bother with any type of electric propulsion?

One last point. One near miss or one direct hit by lightning and the entire system is toast. Thunderstorms are a way of life in the tropics. I've been hit once myself.

Sandy is correct, it's not ready for Prime time...
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Old 12-12-2008, 18:26   #20
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Here is the first Kit version that I have seen on the market.
SolidNav :: The first alternative for everyone

It's a great idea but I think it needs to work the bugs out before the concept goes main stream. I like the KISS method, Keep It Simple Stupid. Because if it can break, it will at the worst possiable time.

Here is another thread about this system and other thoughts too.
View topic - Eletric Propulsion revisted : Cruisers Forum : Latitudes & Attitudes Magazine


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