inverter/chargers

[erseddie]

Recently purchased a 2005 343 looking to install an inverter. I now have a dead engine battery and one of the house batteries is also dead. I'm thinking about 2 agm 105ah's for the house and a agm 92 for the engine. then a 2000 or 2500 watt invertert. Where to mount the inverter, I am considering a Magmum modifies wave unit? Any comments suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks
Ed

 

[Deadhead]

I would begin with installation of a battery monitor. The Victron is very reasonably price and will be one of the best upgrades you make:

http://www.jamestowndistributors.co...43&familyName=Victron+BMV+600+Battery+Monitor

I think you will find that a 210 amp-hr house bank will be drawn down very quickly with the inverter. Search the archives for Maine Sail's discussions of battery maintenance/management.

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Now Let's See Here ......................

..................... for a 2,000 watt output at 120V you need a 2,000 watt input at 12.8V (fully charged) which would be 2,000/12.8 = 156A in a perfect world. Seeing as how inverters are not perfect (mine is 85% efficient) that means you would really need an input of 2,353 watts at 12.8V for an output of 2,000 watts at 120V.

What this all boils down to is that the output amps from your battery bank at 12.8V would be 2,353/12.8 = 184A with a 2,000 watt load on your inverter. Now, with a 210 AHr battery bank, I wouldn't doubt the sides of the batteries would be sucked in like an old lady's cheeks without any dentures after a minute or so .

You may want to look at scaling back back your AC electrical demands or installing a generator to deal with loads of this magnitude.

After all, it is a 34 ft. sailboat.

Also, why the fancy AGM for the starter battery ? Get a 120 AHr wet cell for a fraction the price and it will last a long, long time with proper maintenance. Mine is currently 13 yrs. old and still going strong.