Hello Sailors out there! In deciding whether I should equip a new sailboat with extras.... what is the difference between having batteries with an inverter and charging batteries with the engine vs. having a generator onboard? Gil
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Jim Logan
Best thing you can do is read
While I'm a little hesitant to answer an email that starts Hello, Sailor - Gil: Find a copy ( public library, any large bookstore or West Marine) of Nigel Calder's "Boatowners Mechanical and Electrical Manual" 2nd edition - it will explain everything you need to know and some things you haven't thought of. Generally, if you want to run air conditioning or electric heat away from the dock, then you need a generator - otherwise you can probably make do with batteries - although if you want to run refrigerator, tv, vcr, and microwave just like you do at home you will need to add substantial number of batteries to those delivered with most new boats, and an expensive charging system, plus run your engine at least once a day to build the batteries back up - there ain't no free lunch when it comes to electricity on sailboats.
While I'm a little hesitant to answer an email that starts Hello, Sailor - Gil: Find a copy ( public library, any large bookstore or West Marine) of Nigel Calder's "Boatowners Mechanical and Electrical Manual" 2nd edition - it will explain everything you need to know and some things you haven't thought of. Generally, if you want to run air conditioning or electric heat away from the dock, then you need a generator - otherwise you can probably make do with batteries - although if you want to run refrigerator, tv, vcr, and microwave just like you do at home you will need to add substantial number of batteries to those delivered with most new boats, and an expensive charging system, plus run your engine at least once a day to build the batteries back up - there ain't no free lunch when it comes to electricity on sailboats.
Noise!
Gil: One of the major downsides of a generator is the noise. Not very desireable in an anchorage. It also really depends on how much power you really need. If you build a nice size battery bank out of 6 volt batteries, you can have a lot of reserve power. You may want to determine your power requirements and repost your question. Refrigeration, microwave, TV, computer, lighting....? Are you going to have shore power?
Gil: One of the major downsides of a generator is the noise. Not very desireable in an anchorage. It also really depends on how much power you really need. If you build a nice size battery bank out of 6 volt batteries, you can have a lot of reserve power. You may want to determine your power requirements and repost your question. Refrigeration, microwave, TV, computer, lighting....? Are you going to have shore power?
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RON MILLS
Go with Inverter
I have both an inverter system and a 5k generator.The usage is 80/20% inverter to generator. Like Steve says who wants to listen to even the quietest generator. For what a generator cost and the amount of maint. etc., you can buy the best inverter and two good banks of 6V AGM batteries that will take care of 80% of your needs. As in life, the other 20% can never be covered. Try this link....
I have both an inverter system and a 5k generator.The usage is 80/20% inverter to generator. Like Steve says who wants to listen to even the quietest generator. For what a generator cost and the amount of maint. etc., you can buy the best inverter and two good banks of 6V AGM batteries that will take care of 80% of your needs. As in life, the other 20% can never be covered. Try this link....
R
R.W.Landau
Wow
Gil, That is a loaded question. I will assume that you are not very fimilar with any of the items you mentioned. You should start with how big is this sailboat you are having built? Next is what luxuries are you planning on running on your electrical system? Please remember that even a light is a luxury on a smaller boat. Next thought, remember that if you use electricity it has to come from somewhere. An inverter take power from a battery and changes it to 110volts. This change is not efficent. The formula is volts = amps times resistance like wise amps= volts divided by the resistance. Remember that you do not want to discharge your batteries below 50 %.If you have a battery that is rated 100 amp hours,(giving you 50 amp hours of available power) and that watts = amps times volts. This battery has approximately 600 watts of power to give before it is 50 % discharged. It will operate a 15 watt bulb at 12 volts for approximately 40 hour. It will run a 12 volt thermal electric cooler with a 4 amp draw for about 12 hours. As you can see, if you only ran an electric cooler over night you would have to charge your battery in the morning.If you plan on using more electricity, you need more battery capacity. If you use an inverter to get 110 for let say the 15 amp air conditioner. The power consumption is 110 times 15 that is 1650 watts per hour. your 600 available watts on your 100 amp/hour battery is gone in less than 20 minutes. If you use an inverter, there is not a 100% energy transfer. Yes, the inverter turns 12 volts into 110 volts but it takes power to do that. It can take up to 40% of the power you are producing. A minimum figure would be 20%. An inboard engine my have the ability to charge a battery at 10 to 25 amps per hour. You are talking a 2 hour run time to bring the battery back to an 85 to 90 % charge. Yes, generators are noisy, but if you are a consumer......you have no choice. If your boat is bigger than 32'I would recommend installing a 2500 watt or larger generator without a question. A smaller boat I would consider how I would use it and how a generator would affect the weight distribution on the boat. Many people are using small portable generators that if the need calls for it , they pull it out and connect it to their shore power and operate what they need. Remember a 1000 watt generator will only put out about 600watts for any period of time. To operate a 1650 watt air conditoner you would need about 2500 watt generator. This is no longer portable, and don't try to use the microwave with the Air conditioner running. The portable units are pretty noisy. There is also the issue of where to store gas for the generator. Ok, I could go on forever............... I am done. r.w.landau
Gil, That is a loaded question. I will assume that you are not very fimilar with any of the items you mentioned. You should start with how big is this sailboat you are having built? Next is what luxuries are you planning on running on your electrical system? Please remember that even a light is a luxury on a smaller boat. Next thought, remember that if you use electricity it has to come from somewhere. An inverter take power from a battery and changes it to 110volts. This change is not efficent. The formula is volts = amps times resistance like wise amps= volts divided by the resistance. Remember that you do not want to discharge your batteries below 50 %.If you have a battery that is rated 100 amp hours,(giving you 50 amp hours of available power) and that watts = amps times volts. This battery has approximately 600 watts of power to give before it is 50 % discharged. It will operate a 15 watt bulb at 12 volts for approximately 40 hour. It will run a 12 volt thermal electric cooler with a 4 amp draw for about 12 hours. As you can see, if you only ran an electric cooler over night you would have to charge your battery in the morning.If you plan on using more electricity, you need more battery capacity. If you use an inverter to get 110 for let say the 15 amp air conditioner. The power consumption is 110 times 15 that is 1650 watts per hour. your 600 available watts on your 100 amp/hour battery is gone in less than 20 minutes. If you use an inverter, there is not a 100% energy transfer. Yes, the inverter turns 12 volts into 110 volts but it takes power to do that. It can take up to 40% of the power you are producing. A minimum figure would be 20%. An inboard engine my have the ability to charge a battery at 10 to 25 amps per hour. You are talking a 2 hour run time to bring the battery back to an 85 to 90 % charge. Yes, generators are noisy, but if you are a consumer......you have no choice. If your boat is bigger than 32'I would recommend installing a 2500 watt or larger generator without a question. A smaller boat I would consider how I would use it and how a generator would affect the weight distribution on the boat. Many people are using small portable generators that if the need calls for it , they pull it out and connect it to their shore power and operate what they need. Remember a 1000 watt generator will only put out about 600watts for any period of time. To operate a 1650 watt air conditoner you would need about 2500 watt generator. This is no longer portable, and don't try to use the microwave with the Air conditioner running. The portable units are pretty noisy. There is also the issue of where to store gas for the generator. Ok, I could go on forever............... I am done. r.w.landau
G
Gil Narvaez
Thanks for pointers
Thanks for the well informed responses. I appreciate them all. I've been sailing dinghies and daysailers now for about 17 years. I am thinking about getting into a bigger boat, with options I have heard of but frankly never used before. Thanks for the advice and pointers!
Thanks for the well informed responses. I appreciate them all. I've been sailing dinghies and daysailers now for about 17 years. I am thinking about getting into a bigger boat, with options I have heard of but frankly never used before. Thanks for the advice and pointers!
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