I agree with Fred's assessment. I have about 400AH on my primary bank and 200AH on my secondary. We motor in and out of the slip and on and off of the anchor each day. It takes about 30 minutes minimum each time for a total of 60 minutes per day. With a 100 amp alternator I can pretty much keep the battery in the bulk charge zone between 50 and 80%. If we get a day in port with shore power or a day with no wind where we are motoring more than 30 minutes then I know that we are charging past 80% into the absorption phase. This has worked sufficiently for us to sail up and down the bay for 2 weeks at a time.
I have installed a 200w solar system. I get 12 amps during peek sun and it continues to charge well into the late afternoon. It helps offset electricitcal usage but it still won't keep up under all conditions. You can see pictures at the link below. https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B8pEh5lnvP1yLXU5RzRyWjZXTDA Josh Muckley S/V Sea Hawk 1989 C&C 37+ Solomons, MD On Sun, Oct 14, 2018, 2:10 AM Fred Hazzard via CnC-List < [email protected]> wrote: > Don, it seems to me you need more battery power. You have adequate > charging, but with only 2 batteries with about 200 ah capacity, you have > 100 ah of usable power. Your fridge probably uses about 5 amps per hour or > 120 amp hours per day. That alone exceeds what you should use. Not to > mention leaving something to start you engine. > On our boat we have 4 batteries with over 400 ah. Even with this we need > to charge every 3 days. > > The other thing you should look at is the insulation of your fridge. It > can make a big difference. > > Fred Hazzard > S/V Fury > C&C 44 > Portland Or > > On Sat, Oct 13, 2018 at 4:27 PM Dave via CnC-List <[email protected]> > wrote: > >> Interesting - have been contemplating exactly this for Windstar - 33-2, >> and my needs and equipment are similar for contemplated summer cruising >> in Georgian bay. >> >> I have a Bimini and can barely fit 200w (iirc) of solar panel on the >> Bimini, which is the bare minimum required to keep my house battery whole. >> (I could be misremembering the wattage) Mounting the flexible panels >> will take some thought. I don’t want to bother with set up and take down >> panels.... >> >> I have converted to LED lighting - a big difference in power consumption >> and have used a variety of light sources, including some inexpensive >> halogen replacement bulbs from amazon and some dome lights from princess >> auto. Am very happy with both despite the low cost. >> >> IMHO Biggest remaining issue is the fridge - it needs to be better sealed >> and better insulated is to reduce the amp-hour draw. This will take some >> thought and is a project for the winter. >> >> Am a bit behind on blog updates but will catch up over the next week or >> so. >> >> http://cncwindstar.blogspot.com/2015/12/hello-all-this-blog-is-intended-to.html >> >> Am interested in the evolution of your plans! >> >> Dave >> >> >> Sent from my iPad >> >> On Oct 13, 2018, at 1:42 PM, DON JONSSON <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Hi All >> >> Last year after putting in a new Beta engine with a larger alternator >> (110 amp) we added an additional battery, a battery monitor, and to use all >> that power, a fridge. (Of interest, and not the point of this email, is we >> went through two alternators on the boat last summer both on warranty. >> Doesn't bode well. We did not put in a smart regulator as it would void >> the warranty. Guess that was a good thing. Two mechanics have gone >> through the boat and all wiring is good. They claim manufacturing default >> in both alternators. Hmmm.) >> >> The fridge is a fantastic addition especially when you are up north with >> no stores to buy ice, or much food for that matter. BUT, as you all know >> it takes a lot of power. Which gets me to the questions. Easy one first. >> >> 1. We have added some new LED reading light fixtures but still have a >> few more old incandescent lights where we would like to keep the fixtures. >> You can get replacement LED bulbs that range in price from a couple of >> dollars to $15. I read that cheaper ones don't deal with variations in >> voltage very well and you should spend more money. Does anyone have >> experience and recommendations. >> >> 2. The real solution, we think, is solar panels. But how much do they >> really help and where to put them on a 34 foot sailboat. It seems all >> locations come with a compromise. We are considering: >> >> A: On top of the dodger, but the boom will always be an issue. >> Especially since we don't have a bimini we use the boom for supporting our >> awning that we put up on hot sunny days. Yes we occasionally get them up >> on the BC coast and blocking the sun is mandatory. >> >> B: Get a bimini and mount them on it. But this gets us back to the >> sunshine issue. Lots of days it isn't that warm and you want the sun on >> you. A Bimini with solar panels is not that easy to fold out of the way. >> Also it isn't cheap. >> >> C: Hang them off the life lines or rails at the back of the boat with a >> support that allows you to set them flat when at anchor. But we >> occasionally carry bikes back there and we couldn't have both at the same >> time. Also looks a little clunky. >> >> D: Leave them as portable and set them out when at anchor. But then it >> is a pain and you don't do it unless you are sitting for a while and you >> have all the wire to deal with, etc. And they aren't helping much under >> sail. >> >> So does anyone have a recommendation as to what they have done and how it >> works. Also how many amp hours did you get on a sunny day? What size of >> panels did you use. >> >> I know, that like everything on a boat it is always a compromise, we are >> just trying to figure out which one to make. >> >> Thanks for any help. >> >> Don Jonsson >> Andante, C&C 34 >> Victoria, BC >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each >> and every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - >> use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray >> >> _______________________________________________ > > Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each > and every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - > use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray > >
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