Don, Welcome to the Beta family — love the engine.
As a former C&C 34 (Enterprise NCC-1701-A) owner, I think your best bet is some kind of solar panel rail mount on your stern pulpit. Something like this: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=62567&d=1371267553 <http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=62567&d=1371267553> or http://www.cbcamerica.com/microsite/misc/image/Installations/Tilt-Mount.png <http://www.cbcamerica.com/microsite/misc/image/Installations/Tilt-Mount.png> One the stern rail, you’ll have less issues with shadows from the boom or other objects on board. Once there’s a shadow on your solar panels, their efficiency drops drastically. As others mentioned, the key is more batteries, meaning more amp hours of storage. But, I know space is limited on a 34. I’ve seen people add a shelf n the engine access locker on the starboard side and put a few batteries there, but maybe you did that already when you added the fridge. We installed a new fridge on this Enterprise about two months ago — at normal running, it will draw about 2 amps. When working to make the box cooler, it kicks up to almost 7 amps. When my house batteries (four Trojan flooded gold cart 6Vs in parallel and in series) are at 100%, according to my Blue Sea batteries monitoring system, it looks like I can go for a few days before they reach 50% and the alarm goes off — not that I’ve tried it — yet. My little flexible 50W panel on my companionway hatch does a great job of keeping things topped off when I’m not on board. On a sad note — the wife and I brought the Enterprise to the yard yesterday and winterized the systems. She gets hauled in the next day or two, ending the 2018 season. Fingers crossed for a warm Spring and a great 2019. All the best, Edd Edd M. Schillay Starship Enterprise C&C 37+ | Sail No: NCC-1701-B City Island, NY Starship Enterprise's Captain's Log <http://enterpriseb.blogspot.com/> On Oct 13, 2018, at 1:42 PM, DON JONSSON via CnC-List <[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
