18 kWh System Realistic? Liveaboard / Workaboard

[tpenfield]

Following along and interested to see what you finally come up with.

My contribution to the thought process so far is consideration of the following (with enough buffer):

• Ability to capture energy (Solar Panels) 3,200 (ish) watts (x 10 hours/day) = 30 KWh
• Ability to store energy (Batteries) 3 x 460Ah x 12.8 volts x (70% utilization) = 12 KWh
• Energy needs, and usage pattern. . .

So your gating item may be the ability to store energy, depending on your usage pattern, since in the intended design you can generate more than you can store.

Then there are those cloudy days.

 

[MattiFin]

Following along and interested to see what you finally come up with.

My contribution to the thought process so far is consideration of the following (with enough buffer):

• Ability to capture energy (Solar Panels) 3,200 (ish) watts (x 10 hours/day) = 30 KWh
• Ability to store energy (Batteries) 3 x 460Ah x 12.8 volts x (70% utilization) = 12 KWh
• Energy needs, and usage pattern. . .

So your gating item may be the ability to store energy, depending on your usage pattern, since in the intended design you can generate more than you can store.

Then there are those cloudy days.

30kwh out of 3.2kwh panels is not realistic unless you like to sail in desert.
For flat mounted panels 10-15 kWh per day in Florida would be possible

 

[Mark Halvorson]

Comments from a current three year liveaboard.

Get a good generator, you will be using it.
Get a water maker, you will need it.
Put as many solar panels up as you can, without affecting sailing operations, this will be trial and error.
Each solar panel on a sailboat will need its own controller or optimizer. Sailboats have a lot of things in the air in the way. Do not expect full output as you cannot place them at the optimal angle. I have 4.5 kw on my trawler and very rarely see 4 kw.

Inverters on a sailboat, the main spec to look at is zero load power, or the like. If it is not stated it is high. Look victron multiplus II, it's zero load is 15 watts. Now for the EG4 3k, it is 50 watts. So for two of them that is 30 watts vers 100 watts. 30x24=720 watts vers 100x24=2400 watts. The Victron world of equipment is great, and your will pay for it. Don't cheap out.

Now to lifestyle on a boat. Everything comes down to using less of Everything. I started out wanting really an apartment on the water. That is so funny, just get an apartment, it is so much easier. Boats are a huge amount of work. Less clothes, dishes, household stuff. I put a 65 inch tv on my boat, I used it the first year, now it never gets turned on. I use my tablet instead.

Living on a boat means you do not want to live the live you had on land.

Make little and few changes, sail the boat. Make changes over time. First complete everything from the survey. That will teach you all about the systems on the boat.

Have Fun