dazautomatics
regular
Reged: 12/05/2006
Posts: 92
Loc: Atlantic Spain
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We are currently preparing to leave the UK on a Seeker 31 (Contessa 32 Type Boat) in august. We have 2 months and small resources to prep the boat.
We have looked at many types of wind / solar charging systems and are very unsure what to install on such a low volume boat?
We were looking at the forgen wind charger but have read bad reports. My family used a Rutland 913 on their Atlantic circuit but had a big boat.
Having read the forums this seams to be the recommended charger but I’m unsure of the weight/windage up top on such a low volume boat.
I have read many of the forums on this site buy wondered what you Guys thought??
Any help would be very appreciative.
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If you can't laugh at war, what's the use of fighting!!! :-)
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snowleopard
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 10571
Loc: Cornwall
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No one method of generation works in all cases. A wind generator is no use in sheltered places and not much good when going downwind. A towed water turbine is only any good when under way. Solar panels need a lot of space to give any useful charge and are not a lot of good in northern latitudes. A generator (diesel/petrol) requires a lot of space & is heavy, too much so for your size of boat.
I would suggest one of these. It is neither fish nor fowl so will not be as good as a dedicated wind generator but is likely to be a lot more uses e.g. on a tradewind passage.
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One hull good, two hulls better.
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dazautomatics
regular
Reged: 12/05/2006
Posts: 92
Loc: Atlantic Spain
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Thanks snowleapard
It's expensive, but if it is good as it sudjests then it will prob be ideal for our trip:-)
We have to get solar panels too and wonder if it is better to fix them to the coachroof or get rigid units to position for the best angle for the sun.
I understand that it is better to position them in direct sun light. Again we are very limited with storage space and are nervous about them being stolen whilst away from the boat.
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If you can't laugh at war, what's the use of fighting!!! :-)
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MichaelE
regular
Reged: 19/08/2004
Posts: 2699
Loc: La Rochelle France 17000
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I am no longer a great fan of wind generators for long distance cruising... cos most anchorages are protected, they are noisy, down wind or windless n/g and a few more reasons...
I am coming round more and more to the conclusion that solar panels and running the engine to charge the batteries via a smart charger are the best solution.. The solar panel (except in UK waters) is going to put some charge in all the daytime hours.. If you should flatten all your batteries whilst on an offshore passage there is every reason to hope that the panel(s) will put enough charge in to get it going again after a while...
In the Med there is always a marina to pop into for a quick charge via shore-power and in the Caribbean the sun really does shine and solar panels are all you need..
There are some which will not work if there is just a bit of shadow on one cell and to fix on a small deck area they would need to be flexible and I think those are quite expensive to be any good.. Lots of cruising boats have made up a gimballed stainless frame so they can 'point' the panel at the sun... Me? I am going again for permanent fixing on a frame on the stern out of the way..
Michael
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The books
'French Canal Routes to the Mediterranean',
'Living Aboard Around the World', Blue Water Cruising DVDs and a Prout 33cs For Sale.
http://www.michaelbriant.com
along with The Prout Owners Association
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pragmatist
regular
Reged: 07/05/2003
Posts: 971
Loc: Exmoor but boat in Dartmouth
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Quote:
There are some which will not work if there is just a bit of shadow on one cell
Michael - I had understood this to be a function of solar panels in general, not just some - but admittedly ours are 9 yrs old so maybe technology has improved ? I was about to post in similar vein to you and say our solar panels have been excellent both in terms of charging and value. Ironically altho you say "except in UK waters" we have found even on cloudy days we get some charge - we were told by the manufacturer that the panels perform less well in hot conditions so our lovely UK weather helps keep them cool ! If you were off to warmer climes tho like dazAutomatics (lucky things) it is another reason for mounting the panels on a stern gantry as you (and we) do - to allow air circulation
Penny
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Wi-fi on the water
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pragmatist
regular
Reged: 07/05/2003
Posts: 971
Loc: Exmoor but boat in Dartmouth
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We have looked at towed chargers several times but have been put off by reports of a loss of half a knot. With SnowLeopard's speeds this might not bother you but I wonder with a 31 foot monohull whether it would be an issue - perhaps not for crossing oceans but certainly for passage planning, tidal gates etc.
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Wi-fi on the water
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MichaelE
regular
Reged: 19/08/2004
Posts: 2699
Loc: La Rochelle France 17000
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This whole 'power' business is difficult to get you head around - because we are all a bit old fashioned...? If you look at all of the long distance racers they have a generator on board to power their instruments and self steering gears... And carry enough fuel to get round the world on the genny!!!
Now assuming they know what they are talking about - and I think they do - they have worked out that an engine is a better method - via a smart charger - to keep the batteries up.. Ok you need to put it under load if possible but none the less I found with the exception of the Galapagos to Marquesas (longest possible passage without touching land) that I always had enough fuel for the main engine to run it as a genny for an hour a day... Added to that the cost of these items - wind gennys - solar panels, towed gennys - is very high.. Think of how much diesel you must burn to get any where near the cost..
I do think a blue water boat needs a back up way of getting amps into the battery so a solar panel or two is probably the way to go... I think.
Michael
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The books
'French Canal Routes to the Mediterranean',
'Living Aboard Around the World', Blue Water Cruising DVDs and a Prout 33cs For Sale.
http://www.michaelbriant.com
along with The Prout Owners Association
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snowleopard
regular
Reged: 16/05/2001
Posts: 10571
Loc: Cornwall
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Angling solar panels will certainly optimise their efficiency but if you have enough of them to be really useful they'll be far too big for that. The best setup I have seen involved building an aluminium frame over the cockpit - a permanent bimini - whose top was all solar panels. It was a 40 ft cat so he had a big area but on a clear day in the Caribbean he was getting a steady 25 amps! if you can afford the cash and space and are heading for the sun it beats any form of generator.
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One hull good, two hulls better.
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dazautomatics
regular
Reged: 12/05/2006
Posts: 92
Loc: Atlantic Spain
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Thanks for the suggestions.
We have just bought a smart charger and just about to do modifications to the battery box to fit 2No 6v Trojan 230ah traction batteries.
I don't think that the 40ah alternator will be up to keeping up with the daily consumption and with only 60L of diesel I would only have a limited amount of engine hours.
The Idea of a bimini is something I have been toying with, I have access to stainless bending equipment and a mum that manufactures boat covers.
Although I am concerned about mounting panels permanently on the back as unlike big boats with lots of protection we only have 500mm of freeboard around the stern.
Maybe we could lash them down and remove them prior to any bad weather or could this be risky business in a squall?
We are really looking forward to going but doing it on a small boat creates lots of challenges!
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If you can't laugh at war, what's the use of fighting!!! :-)
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webcraft
regular
Reged: 08/07/2001
Posts: 4260
Loc: al shop for local people
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Just have to put in a small word on behalf of wind generators . . .
We have a 27ft boat. Our Aero4gen is quiet and puts out useful amounts of power in anything over 10 knots apparent. The tower it is mounted on has a smaller footprint than a solar panel of equivalent capacity.
It is true (obviously) that they are less efficient going downwind. We would like to add a solar panel as well, but we are not sure where we could sensibly put one.
We are planning a long trip (poss. transat) leaving in two months and power is the least of our worries . . . what are you going to be running that will use so much?
- Nick
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Comprehensive UK sail cruising website
BlueMoment - blown away into the blue . . .
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