Aqua-Star Watch this Space

[andyball]

[ QUOTE ]
Using a 4KW unit - yes you could boil a kettle - but just think of the drain on the batteries if you used it without the engines running.


[/ QUOTE ]


it's no problem - I do it all the time on Black Spot ( ok, no genny ) the AH lost from using a kettle is pretty trifling really & recovered even with my very modest single alternator & no fancy charging system for it.

[Gludy]

I have had a 3kw inverter and it has been a real asset.

It operated the demisting fan heater, the 1 kw kettle, the ahir dryer etc all underway without the need to run the 20kw gene.
This was in addition to running the four fridges/freezers on board.

You have to have aninvwerter to run fridges/freezers so why not add a bit of capacity and do the other things.

Modern aircon untis switch on in dehumidiy mode say every 4 hopurs and suck out the moisture from all over the boat dumping the water overbaord - just make sure the aircon can do that.


Also if you are going to have a sat tV make sure you buy Sky Plus units so that you can also record programmes. All the standard sat nav systen can take 4 feeds down to give you two sets of Sky plus.

[glenndraper]

Hi All - keep them coming I'm up to about 2.4m now [img]/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
seriously though these are good ideas especially the fitted dehumidifier - we have a portable and it works very well indeed in the winter mths in the Med but it would be better to be fitted and I hadn't thought of that!
I'm not really up on electrics but from your suggestions I guess an inverter might be a good idea - What size though???
Paul, our reverse air is not to bad as far as noise is concerned so I'm happy with that for the heating side of things - good idea about sky plus except once we move any further east into the Med we will loose it.
Keep it up Guys [img]/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[andyball]

a nicely designed inverter set-up can actually allow a reduction in genny size & useage. Victron, and maybe others, do ones which will sense loading & chime in to silently augment shorepower or genny capacity. so say you may have a measly 16Amp shore connection, but the inverter(s) will switch on as needed to give you more. Same with the generator. It's possible to downsize the gen to match constant loading like aircon + a bit, and let the inverters pick up the occasional loads like kettle,cooking etc.

some inverters double as beefy chargers, so's you can re-charge batterys very quickly once genny or mains power is available. agm batterys can take very high charge rates, but cost a bit more.


when motoring along, usual big alternators on big engines will replenish batterys as inverters are used.





http://www.victronenergy.com/upload/...yUnlimited.pdf is a bit old now (2004) but covers the ideas nicely. http://www.victronenergy.com/upload/...impossible.pdf lots more at http://www.victronenergy.com/


http://www.mastervolt.com/ are popular too, and make a single-unit inverter up to 15KVA in 24V . http://www.mastervolt.com/en/13/systems.html mentions the "Mcalc" system calculator, which may be useful.


Hopefully, aquastar know this all inside-out; but check before accepting something that may not fit your usage.

[andyball]

double-glazed screens are ace - shouldn't be all that expensive, since I got them here on a cheapy boat. Huge improvement re misting up.

[glenndraper]

Thanks for that Andy [img]/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[andyball]

If you are having any mains outlets by an outside bar/sink - spec the ones that are still splashproof when a plug is inserted. Gludy's boat had nice wproof ones, that err weren't when used.

[tico]

Consider the treadplate in engine room.... would not recommend shiny aluminium treadplate. It's lethal at sea with some diesel down, reminiscent of Torville&Dean.
Marvin might recall!

[mikef]

Yes thats a good point. The aircon in my saloon is pretty noisy but it's fine in other parts of the boat. I'm convinced it's to do with the design of the vent rather than the fan itself. It's important to have a quiet aircon system in the Med as on some hot nights, peeps do leave the aircon on all night

[Hurricane]

Thanks Andy

My post on inverters was a bit like "throwing down the gauntlet"
I've only had bad experience with inverters.
It seems that things have moved along and there are many benefits.
Thanks for the links - lots of reading now!!

Mike