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Re: Seattle Eco 55 power cat build
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Hi David, I have traveled in my first solar electric boat on overcast days and even when it was raining. You always have to plan accordingly to the conditions. But the nice thing about solar electric is I can just slow down and my power draw drops exponentially. As an example in 2017 when traveling the Rideau canal system in Ontario? I had to go 50 km in one day and it was heavily overcast. I putted along at 6km/hr and yes it took all day but I got there with a SOC of 70% ( my batteries were lead acid and 220 amp hr, but usable only to 50% SOC).? My new ECO 5.5 has 10kw of LifePo4 batteries and a 1560 watt solar panel array. I use a 50% efficiency rating on the panels as you don't draw much until mid day. My setup is more like a pontoon boat and the wind affects me. I have gone 55 km this summer in one day and used 50 % of the batteries. I was traveling for a good piece between 5pm and got to my dock at 8pm just getting dark. My average speed was about 9km/hr. So based on that it performed well. I am a long ways from the BC coast (I am just off of Lake Ontario). So 40 nautical miles is 74 km which I could do in my cat again depending on conditions. If I only got 25% from solar and traveled at 8.5km/hr I would be able to go this distance and be at 20% SOC by the end. Each battery cell weighs 8.8 lb x 16 = 140.8 lbs total. Regards Phil
On Saturday, September 11, 2021, 10:39:54 a.m. EDT, David Mancebo via groups.io <mancebodesigns@...> wrote:
Hi Phil I live on the Salish Sea and find many days overcast, reducing my solar panel performance. For overcast and drizzle I sized my solar system: drawable battery size 53 amp-hr; solar panel 170 Watt. I use monocrystalline solar panels and an mmpt controller. This has allowd me to use 42 amp-hr on wet overcast days. I may be able to use more, but 42 amp-hr is the most I have ever drawn. My system has never failed to produce enough power despite the weather. Up until now, I have not thought electrical propulsion is very practical where I live but am willing to be convinced. So here are my questions: What usable range do you anticipate in the common overcast conditions along the BC coast? Do you think your boat would be capable of the trip from Naniamo to Vancouver (roughly 40 nautical miles) on an overcast day with drizzle, including modest currents? How much does your propulsion battery bank weigh? Thanks David
On Saturday, September 11, 2021, 04:04:27 AM PDT, Phil Boyer via groups.io <philaboyer@...> wrote:
Hi Mike, this is a big experiment. The lead acid batteries are a left over from my first solar electric boat in which I did some long trips on 100% solar power (see my trip videos on the Rideau as well as the Trent Severn). I wanted to keep separate the propulsion batteries from the utility side of things and so used some left over lead acid batteries for what is called house batteries to power lights and any thing else. The main bank is 10kw of LifePo4 cells. Going forward to next season I plan to eliminate the lead acid and use a DC to DC convertor for utility purpose. The boat at 8.5 km/hr draws about 1400 watts, if the sun is shinning I would average during the day about 700 watts per hour and? the batteries would only get depleted by 700 w per hour. When I stop for the day the batteries would continue to charge. It is a balancing act and even though with my new proposed motor an Elco 20HP which would take me up to 27 km/hr I would soon use up the 10kw stored in the batteries. If you are only going out for a few hours then that is ok. I plan to go on a 30 day trip and so will have to do power management to ensure I am charged up by the end of each day. If I have a bad weather day I go slow as I can go 5km/hr and only draw 600 watts. ?The hinged solar panel is for the lead acid batteries only and next season I will be eliminating it. Glad you liked what I did so far but I still have work to do. Regards Phil
On Friday, September 10, 2021, 09:51:55 p.m. EDT, rattus32 <mike@...> wrote:
Hi Phil, watched the video and "discerned" the Canadia, eh, long before I saw the maple leaf inlay ;-) Nice woodwork! Why the lead-acid batteries for the house bank?? What is the capacity of the motor bank, and what do you estimate you may achieve in range at 10km/h? Also, would you consider hinging the solar panel outward to achieve better insolation as well? Looks like an excellent weekend cruiser. Jealous. Some day soon... Mike
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