Wind, Tide or solar power

[pcatterall]

We are due to leave or cosy marina and move to a mooring (Conwy harbour master willing!)
We need to consider power generation now that amps are no longer on tap.
We need to be able to get on board and start up straight away and also to be able to generate juice for domestic purposes.
I supose that we should also consider running a pump should anything go wrong and sounding and alarm (sinking or theft)?
We have considered solar, wind and tidal current systems and as usual are seeking advice (various bits but nothing specific following a search)
On a swinging mooring would a tidal system not be effective? the tide is a reliable source so you would have a quantifyable amount of power generated over a tidal regime? nice and quiet to!
What are the dual power systems like?
Instead or as well as there are numerous small gennies on sale, I have seen one in B&Q, £99, 750 watts I think and with a 40AH charger. Would the built in charger charge up the batteries quickly or would I need a seperate charger run from the mains side.
As ever I would appreciate comments on any of this, just general advice on newbies mooring would be valued, as would any specific vies on the B&Q genny.


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[jkim1]

Best and cheapest solution Rutland 503, or small Aerogen. They are so good that I began to think that I had a problem with my alternator. The truth was the batteries were always fully charged. Solar cells are too vunerable, work well in Spain but not so good here. And they have to be mounted where you will never drop anything on them. That I have learnt from experiance.

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[pampas]

I fitted a Rutland 503 and also think at times the alt. is not doing it`s job even with a Sterling Reg, fitted. Go for wind power and you will never regret it especially on a swinging mooring.Auto bildge pump cut in about 1/week and that running consumption is soon made up. but you MUST fit a regulator even against a large battery capacity.

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[nct1]

There are metal solar panels that can take a small bend, which are ideal for keeping battery topped, and they work a treat.

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[Joe_Cole]

I think that it all depends on your own power requirements. Some people need the extra power from a wind generator. Many find that a solar cell is more than adequate for their needs. The only real way to find out is to sit down with pen and paper and audit your own power requirements.

I must admit that I have often thought about using tidal power but the only bit of kit that I can think of is the "Duogen" (I think that's how it's spelt) which can also double up as a wind generator. I don't know if it would produce much/any power in the relatively low tidal streams most of us are moored in. Nice if it did though!

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[Andy_Hampton]

Hi Peter

Glad to hear you've chosen Conwy - I'm sure you won't regret it. I too am pondering solar & wind power. I think I will go for solar for reasons of cost and simplicity and because my power usage is quite modest.

Andy

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[Talbot]

The only way to establish what sort of power boost you need is to work out how much power you use in an average month, and how much you generate from your engine. This will leave a deficit which will need to be made up by one of the three systems you mention.
If you have the deck space, or davits where you can mount a solar panel, this is the most environmentally friendly way to provide power. The decent panels do work even in shade, and they can be large enough to provide decent power (mine is a 180w panel).
The wind power can provide decent power as well (although the rutland 503 is really only a device to maintain the charge in the battery. There are more powerful devices (e.g. Rutland 913, Aerogen 4, Duogen 400). The more power you want , the more expensive it is, and most of them prefer not to be working in storms.
Towed system can provide the greatest amount of power (particularly the duogen) but do need a reasonable speed to make them operate, and except for the duogen, are not suitable for use with an anchored boat. TThese are all optimised to provide an increasing amount of power up to a boat speed of abt 10 kts, whilst minimising drag. Thus use at anchor is not really working at all efficiently.
To achieve a 40a/h charger will require a larger generator than the cheapies that you can buy on the net or B&Q (I think the numbers on the one you quote are incorrect) It will need a generator of at least 240v 1200w continuous so will probably be rated at 1500w. Even one as large as this will probably only have a 10amp output at 12v and this is not suitable for charging a battery. The actual size of charger that you require is predicated by the size of your battery banks. I cant remember the exact figure, but think that a domestic bank of more than 300amp hrs needs a 40 amp charger, whilst anything below that can get away with a 25amp system - but you would need to confirm this.

So your solution - work out what your deficit is, and decide which way you want to go. My recomendation would be a solar panel plus regulator suitable for feeding both battery banks (talk to barden batteries).

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[William_H]

I can't help thinking that you won't have a problem with a decent battery bank. Provided you can start the engine you can then charge the domestic battery which may have been discharged by pumps etc. provided the boat is not left unattended for too long ie more than 2 or 3 weeks I think you will be fine. I also assume that on arrival you won't need more than a few lights until the main engine is running. The wind generator sounds like your best bet if you really want charging while you are away. Forget solar and tide. Perhaps the portable generator could be usefull if batteries really got flat. 10 amps for an hour should easily get your Perkins going on a stoned battery. I know it is not good to discharge a battery completely but I think financially that would be a risk worth taking compard to the cost of wind solar generators. regards will.

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[bob_tyler]

I have 2x110amp domestic batteries (work autopilot and everything except engine starting) which are kept charged by an approximate 2ftx1ft solar panel mounted on the cabin top. There is no other charging. They are not connected to the alternator. They are never less than fully charged when I return after a week. The starter battery is connected to the alternator, not to the panels, and seems to be fully charged after about 20 min running. That is on a swinging mooring in Falmouth and has worked perfectly throughout this "wonderful sunny" summer!.

If you can find a suitable spot for mounting that should be enough. Don't know the panel's capacity as it was fitted when I bought the boat and has no name or anything else printed on it. No moving parts to go wrong, break, make a noise or chop off fingers!

Bob



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[colvic987]

dont worry about it too much at the moment, go to your new mooring and just see how it goes, if within a couple of months you think you need these wind generators/solar panels, then you would have been able to see what you need to recharge the batteries, and the type of generator you would need, i have recently been to the boat (menai straits) for the first time in six weeks, expecting to have to handcrank the engine due to flat batteries, the engine fired up first time, and what had been discharged during the six weeks was soon back to full charge, so try not to worry to much about not having enough juice, for the lights etc, easy enough to start engine for 30 minutes, then starting a small petrol generator. you would not be to popular around the mooring you occupy and you may not have many future friends around your new mooring, unless you are hoping for a larger area practising picking up the mooring by sail.

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[pcatterall]

Thanks to all for the posts.
A range of opions and advice. All of it good and welcome, it is a case of horses for courses.
Yes it seems an essential first step to assess your particular needs and work up the requirements from them.

My first essential is confidence that I can start the engine even after an absence of some weeks. I plan to ensure that the sarter battery is allways left fully charged and may fit a smallish solar panel to keep it so?

Next situation is on the mooring, say for a few days dosing around and not/hardly using the engine, here I think the choice is wind or solar or even a mix. No wind no sun? then I guess that I have to use the engine! I will investigate the charging control thingies (I forget the name!) to make most efficient use of the alternator.

I have discarded the genny idea as I dont want another large bit of kit permanently on the boat and dont want to be carrying it out to the mooring every trip.

I will implement the top up solar panel idea and the charging control thingy (I will remember the name!) straight away but delay the main power question (wind solar or both until we have been on the mooring for some time.

Thanks again guys for all the advice

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[colvic987]

the charging control thingy try googling sterling or adverc controllers, try search on this site as the sterling or adverc forum has been voiced loads of times......

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[pcatterall]

Yes, thanks.
The Sterling regulators always seem to be advertised..just over £100, I will investigate further threads on this as you reccommend.
Thanks again

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