Working off grid

[bergie]

We’re working from the “boat office”. Two programmers working from laptops. No external monitors. Right now we’re “Scandinavian anchored” off a rock next to a nature park in the Swedish archipelago.

Key ingredients to make this work (for us):

• Good internet connection. We have a Teltonika RutX11 industrial LTE modem with a biggish external antenna and a local SIM card
• 12V power supply for the laptops. We have an inverter, but to avoid the conversion penalties we power our laptops using 100W cigarette lighter USB PD adapters
• 400Ah (@12V) of LiFePO4 batteries. This is enough for 3-4 days of working off-grid even in the winter when solar doesn’t produce anything
• 510W of solar. 210W fixed, 300W of Flinsail that can be pulled up the mast when we’re anchored. With these we’re electricity-independent for the sunny half of the year

Now that we’re in the Skärgård, we do the work day from an anchorage, then do a nice evening sail to the next spot afterwards. On weekends we can then do longer passages. Sometimes we utilise the Swedish Cruising Club (SXK) member buoys. Here’s one from our boat office spot yesterday:

 

[dankilb]

what usb powered monitor do you use please?

All the ones I can find are far too small. I do a similar job to the OP, screen space is essential.

It is also worth looking at the (still minority of…) full sized monitors that take 14v (e.g. some Philips) to 19v (LG and Samsung). There seems a pretty random assortment - across spec/size/brand - with many still running 240v in. But still plenty to choose from.

 

[jwfrary]

Ag neovo x series and beetronics both offer 12v monitors so plenty of options none of which are cheap!

My dell precision has a 180 watt power supply I suspect my 100ah of usable capacity may need an upgrade!

I was going to say better just retire
but that's now only 30 years away and counting (allowing for current inflation levels!)