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Thread: Surprise!

  1. #231
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    [QUOTE=BobJ;25624] Since all the money I've spent on this boat came out of the market before it crashed, it's like I just got a 15-20% discount on all those boat parts. /QUOTE]

    You're the numbers guy, but shouldn't it be the other way around? Or would that be too painful?

  2. #232
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    Sep 2007
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    Like Ragtime!'s Yanmar, Surprise!'s Yanmar came with a light-duty alternator with internal regulator. This would be marginal for charging the batteries offshore. As I plan to install the replacement, I'm confronted with a dubious-looking twisted bracket. It's doing a poor job of keeping things in alignment, as evidenced by the belt dust. The tip of the bracket almost touches the side of the engine box so I'll have to find a new bracket I can cut short.

    For those planning to sail to Kauai this Summer, this is a public service announcement.

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    P.S. Yes, I know. But I see a lot of folks viewing the site. I suspect I'm not the only one looking for a distraction.
    .
    Last edited by BobJ; 03-16-2020 at 08:49 AM.

  3. #233
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    Meanwhile, Greg is making great progress building the e-rudder. It looks like the blade is about done - now he can build the cassette around it:

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  4. #234
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    I finally got around to measuring all the loads and preparing an offshore electrical budget.

    Your comments are encouraged. What did I forget, or what looks out of whack? Thanks!
    Attached Images Attached Images

  5. #235
    Join Date
    Jul 2016
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    Bodfish, CA
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    Quote Originally Posted by BobJ View Post
    I finally got around to measuring all the loads and preparing an offshore electrical budget.

    Your comments are encouraged. What did I forget, or what looks out of whack? Thanks!
    The numbers seem reasonable and give ideas where energy use could be controlled.
    On the demand side, the autopilot is the big user. Is there an opportunity to do some sailing and document energy use on different sailing angles? How much energy can be saved if sail trim is spot on? Alternately on the use side, how much hand steering is needed if power generation has problems?

    On the power generation side, the engine generator setup is your lifeblood. Is fuel clean and well filtered? Any traces of sediment in fuel tank? Spare parts such as belts and generator adjusting brackets should be on hand. I don't like the look of the generator bracket since cold forming leads to stress cracks. Unfortunately, I have no idea what options are available. A tension adjustment would be nice if it could be incorporate - have some sort of tension screw so belt tension can be easily set then lock alternator in place. The idea of prying the the housing with a large screwdriver or flat bar while tightening bolts would not be fun at sea.

    The power range of the batteries is probably not an exact number or could be something that changes. It might be a good exercise to change number to a smaller range and see what that does to fuel supply.

    What are implications for major failure of generating system at mid-point of race?

    The energy budget is the only tool to objectively look at the options. You are in a great position to develop scenarios. Good job.

    Ants

    PS when I developed one for R2AK, the use of depth sounder was a significant energy use. Not a problem in your case, but if you are approaching at night and with limited power, it could be a concern.

  6. #236
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
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    Seattle, WA
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    Quote Originally Posted by BobJ View Post
    I finally got around to measuring all the loads and preparing an offshore electrical budget.

    Your comments are encouraged. What did I forget, or what looks out of whack? Thanks!
    Morning Star's electrical budget for the 2018 race predicted almost one hour of engine time to charge every day. And that was expecting 7 hours/day of sunshine on rigid solar panels with a total of 225 watts. We had little sunshine for the first 10 days or so, and not a lot over all, and ended up putting a lot more run time on the Yanmar 3YM30 power plant than planned. I don't have my log book handy so I can't tell you the total hours, but it might have been twice what what was planned -- so for my 17-day passage, maybe 30 hours or more. This was really not good for the engine. Then, in the inevitable slow down in usage after getting back from HI, things got worse. The injector nozzles fouled and the mixing elbow became so constricted I was surprised the thing even ran at all.

    You are projecting >2.5 times the engine time I was expecting. Not sure that's a good plan, but not sure what the alternative choices would be.
    Lee
    s/v Morning Star
    Valiant 32

  7. #237
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    Quote Originally Posted by AZ Sailor View Post
    Not sure that's a good plan, but not sure what the alternative choices would be.
    Specially given the water heater for the hot tub. That's gotta use a lot of energy.

  8. #238
    Join Date
    May 2009
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    Quote Originally Posted by BobJ View Post
    I finally got around to measuring all the loads and preparing an offshore electrical budget.

    Your comments are encouraged. What did I forget, or what looks out of whack? Thanks!
    What about the powered winches? The solar panel output seems optimistic.
    I’m curious what happens to the carbon foam batteries when fully discharged and trying to crank an engine. Does damage occur? I know you have a separate start battery, not sure if you know the answer, be good to know
    Last edited by WBChristie; 03-18-2020 at 06:10 PM.

  9. #239
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Saratoga
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    Another solar panel, or three, wouldn't hurt.
    You don't plan on talking to anyone for two weeks on VHF? The system lacks elasticity.
    Last edited by Intermission; 03-18-2020 at 08:05 PM.

  10. #240
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    Dec 2012
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    Alameda CA
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    Quote Originally Posted by WBChristie View Post
    I’m curious what happens to the carbon foam batteries when fully discharged and trying to crank an engine. Does damage occur? I know you have a separate start battery, not sure if you know the answer, be good to know
    I know the answer to this... See my write up for DOMINO's 2015 long pac for the how's of that.
    Bottom line; no lasting detectable effects on either the AGM starter battery or the Carbon Foam house bank.
    Not that I made it a policy to repeat the exercise.

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