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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

power requriements

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sdaly66
Navigator

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USA
143 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/20/2005 : 08:12:12

Hi gang,

Boy was I busy yesterday - tinkering and thinking up new ways to spend money. Have decided to upgrade power. Using a single battery now, but I think I'll go to a multiple bank. I'm working up a power requirements worksheet, but don't have the wattages for most of my lights. Anyone know wattages on the following lights (ROM)?

Anchor
Deck
Running - total
Cabin - each

Trying to figure my amp hours for multiple nights on the hook.

Thanks to anyone who can weigh in.

This site is a GREAT resource full of VERY helpful folks.

250 WB 1996 Hull #205

Thank you all.

Edited by - on

Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2005 : 11:22:20

Allow me to interject the KISS perspective. Buy the two biggest batteries that will fit in your battery storage area, (don't worry about a starting battery), turn your battery switch to "both" and throw away the knob, (unless you are "voyaging"). Install a marine grade 3 stage battery charger in the sail locker on the fiberglass bulkhead below the power wall, run the leads to the battery switch where the leads from the batteries come in: And don't be concerned. People enjoy different aspects of this avocation, for some the process you are asking about is very satisfying and the rewards are the kind that only the owner will ever understand. If that is you then by all means rip out all the crap wire that is glassed into your hull and replace it with real tinned 12 gauge, (10 if you are anal

), ANCOR marine wire, follow thw ABYC color code standard:
dark gray = navigation lights
orange = accessories
purple = instruments
dark blue = cabin lights
And buy a power panel with circuit breakers rather than fuses. You can find more than you need at the Blue Sea website and they certainly make nice products.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2005 : 11:50:14

Frank,

You might have to alter your recommendations to account for his boat...

250 WB 1996 Hull #205

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2005 : 12:05:27

the lights pull about 1 amp each. These are the biggest consumers of electric power on board. I have 2, 55 amp hour gell batteries plus 3, 11 watt solar panels (2.5 amps total) an oil lamp, and 3 or 4 candles. I have a inverter for the cell phone charger and my portable computer. I run a autopilot all the time while sailing plus a fishfinder. I've never hooked up my outboard power cord. I replaced my main cabin light fixtures with halogens (much much brighter). I have a Davis mini-mega anchor light (1 amp hour for the whole night, plus a solar cell to turn it off at dawn).

I can cruise forever without needing shore power.

I don't even need the solar panels for about the first week.

I always run the battery switch on "Both" like Frank says.

But if you turn on all the cabin lights all night, thats a different story.

Edited by - on

mashedcat
Navigator

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USA
194 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2005 : 12:14:49

i like this guys approach.

Edited by - on

mashedcat
Navigator

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USA
194 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2005 : 12:15:29

oops. forgot the link http://geocities.com/jvandrey/flicka_electric.html

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2005 : 13:46:53

If you want the amperage of any 12 volt device take it's wattage, divide by 12, and that equals amps. Then multiply by hours used for amp hours.
For example, a 20 watt anchor light draws 1.67 amps x 8 hours per night equals 13.3 amp hours. if it is 10 watts then only .84 amps per hour.
I have an LED anchor light which draws .25 amps, and is far brighter than any other anchor light in the anchorage. I can find my boat at night easily in a crowded anchorage.
My stereo draws .6 amps.

Edited by - on

John V.
Admiral

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USA
559 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2005 : 14:14:15

ON Nin Bimash I never run both batteries at the same time. I have two 115 AH deep cycle bats. We do a lot of wilderness cruising and rarely have a chance to "plug in" we also have high amp usage with two depth sounders, chart plotter, radio, and auto pilot often running at the same time. I have an AirX wind generator that can produce anywhere from 5 to 30 amps depending on the wind. To charge with a wind generator that has sensitive controls it is important to charge an isolated battery.. So we run on bat A while bat B is charging and the next day we switch and run on bat B while A is charging. The wind generator senses the charge level and powers itself appropriatly. with two batteries it would sense a fairly strong charge and would only trickle and never deliver a full charge until both bats were fairly low. The way I do it there is always a fresh battery when we start the next day. I use a solar anchor light so my over night usage is nil. I thought I would share another point of view. Power usage has so much to do with how we cruise.

Edited by - John V. on 10/20/2005 14:19:24

mashedcat
Navigator

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USA
194 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2005 : 17:51:31

i also believe jim is right on

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2005 : 19:23:37

I removed the stock 24 battery and replaced it with 2 deep cycle 27's. I cut a piece of 3/4 inch plywood large enough for the 27's to sit on and fastened it on top of the existing battery tray in the aft compartment. Connected the 27's in parallel. I have no battery switch. I have 2 - 8 watt solar panels. I run all the 250 standard light's, VHF, GPS, Auto pilot, CD Player, DVD player. No problems! The solar panels keeps the batterys topped off.

Edited by - Tom Potter on 10/20/2005 19:27:14

johnsonp
Admiral

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USA
606 Posts

Response Posted - 10/21/2005 : 03:35:28

Shawn
If you have access to a voltmeter..

Turn off all power switches etc that runs off the battery.

Switch the voltmeter to amps,remove the positive lead to the battery and hook the red clip of the voltmeter to the battery positive post and the black clip of the voltmeter to the positive battery cable.

The voltmeter should read zero. Then turn on swicthes one at a time and read the amps.....this is as accurate as you can get and it's fun.

paulj C250wk #719

Edited by - on

sdaly66
Navigator

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USA
143 Posts

Response Posted - 10/21/2005 : 07:21:33

Folks,

Thanks for all the feedback. You guys are always great with the advice and information. I got the info on the cabin lights based upon the bulbs that are in the fixtures. Done the math on those for amp hours, but does anyone know offhand what the wattages are for the masthead, running and deck lights? An approximation will do as I intend to go overkill on the battery bank.

Thanks.

Edited by - on

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.