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Post by Clinton Cool on Nov 30, 2018 16:28:33 GMT
Not sure how many off grid liveaboards there are on this site but thought it might be worth sharing tips on how to reduce electrical usage. If you're like me, hate running your engine, or genny in my case more than necessary, read on...
The obvious ones are led lights, only having one light on blah blah..
Here are mine, which apply from around the middle of October until around the end of February. At other times I have plenty of solar, so don't need to bother:
Do all of the following only when charging the batteries:
Washing up (once a day for me)
Have a shower
If you're going to watch tv for a couple of hours, try to time this with charging the batteries, if possible.
Charge your laptop/ phone/ power banks either when charging the batteries or when cruising.
Fill 2 or 3 large bottles with water when charging your batteries. This will do you for brews for the day, save you needing to use your water pump.
The idea with all the above is that most of the time when charging, less amps are going into the batteries than the generator and battery charger/ alternator can deliver. So, you are harvesting extra amps at very low cost, almost free! Also, it takes longer to put something back into the battery than to take out. You're avoiding taking it out with these measure, win win, what's not to like!
No doubt someone will find a hole in my argument somewhere but I reckon overall it's a winner.
Any more tips?
Oh another one: if like me you have a t.v. that sits on standby (no on-off switch) you'll probably find it burns around 3 watts doing nothing. Do yourself a favour, flick your switch off at the fuse box at night, every bit makes a positive difference.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2018 16:45:14 GMT
I turn off the battery isolator switch overnight.
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Post by naughtyfox on Nov 30, 2018 17:36:22 GMT
Fill 2 or 3 large bottles with water when charging your batteries. This will do you for brews for the day, save you needing to use your water pump. Well, we buy these. No need to use the water pump at all: Empty ones are great for collecting old engine oil.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2018 17:42:15 GMT
Fill 2 or 3 large bottles with water when charging your batteries. This will do you for brews for the day, save you needing to use your water pump. Well, I buy these. No need to use the water pump at all: Empty ones are great for pissing in and depositing contents overboard. Fixed that for you
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Post by Clinton Cool on Nov 30, 2018 18:30:59 GMT
Why bother pissing into a bottle, when the sink is connected directly to the outside?
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2018 18:39:15 GMT
Why bother pissing into a bottle, when the sink is connected directly to the outside? Note to self, install sink in reach of steering handle
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Post by naughtyfox on Nov 30, 2018 18:43:55 GMT
Ricco has a point. It's a fact that every male member of Thunderboat has wee'd into the kitchen sink.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2018 18:59:38 GMT
What a truly bizarre world you live in foxy.
Rog
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Post by thebfg on Nov 30, 2018 20:18:04 GMT
Why bother pissing into a bottle, when the sink is connected directly to the outside? Note to self, install sink in reach of steering handle I've been known to turn around and let it &£
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2018 20:24:05 GMT
Note to self, install sink in reach of steering handle I've been known to turn around and let it &£ Nice try, you can’t fool me that easily though.
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Post by thebfg on Nov 30, 2018 21:28:55 GMT
Sorry Rog I tried.
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Post by Jim on Dec 1, 2018 7:42:32 GMT
Why bother pissing into a bottle, when the sink is connected directly to the outside? Note to self, install sink in reach of steering handle Cut a hole in the top of a 2ltr milk bottle, you then have a pee bottle with a handle. One more for the original List, throw the TV away, get a dab radio.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2018 9:07:21 GMT
Note to self, install sink in reach of steering handle Cut a hole in the top of a 2ltr milk bottle, you then have a pee bottle with a handle. One more for the original List, throw the TV away, get a dab radio. Did both of those years ago
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2018 9:13:46 GMT
Not sure how many off grid liveaboards there are on this site but thought it might be worth sharing tips on how to reduce electrical usage. If you're like me, hate running your engine, or genny in my case more than necessary, read on... The obvious ones are led lights, only having one light on blah blah.. Here are mine, which apply from around the middle of October until around the end of February. At other times I have plenty of solar, so don't need to bother: Do all of the following only when charging the batteries: Washing up (once a day for me) Have a shower If you're going to watch tv for a couple of hours, try to time this with charging the batteries, if possible. Charge your laptop/ phone/ power banks either when charging the batteries or when cruising. Fill 2 or 3 large bottles with water when charging your batteries. This will do you for brews for the day, save you needing to use your water pump. The idea with all the above is that most of the time when charging, less amps are going into the batteries than the generator and battery charger/ alternator can deliver. So, you are harvesting extra amps at very low cost, almost free! Also, it takes longer to put something back into the battery than to take out. You're avoiding taking it out with these measure, win win, what's not to like! No doubt someone will find a hole in my argument somewhere but I reckon overall it's a winner. Any more tips? Oh another one: if like me you have a t.v. that sits on standby (no on-off switch) you'll probably find it burns around 3 watts doing nothing. Do yourself a favour, flick your switch off at the fuse box at night, every bit makes a positive difference. I do most of these things except that I fill 3 large Tesco water bottles up with fresh drinking water at the CRT facility taps. I would always boil water from the boat tank before consumption. I have also switched to a 12v TV. It only draws about 1.5 amps when on. It seemed silly in the past having to convert 12v to 240v using a small inverter, then using the old TV’s power supply to step back down to 12v. Another big tip.. There is a lot of discussion about batteries, but if you have a poor connection between the batteries or charging circuit you might see a good charging voltage, but the amps might not be getting in as they should. I recently tightened them and changed one of my cables and it made a big difference. I also use a gas fridge. Ok I spend more on gas, but I’m pretty sure the cost outweighs the extra time you have have to run the engine when you’re not cruising and the cost of replacing batteries earlier. As the engine provides our hot domestic water, I run the engine for about 3 hours a day anyway (cruising or not). So the battery gets what it needs most days. I now use a single heavy duty car starter battery for domestic now. Iit’s enough for my daily demand and as I never connect to shore line, it lasts as long as when I had 4 expensive leisure batteries. Much cheaper and easier to carry!
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2018 9:21:28 GMT
Cut a hole in the top of a 2ltr milk bottle, you then have a pee bottle with a handle. One more for the original List, throw the TV away, get a dab radio. Did both of those years ago The problem is that my missus likes watching TV when she’s on the boat! I’ve got a DAB car stereo which has Bluetooth so you can stream music from your phone to it via Spotify. I don’t tend to use a radio when I’m steering, you can’t hear much over the sound of the engine. :-(
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