tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9151285933132676873.post487403672417500538..comments2023-04-09T03:40:51.361-07:00Comments on Vagabond wanders around Britain: Auto Pilot ?Robhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06762922359522104127noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9151285933132676873.post-73729008149134893902014-09-14T14:27:47.170-07:002014-09-14T14:27:47.170-07:00Ian,
I've taken both of my batteries out for t...Ian,<br />I've taken both of my batteries out for the winter. Therre 40 Amp Hour, not 50 and one of them is not accepting as much charge as the other, which I think has degraded the overall performance of the system. I think that, if two batteries are connected in parallel, they should be connected through a bridge rectifier, wired so that one battery does not discharge the other.. I'll try that next year.Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06762922359522104127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9151285933132676873.post-44941562882923057732014-08-22T12:05:36.728-07:002014-08-22T12:05:36.728-07:00Rob,
That is a disappointment. My Autohelm only us...Rob,<br />That is a disappointment. My Autohelm only uses 40ma on standby and between 0.5A and 1.5A in use depending on the sea conditions. I reckon that on a Coaster which is relatively lightweight that it would not use the full current. The ST 1000 is designed for boats up to displacement 3000kgs. I must admit that I rarely use the Autohelm for a full 6 to 8 hours on a daily trip. I use the Autohelm to release me from the tiller and allow me to eat, navigate, use my camera or binoculars. Also to make adjustments to the sails, rigging and getting to come along side, fenders warps etc.<br />The biggest drain on the battery is the Chartplotter, phone/tablet charging. Solar panels do not seem to be the complete solution especially on a small boat where shadow free deck space is at a premium.<br />Electricity and small boats do not seem to go together.<br />Ian Ian Cowiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11649658340064107909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9151285933132676873.post-87603967965677739292014-08-21T05:43:27.909-07:002014-08-21T05:43:27.909-07:00Hi Ian
Thanks for your comments. I do agree with ...Hi Ian<br /><br />Thanks for your comments. I do agree with you about the clutter that a wind vane adds to the stern of a boat particularly as they all seem to need a pushpit on which to mount the various pulleys and bits of string.<br /><br /> i've always been a bit paranoid about amps which is why Vagabond carries two 50ah batteries wired in parallel, without any diode cross linking. For the first couple of years she had 2 x 10 watt solar panels on the aft deck behind the cockpit. As evidence of my paranoia, I added 1 x 25 Watt panel on the cabin roof for this summer.<br /><br />Despite this array, running a small Garmin charter plotter (456?), tactix depth sounder / wind instruments and a Standard horizon VHF (admittedly one that detects and plots AIS signals) depletes the batteries to the extent that on a dull day, even after a full overnight charge in a marina, the volts are down to 12, before the IPad is recharged. <br /><br />This summer, when I knew I was going to be away from a mains supply for three of four days whilst sailing south from Stromness, I took the risk of running without the VHF. We were a week without connecting to mains power ( two of those days were spent lying alongside, so consumption was nil and the Ipad was charged in the local pub). By the time we reached Mallaig the volts were down to 11v.<br /><br />This winter i intend to change the wiring to make each battery independent. I have a solar charge controller that can deliver it's output to two separate batteries and I'll install a switch so that I can run off either battery. My thinking is that I can use the batteries on alternate days and the arrangement will show up if one of the batteries is not performing well.<br /><br />But I'm still pondering the wind vane autopilot question.....Robhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06762922359522104127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9151285933132676873.post-55796918070707979512014-08-20T13:19:20.959-07:002014-08-20T13:19:20.959-07:00I have a Raymarine ST1000 on Drascombe Coaster and...I have a Raymarine ST1000 on Drascombe Coaster and run it off a 80ah AGM battery. I also have a Garmin 451 chartplotter, depth sounder and charge a mobile phone and tablet. A battery charge lasts about 4 or 5 days until the battery is down to about 11.8 volts. At the moment I recharge in marinas. I have been considering solar panels. Have you thought about solar panels on your Baycruiser 23. You seem to have a large clutter free area on the stern of your boat suitable for panels. Wind vane steering always seem to clutter the boat and spoil the beautiful looks of your Baycruiser.<br />Ian CowieIan Cowiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11649658340064107909noreply@blogger.com