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Friday, January 30, 2015

Battery Usage

In evaluating our house battery capacity, I put together this table of item and amps consumed,

Item
Amps
Total Amps
Interior LED Lights
.1/each
2.5/all
Navigation LED Lights (Sail)
.1/each, .2/all

Steaming
1.5 ß may swap out with LEDs

Radar
2.0

GPS
0.8 (*)

ChartPlotter
1.0 (*)

Autohelm Linear Drive
2.0 – 4.0 (*)

VHF Radio Receive
0.5 (*)

VHF Radio Transmit
6.0

SSB Transmit
3.0 (LOW)

Refrigerator
4.0  (*)

Stereo
1.0  (?)

Cabin Fans
1.0 (?)

Macerator Pump
16

Windless
100

Microwave
120


An example of using this information, when using the items marked with an asterisks (*), it is reasonable to expect Intuition to use between 6 and 8 Amps per Hour, depending on the cycling of the refrigerator and autohelm linear drive.  Assume 6 Amps per Hour.  Over 24 hours, we'd consume 144 AmpHours, or about 50% of our house battery capacity.

Note - each of the original incandescent interior cabin lights draw about 1 Amp.  I replaced all of them with LEDs, and the total is 2.5 Amps!  Likewise for the navigation lights.  I have not replaced the anchor-light, but that's next on my list!

It is interesting that even with 300 AmpHour house battery bank, I only have enough capacity to keep the boat's electrical usage for 24 hours.  On multiday sailing, we need to charge the house battery bank every day.

Don McLennan
Intuition - 3500 - #115


2 comments:

  1. Likewise I've replaced all lights w/ LEDs except the anchor light.

    Let me know when you tackle that, I can help and between the two of us we can eliminate 1 climb up the mask. ..unless you know what kind of bulb is up there..

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  2. The Masthead light is 12V/5W Halogen 904003884.

    As for the table of power consumption above, the Macerator Pump, Windless, and Microwave are all incorrect. Probably 10% of what is stated is correct. (Move the decimal place 1 position to the left.)

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