On Sun, 06 Mar 2005 22:16:10 -0500, Larry W4CSC
wrote:

Sam's Club has the 3000 watt, really heavily=built Vector Maxx 3000 (model
VEC051) for $429. Hope you gots plenty of house batteries...(c;

==============================

Or here for $332.95:

http://www.audioallies.com/getitem.a...=VEC051&Sys=FR

Wayne.B wrote in
:

Or here for $332.95:

http://www.audioallies.com/getitem.a...=VEC051&Sys=FR




I didn't search the net because I wasn't buying, but thanks.....(c;

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 06 Mar 2005 22:16:10 -0500, Larry W4CSC
wrote:

Sam's Club has the 3000 watt, really heavily=built Vector Maxx 3000
(model
VEC051) for $429. Hope you gots plenty of house batteries...(c;

==============================

Or here for $332.95:

http://www.audioallies.com/getitem.a...=VEC051&Sys=FR


Coming late to the party, but as this is the next phase in the refit, I
thought I'd take a look.

So, given that it's just some outlets, and not a supply to a mains
distribution, with all that wattage, how would we normally use it?

Seems this is really just a high-draw local unit, as opposed to the inverter
as used in a boat's distribution setup.

Did I miss something (either in this or the usual boat inverter setup)?

L8R

Skip, shocked :{))

--
Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig
http://tinyurl.com/384p2

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you
didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail
away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore.
Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain

"Skip Gundlach" skipgundlach sez use my name at earthlink dot fishcatcher
(net) - with apologies for the spamtrap wrote in news:U_adnfvc2erMnKbfRVn-
:

Skip, shocked :{))


Suit yersef....(c;

And, the answer to the question is: ???

(reminder from original: So, given that it's just some outlets, and not a
supply to a mains
distribution, with all that wattage, how would we normally use it?

Seems this is really just a high-draw local unit, as opposed to the inverter
as used in a boat's distribution setup.

Did I miss something (either in this or the usual boat inverter setup)?

L8R

Skip, not en light end :{))

--
Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig
http://tinyurl.com/384p2

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you
didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail
away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore.
Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain
"Larry W4CSC" wrote in message
...
"Skip Gundlach" skipgundlach sez use my name at earthlink dot fishcatcher
(net) - with apologies for the spamtrap wrote in
news:U_adnfvc2erMnKbfRVn-
:

Skip, shocked :{))


Suit yersef....(c;

"Skip Gundlach" skipgundlach sez use my name at earthlink dot fishcatcher
(net) - with apologies for the spamtrap wrote in news:XOednRrWJbfxjqbfRVn-
:

(reminder from original: So, given that it's just some outlets, and not a
supply to a mains
distribution, with all that wattage, how would we normally use it?


Why can't we just plug the loads into it? Plug the boat into it, if you
like....just like the dock. Of course, you'd should install a transfer
switch to keep you from feeding the dock into it, or any other inverter
that doesn't have one.

Most things on Lionheart run on DC. A couple of things that don't are the
little microwave oven we paid $15 (new!) for and the laptop power supply
and printer power supply for WEFAX charts at sea. For those, we have a 1KW
Radio Shack inverter mounted right next to the battery switches inside the
engine compartment over the monsters to keep the inverter fan noise out of
the boat and the big cables to it to a minimum length. A length of #14
drop cord snakes its way through to overstuffed wireways to the nav station
where I installed a 115VAC standard 6-outlet power strip to plug the
various computer loads into it. A second custom drop cord runs from the
inverter to a dual outlet in a handibox behind the microwave in the galley.

I also ran a control cable from the power switch inside the inverter over
to a microswitch mounted on a neat little plate in a hole at the nav
station used by the former owner for something that needed filling. This
gives the inverter remote control to switch it on and off. A panel-mounted
neon indicator connected to the 120VAC in the nav station power strip lets
me know the inverter is on and, in fact, producing 120VAC power. When the
microwave is running, my DC clamp-on ammeter shows it drawing about 33A at
13.8VDC to heat dinner. Even at the dock, the microwave runs off the
inverter. We plug the computer stuff into a shore-power outlet by the
inverter's power strip.

I doubt many here will be powering the shore power throughout the boat with
the battery killing inverter, don't you?.....

3KW is way overkill because the boats can't provide DC to 3KW for very
long....

"Nothing is funnier than a boater with a new 4KW inverter carrying his
electric heater down the dock with that smug grin on his face....(c;"

On Fri, 18 Mar 2005 18:29:58 -0500, Larry W4CSC
wrote:

"Nothing is funnier than a boater with a new 4KW inverter carrying his
electric heater down the dock with that smug grin on his face....(c;"

================================================== ==

4 KW?

No problem:

http://solarwindworks.com/Products/B.../batteries.htm

There are many new boats being equipped right from the factory with 10
to 12 KW inverters, gigundo battery banks and automatic generator
start.

http://tinyurl.com/5tqud

You just need a bigger boat.

Hi, Larry, and thanks for the thought provoking, left below for reference.

However, one snippet which I don't understand - can you elaborate?

I doubt many here will be powering the shore power throughout the boat
with
the battery killing inverter, don't you?.....

Battery killing inverter? Most of what I read these days suggests a static
load of well under an amp, some are milliamps. Running any electrical
device will kill a battery eventually if it's not got the power replaced
(which we expect to do in spades, or, as you've noted, our own power company
should be able to cope with extended periods of no-replacement) - how's this
different?

We have yet to decide about the capacity of the inverter we'll use. Likely
the mikey or coffeemaker will be the biggest draw; I assume that will want
something on the order of 1500w. I have a 1/3hp grinder/polisher and a
skilsaw which might also have a pretty good startup load, so I'm thinking of
2kw as my "solution" to house power.

As we next to never expect to be at shorepower except during haulouts (and
even then, should have no particular need, with our solar and wind), we'll
want to make our various outlets be both - inverter and shorepower.

As we don't yet know how we'll use the computer and entertainment stuff, we
assume we'll want to have our outlets available everywhere they are now, as
well as some other places I'll install in the next few weeks. None of those
loads are very big, of course, but running drop cords isn't my ideal power
solution, even if they are in raceways. So, back to the question of central
power (and switchability for shore power/house power) and what to do...

L8R

Skip and Lydia, inching toward completion

--
Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig
http://tinyurl.com/384p2

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you
didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail
away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore.
Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain
"Larry W4CSC" wrote in message
...

Why can't we just plug the loads into it? Plug the boat into it, if you
like....just like the dock. Of course, you'd should install a transfer
switch to keep you from feeding the dock into it, or any other inverter
that doesn't have one.

Most things on Lionheart run on DC. A couple of things that don't are the
little microwave oven we paid $15 (new!) for and the laptop power supply
and printer power supply for WEFAX charts at sea. For those, we have a
1KW
Radio Shack inverter mounted right next to the battery switches inside the
engine compartment over the monsters to keep the inverter fan noise out of
the boat and the big cables to it to a minimum length. A length of #14
drop cord snakes its way through to overstuffed wireways to the nav
station
where I installed a 115VAC standard 6-outlet power strip to plug the
various computer loads into it. A second custom drop cord runs from the
inverter to a dual outlet in a handibox behind the microwave in the
galley.

I also ran a control cable from the power switch inside the inverter over
to a microswitch mounted on a neat little plate in a hole at the nav
station used by the former owner for something that needed filling. This
gives the inverter remote control to switch it on and off. A
panel-mounted
neon indicator connected to the 120VAC in the nav station power strip lets
me know the inverter is on and, in fact, producing 120VAC power. When the
microwave is running, my DC clamp-on ammeter shows it drawing about 33A at
13.8VDC to heat dinner. Even at the dock, the microwave runs off the
inverter. We plug the computer stuff into a shore-power outlet by the
inverter's power strip.

I doubt many here will be powering the shore power throughout the boat
with
the battery killing inverter, don't you?.....

3KW is way overkill because the boats can't provide DC to 3KW for very
long....

"Skip Gundlach" skipgundlach sez use my name at earthlink dot
fishcatcher (net) - with apologies for the spamtrap wrote in
:

Hi, Larry, and thanks for the thought provoking, left below for
reference.

However, one snippet which I don't understand - can you elaborate?

I doubt many here will be powering the shore power throughout the
boat
with
the battery killing inverter, don't you?.....

Battery killing inverter? Most of what I read these days suggests a
static load of well under an amp, some are milliamps. Running any
electrical device will kill a battery eventually if it's not got the
power replaced (which we expect to do in spades, or, as you've noted,
our own power company should be able to cope with extended periods of
no-replacement) - how's this different?

Do the math. Let's say we have a BIG inverter, 4KW continuous. This is
great for TEMPORARY loads that need 4KW for a few minutes, like your coffee
maker. But, as I jokingly put it, may boaters think they have their own
"power station" when they buy one of these beasts. Case in point:

1500W heater - 12.5A@120VAC - about 120A at 13V.....x 24 hrs = 2880AH

To provide for a simple electric heater and only drawing the battery banks
down to 70%, not zero which destroys them....2880/.30 (30% of battery
capacity) = 9,600AH battery bank. How big did you say those cells
were?...(c; Hence my comment, "The funniest thing is to see a boater with
a new 4KW inverter carrying his electric heater down the dock with that
smug grin on his face."

I've seen them incredulous that their 5KW inverter can't run the boat's air
conditioner for the weekend anchored out. Math is not one of their
majors...(c;


We have yet to decide about the capacity of the inverter we'll use.
Likely the mikey or coffeemaker will be the biggest draw; I assume
that will want something on the order of 1500w. I have a 1/3hp
grinder/polisher and a skilsaw which might also have a pretty good
startup load, so I'm thinking of 2kw as my "solution" to house power.

2KW is fine.....for INTERMITTENT loads.


As we next to never expect to be at shorepower except during haulouts
(and even then, should have no particular need, with our solar and
wind), we'll want to make our various outlets be both - inverter and
shorepower.

Hmm...5A from a big solar panel or 15A from a wind generator = 5X12hrs=60AH
per day if the sun shines or 360AH wind power in a full gale 24/7.

Not much of a real powerhouse, is it, huge batteries or small batteries...

Plan on using the big alternator on the engine every day in this
configuration.


As we don't yet know how we'll use the computer and entertainment
stuff, we assume we'll want to have our outlets available everywhere
they are now, as well as some other places I'll install in the next
few weeks. None of those loads are very big, of course, but running
drop cords isn't my ideal power solution, even if they are in
raceways. So, back to the question of central power (and
switchability for shore power/house power) and what to do...

The "drop cords" aren't laying around. You can use electrical cable if you
like, wired into the boat. The inverter electrical system on Lionheart is
wired into the boat and plugged into the inverter.

As to powering the boat from shore and inverter, you install a transfer
switch between the sources, ensuring the inverter is never connected in
parallel with the power company from the dock. It's, essentially, a double
pole switch, mounted in a box with a lockout so you can't run both,
simultaneously. Any home generator transfer switch will work on your
inverter system.

We have a 1KW inverter and it suns everything we need. THe microwave is
the biggest load.

Doug

"Skip Gundlach" skipgundlach sez use my name at earthlink dot fishcatcher
(net) - with apologies for the spamtrap wrote in message
...
Hi, Larry, and thanks for the thought provoking, left below for reference.

However, one snippet which I don't understand - can you elaborate?

I doubt many here will be powering the shore power throughout the boat
with
the battery killing inverter, don't you?.....

Battery killing inverter? Most of what I read these days suggests a
static
load of well under an amp, some are milliamps. Running any electrical
device will kill a battery eventually if it's not got the power replaced
(which we expect to do in spades, or, as you've noted, our own power
company
should be able to cope with extended periods of no-replacement) - how's
this
different?

We have yet to decide about the capacity of the inverter we'll use.
Likely
the mikey or coffeemaker will be the biggest draw; I assume that will want
something on the order of 1500w. I have a 1/3hp grinder/polisher and a
skilsaw which might also have a pretty good startup load, so I'm thinking
of
2kw as my "solution" to house power.

As we next to never expect to be at shorepower except during haulouts (and
even then, should have no particular need, with our solar and wind), we'll
want to make our various outlets be both - inverter and shorepower.

As we don't yet know how we'll use the computer and entertainment stuff,
we
assume we'll want to have our outlets available everywhere they are now,
as
well as some other places I'll install in the next few weeks. None of
those
loads are very big, of course, but running drop cords isn't my ideal power
solution, even if they are in raceways. So, back to the question of
central
power (and switchability for shore power/house power) and what to do...

L8R

Skip and Lydia, inching toward completion

--
Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig
http://tinyurl.com/384p2

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you
didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail
away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore.
Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain
"Larry W4CSC" wrote in message
...

Why can't we just plug the loads into it? Plug the boat into it, if you
like....just like the dock. Of course, you'd should install a transfer
switch to keep you from feeding the dock into it, or any other inverter
that doesn't have one.

Most things on Lionheart run on DC. A couple of things that don't are
the
little microwave oven we paid $15 (new!) for and the laptop power supply
and printer power supply for WEFAX charts at sea. For those, we have a
1KW
Radio Shack inverter mounted right next to the battery switches inside
the
engine compartment over the monsters to keep the inverter fan noise out
of
the boat and the big cables to it to a minimum length. A length of #14
drop cord snakes its way through to overstuffed wireways to the nav
station
where I installed a 115VAC standard 6-outlet power strip to plug the
various computer loads into it. A second custom drop cord runs from the
inverter to a dual outlet in a handibox behind the microwave in the
galley.

I also ran a control cable from the power switch inside the inverter over
to a microswitch mounted on a neat little plate in a hole at the nav
station used by the former owner for something that needed filling. This
gives the inverter remote control to switch it on and off. A
panel-mounted
neon indicator connected to the 120VAC in the nav station power strip
lets
me know the inverter is on and, in fact, producing 120VAC power. When
the
microwave is running, my DC clamp-on ammeter shows it drawing about 33A
at
13.8VDC to heat dinner. Even at the dock, the microwave runs off the
inverter. We plug the computer stuff into a shore-power outlet by the
inverter's power strip.

I doubt many here will be powering the shore power throughout the boat
with
the battery killing inverter, don't you?.....

3KW is way overkill because the boats can't provide DC to 3KW for very
long....