On Feb 26, 11:23 am, Richard Kollmann
wrote:
Skip, I have followed your posts for some time as do many people who
have not had the opportunity for this extended cruising lifestyle. You
may remember we communicated several times when you were selecting a
refrigeration system. As I recall you rebuilt the original Morgan 46
box and installed a new combination refrigerator freezer. You also
went with two Frigoboat BD50 compressors and their keel coolers.
Before the mishap in the Gulf the boat was equipped with both solar
panels and a wind generator. Because I work with several boaters all
over the world each week I like to see how their planed power
management and refrigeration selection is working in actual service. I
remember at one point when you were heading north you planed on doing
an actual onboard power grid analyses, if you did I missed that
posting. If you have time I would appreciate information on the
following:
What type wind generator do you have and is its performance as good as
advertised?
What is the total advertised wattage of your combined solar panels?
What do you estimate the boats daily 12 volt power consumption at?
Did you do a daily power analysis by component as you planed to do?
What about daily amp-hrs to operate each refrigerated box when
seawater temperature was between 60 and 75 degrees F.?
What are the approximate sizes in cu. ft. of each box?
What temperatures are maintained in each box?
What kind of service life are you getting from the zincs on your keel
coolers?
Did you ground the keel coolers if so where was ground wire connected?
Have you been able to solve the alternator belt problems?

RL Kollmann

Hi, Richard,

A quickie summary to your letter follows, but...

I do, indeed have such a list, and have been sitting on it for a while
to develop more real-world experience. It's very extensive, and
analyzes my expected usage and load both at anchor and under way, with
engine or sail, in day and night.

Like most things about cruisers, doing it for a while has exposed
different usage patterns, somewhat, than originally expected, so my
list, developed while I was flailing away at alternator problems in
Charleston, needs a bit of revision.

However...

We have only one BD50 and zinc-less keel cooler, which is grounded
using their lug provided. The keel cooler got a bit of bashing during
the wreck, but was inspected by SALT, the vendor, and pronounced
sound. I injected 5200 into the gaps under it where there had been
flexing, and have had no complaints about it since. We have about 3.5
and 7.5 that we keep at 8 and 34 degrees, each, fed by the largest
stainless clad evaporator they make and a spillover fan. Both boxes
have no/nc magnetic switches which turn off the circulating fans and
on the LED lights when opened. Because I don't have an ammeter
devoted exclusively to that unit, the best I can do is guess, but
based on the smart speed control, it appears to use ~1.5A at most-
times running speeds, only going to full blast when we put lots of
stuff in, or there's been a lot of door openings.

We have a KISS and if there's wind, it's marvelous. It's designed for
the Caribbean, so we don't get full use out of it most of the time on
the East Coast. However, in 20 knots of wind, it makes more than 20A,
and quickly ramps up from about 10 knots, to 30A at about 25knots. We
have 370W of solar and through the MPPT as I type at noon in Miami in
the winter, it's making 20.

Our portable generator is a Honda EU2000i which despite its name isn't
a 2kw for more than about 10 seconds. It's about 1600 or as needed by
speed. Because we've been using both computers lately, the laptop I
have about to get the axe due to its ravenous appetite, we run it
fairly frequently, as well as to make hot water. About 15 minutes
makes a tank of hot water. Highly recommended.

The alternator problems seem to have been entirely a pulley issue.
Going down to a 10mm has resulted in my not having to replace another
belt since. The alternator sold me by the joint in Charleston fried
itself; when I took it back they said it wasn't intended for
continuous duty - despite my having told them when I bought it how it
would be used. My original 3 alternators aboard are working very
well, albeit only 70A, after refitting them with 10mm pulleys and
replacing the controllers on two of them; I've not had either of the
backup out of stores since I put the other on...

Thanks for your interest. I'll post my entire list of stuff sometime
soon. Would you like a copy direct to you?

Meanwhile, it's Bruce who calls Wilbur trailer trash :{)) I rarely
bother to even acknowledge his posts...

L8R

Skip

Morgan 461 #2
SV Flying Pig KI4MPC
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