Victron components, and marina power

[slowgoesit]

Scott
Your question on reducing dock power has shown some very astute answers from world cruisers. I've some curiosities.

Kevin's suggestion, referenced by his genset industrial background, seems logical - run your genset. I'd guess your need for dock power is to run your air conditioning as you've got sufficient solar panels for your non AC needs. If this is the case are you set up to bypass your IT and inverter and run your ACs safely off dock power? A separate incoming power cord is old school but not uncommon.

Regarding gensets, a relatives large yacht spent several years in Mexico with high genset run time resulting ; iffy dock power and lots of anchoring out being the reasons.

We could run the generator, but with the associated 1gph fuel usage and noise, which would not make us popular at the dock!

Yes, we only needed it for AC use while docked.
I could bypass the Isolation Transformer, but there is something wonky on the boat that I have not yet chased down, that will trip newer pedestal CB's. . . . .
We could run separate shore power lines, but we've only experience this issue in Mexico, so I'd rather go the "buck" route if it continues to be a problem in our "new" cruising areas of Bahamas, East Coast of US, parts of the Caribbean, etc.

SteveK. I thought about adding a 2nd shore power cable, but it didn't work, probably for the reasons stated above.

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions!

 

[slowgoesit]

I have a question. I was in the same marina at the same time as Muirgen/Slowgoesit. My digital panel meter (Blue Sea M2) saw the same shore voltage as Muirgen saw. I do not have an isolation transformer. I think Scot tried bypassing his IT but no-go.

Whats going on here? Why did he have issues and I did not (and presumably many other boats)? Can anyone describe in terms a 4-year old can understand?

Peter

Peter, the reasons we had problems, and Weebles didn't are two fold as I understand it:

• Our Victron Isolation Transformer, (which I believe you don't have) "bumps" the voltage up 5 volts by design, further exasperating the problem when the shore power voltage is already high.
• Our Victron Quattro 12/5000 only allows voltage from 90 to 140 volts. Outside of those parameters, it just doesn't pass through, or charge batteries. It just does nothing, waiting for the voltage to fall back within those parameters. I don't believe that your boat has those restrictions.

 

[mvweebles]

Peter, the reasons we had problems, and Weebles didn't are two fold as I understand it:

• Our Victron Isolation Transformer, (which I believe you don't have) "bumps" the voltage up 5 volts by design, further exasperating the problem when the shore power voltage is already high.
• Our Victron Quattro 12/5000 only allows voltage from 90 to 140 volts. Outside of those parameters, it just doesn't pass through, or charge batteries. It just does nothing, waiting for the voltage to fall back within those parameters. I don't believe that your boat has those restrictions.

Mine doesn't have either an isolation transform or a Victron Quattro (would it make a difference if you had a Multi Plus???). But I have another question that may really show my ignorance. Why not bypass the isolation transformer so the inverter sees 133vac?

Peter

 

[slowgoesit]

Mine doesn't have either an isolation transform or a Victron Quattro (would it make a difference if you had a Multi Plus???). But I have another question that may really show my ignorance. Why not bypass the isolation transformer so the inverter sees 133vac?

Peter

Post 31 above:


I could bypass the Isolation Transformer, but there is something wonky on the boat that I have not yet chased down, that will trip newer pedestal CB's. . . . .

 

[sunchaser]

Post 31 above:


I could bypass the Isolation Transformer, but there is something wonky on the boat that I have not yet chased down, that will trip newer pedestal CB's. . . . .

Have you tried plugging in to docks with all 110 breakers and inverter off? Then 1by1 turn each breaker on. The offending circuit may well appear. If you had an inverter bypass switch and a charger separate from inverter’s you may well be ok.

 

[slowgoesit]

Have you tried plugging in to docks with all 110 breakers and inverter off? Then 1by1 turn each breaker on. The offending circuit may well appear. If you had an inverter bypass switch and a charger separate from inverter’s you may well be ok.

Not yet. That's on the list of things to do/chase down once we get to Florida. It's not a short list, but at least it's mostly little, nit picking items as all of the life safety items have been addressed, and most of the other large outstanding stuff as well.

Once we get to Florida, and tied up to our new to us dock, then it'll be time to spend the Summer getting the house that came with the new to us dock squared away . . . . and haul our stuff down from Kentucky, and decide what to do with THAT house . . . . it's always something . . . . , but it's better that than sitting and stagnating somewhere we really don't want to be, isn't it?