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Hi TwistedTree. I found your quote below on another thread. Yes, I agree. This is an excellent analysis. The best I have ever seen. And this is why electric is not the future for trawlers. However, one thing has changed since you wrote this, the cost of LiFePO4 batteries. The sixteen...

Yes. Logan Utah. I was born in Logan, raised in California, (attended high school with Steve Jobs) , lived most of my adult life in Seattle, and have retired back in Logan. While living in Seattle (Woodinville actually) I almost forgot there was a sun. I had to move back to the Rocky Mountains...

I actually do have an alternative use for the battery pack. I am currently building a house with a 12Kw array. The battery pack will be tied to a Sol-Ark 12k hybrid inverter. This inverter operates with or without batteries attached (most grid-tied inverters don't). So when I am boating the...

I care. That is all that matters to me. I won't be contacting any media outlets along the way and I expect that no one will notice anything different about the boat except that it has a crazy big solar array.

I have looked at Ranger tugs, and even C Dorys. Both look nice, are a bit smaller (more efficient and tailorable) and are located in the PNW. But where do you put the solar panels? I want to build a solar-electric boat so that I can cruise the San Juan and Gulf Islands both before and after...

There is something about going north to Alaska that causes grown men to daydream. Not sure what it is. The videos posted above were titled "Race to Alaska". I doubt that the race would be so popular if it was south to San Francisco. Twenty years ago I was preparing myself to kayak from...

Red Rascal, Thanks so much for the Race to Alaska videos. I enjoyed them thoroughly.

Sounds a lot like Seattle, where I lived for 22 years. The other items are important and I appreciate your input.

OK, help me out here please. Why is the TT35 not good for conditions in Alaska? Does it have something to do with the temperature, or the abundant rainfall, or the sea conditions? This is where I really need help.

So my BMS (Orion 2) talks CAN, and my charger talks CAN but neither will be talking to the motor. The motor comes with a control unit. I will connect 48 volts to the motor and then use the control unit to turn it on and control it. Full Disclosure. I don't have a motor yet or a boat to put...

\\ I think that the TT35 is a planing hull. It moves pretty fast when using twin gas outboards. Of course I would be going only at displacement speeds. I'm not sure what problems not having a displacement hull would cause me. But if I can reach 7kts with 7000 watts of power I will be happy.

Doing it on a lark? Well maybe. (Have you been talking to my wife?) But I am not a reckless person. I would never attempt to make the trip alone. There is an organization named slow boat (slowboat.com) which guides a flotilla of five boats from Roche Harbor to Juneau or Sitka each year...

Yes good advice for sure. But all projects start with blue sky dreaming and that is the stage I am in now. However, soon I will be building the first traction battery, the cells will arrive later this month.

I don't understand why I would not be able to anchor out. If my average run between marinas with electricity is 71 miles, I don't see why I could not take 3 or 4 days to do that. My house bank will be 30KWh. Would that not last 3 or 4 days? (Remember, it is a small boat with no air...

My plan is to use two Torqeedo 10.0 R outboards that replace the gas outboards on the TT35. I am hoping to bring the first traction battery to Mirage Manufacturing this spring to do a test to see if 7kts at 7000 watts output on one motor is achievable. Car motors run at 380-420 volts...

I didn't think about that. I will have to do some more research into the docks along the route. Maybe make some calls and see if I can arrange for paying for more power than they are used to providing. Thanks for the head's up

My hope was to use two 30 amp plugs when a marina has only 30 amp power. That is 7.2Kw of power which would recharge the traction bank in 120/7.2 = 16.6 hours. I am thinking more like 22 hours given efficiency loss and derating. However, this time is for pulling up to the dock with completely...

I'm very familiar with the advantages of going with the current. When I did a lot of kayaking in the Puget and Desolation sounds, I learned that currents were strong enough to double the speed of a kayak or stop it cold. A very experienced kayaker taught me to stay in the center of the channel...

The chemistry I am using is lithium iron phosphate. It is abbreviated both as LiFePO4 and LIF. I use both abbreviations, sorry to confuse you. LiFePO4 is much safer than many Lithium chemistries. If you puncture it, short it, or over charge it, it will not explode and catch fire. (see...

The highest voltage I am comfortable with is 48 volts. That can still be dangerous and must be respected, but it is not insane like some of the 380-400 volt motors and batteries being sold for boats.

Thanks, all good info. I just signed up with ABYC so that I can read E30. I'm waiting for validation now. The nominal energy capacity of my batteries is 4x48x280 = 53,760 KWh. But 48 LIF batteries discharged at 0.1 C operate just above 52 volts for almost the entire range. So the actual...

Hi Star Chaser. Thanks for the help. one question I don't understand this? wouldn't each line provide 120 volts at 30 amps? Excellent advice. I will look into this.

Like many before me, (including several who have posted on this forum), I'm afflicted with the passion to create a solar-electric trawler. I can't help it, I'm a solar nut: electric car, solar house, builds LFP battery systems for neighbors and relatives, need I say more. I know, I know...