Hands down the best and most comprehensive explanation of how boat electical systems work, not to mention the real life context your comments give. You find the fine line between nerding out and the practical that, say, my wife would understand. What however helped me the most of all is your initial diagram! That drawing is just amazing, the way it divides up the stages into 4 main groups. That totally demistified everything for me during the planning stage of our new systems on our ageing sailboat. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge Brian! Cheers from SV Huldra in Norway 🍻
Hi Brady and all the crew. I just received my SV Delos Tribe flag in the mail yesterday. Thank you so much for making those available. My flag is a very quality product. Fair winds and following seas. Mike from Seattle.
Sent a link to a couple who are Russia's sailing around Australia in a 30ft boat. They appreciated the resources and knowledge. They had just done a large bailout and refit, but I can see then ditching propane for lithium aided electrics. You're helping folks on the other side of the planet!
All electric plus having a diesel generator is very smart. Gasoline and propane add much danger to a house, and exponentially to a sailboat. I've learned lots of tips from yall. Plus have found much relaxation through the CORONA problem. A huge THANKS!
Love this series, and would love to see more like it. Particularly, perhaps, a series on tech (3 separate WiFi networks?!?) going over your networks, storage systems, how you go about getting data while cruising different locales, what software/marine nav systems you use and why, that kinda stuff. One on production would be sweet too.
"A lot of knowledge". Truer words haven't been spoken before these ears in a while. This series is very interesting. It is incredible to think how much your book would make! Thank you. I really enjoy your series.
Now it is 2022 and I just bought 405 Wp panels for less than 200 USD each. They weigh about 19 kg, bit large (176 x 105 cm) but they do the job. I installed 3.2 Kwp on my boat, 2000 Ah on the batteries, so should be able to run the whole boat without the need of my generator and that is exactly what I was hoping for. Used your flow diagram as an example, thanks for these series ! Great information.
Don't want to jump in on this in fan boy fashion, BUT these series of technical videos are fantastic. In fact, I would also comment, and I am sure that Brady doesn't remember, but about 1 1/2 to 2 years ago I actually shot him a question via email about a tender, and he answered and gave me some great advice. I appreciate the series, and I appreciate how you respond to your viewers. Great job boys. Keep it up.
Hi guys! The off-grid lifestyle is great. ( those who build cabins in the woods want to save energy costs) .. but you guys are more for the adventure of it all. I wish I were sailing with you guys for a few weeks or so now and then... for all that interesting fun. But here "on the hard"...eating in any restaurant anytime every day, and constant internet access and taking those long hot showers really spoils me too .... lol I used to sail (day sailing) years ago.. [ before I had to give up my Casco Bay, Maine cottage in divorce...lol ] I'm retired now so I had a "standard" house/job lifestyle. You guys ( like the log cabin folks) seem to envy some aspects of land-lubber life like: the cooling of A/C and lots of hot-showers. When I look at ALL my only ENERGY & Water ...annual costs and it's not very expensive living conventionally here in a 12 room house in North Jersey ( Gas & Elec = $5.30/day and water =$1.80 ) So about $7 day for total energy-generated comfort year round.
I am a little late to this party. Thanks for running through these particulars for Delos. Most of my maritime work is with Outward Bound, so we cannot even compare power consumption. Your system is closer to my off-the-grid house. In April we increase to 1300w of solar. Your description of the benefits of LiFePO4 batteries has me planning for when we can replace our lead acid set. 3.5x the cost is a leap of faith that the claims of longevity will pay off. I see that you have increased your solar a bit more than just compensating for the removal of the center panel on the arch for the dome. When you have a chance, a follow up to this series to comment on your changes would be wonderful. Thank you. Safe passage south.
I’m 65 years old, single, a broadcast engineer by trade, and I plan to retire in 2023, and move to Florida. A small condo and a 30ish ft sailboat is my plan. I have watched almost every episode of SV Delos in the past two years. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Your weekly video releases are really awesome. Thanks for all the effort in producing them. I've been following your channel for almost 2 years now. It is my goto sailing and LPT (Life Pro Tip) info source. Very cool.
Great video guys. Yes, we have no generator and we do everything on solar. We just added a few more panels to our system, so we now have 2000W of solar. That’s enough to run our dishwasher daily and it’s just so much power we almost stop conserving it. “Almost” since good habits are bad to break.
Diggin' "Boat Bits with Brian". Definitely experienced, intelligent, crucial information. These videos will definitely save someone probably multiple someone's from taking a "wrong turn". There will for sure be a sailor in the future looking at a sunset or a sunrise on some remote part of an ocean somewhere raising their favorite beverage in the sky and saying "thanks Brian".
Love those tech videos, would certainly not complain if there were more. We've recently added an Atlantic Tower Arch (we've choose the heavy duty one - sch 80), with 2X 225 watt solar on it. Installation went smoothly. Now thinking on updating the batteries with lithium.
I live in Wisconsin. Hot summer month with the air conditioner running 24/7 and a few TV's going constant, plus fridge, stove, lights, laundry. We used 1008 kWh last month or 31.5 per day. Probably 1800 sq/ft ranch including the finished basement. You have more bathrooms than we do! Cost for the electricity was $161.
Love how you guys bring it straight from experience and no BS. It works or it will work or why it doesn't fit your application. I don't have a sail boat but do have a camper... lots of applicable logic! Hoping to see some more dive videos!
High value content with this. Thanks guys. Happy and safe sailing!!!. Just a thing to try (unrelated to this video sorry), when I'm tuna fishing, sometimes the fish will follow you, not so interested in the jig you are dragging. I'm a commercial fisherman so it's okay if I just jog the autopilot by a couple dodges in an s motion. Not so good for you guys, but, I'll play with the jig when I'm not catching my by pulling it in and out in different speeds usually garners more action. Kinda like not wanting it until they think they will loose it so they go ahead and strike at the jig for keeps.
This one was exciting😍 can't wait for the new boat and to see your new little family in action ❤ thank you for putting your life out there for us to share😊 much love for y'all 💖
Hey guys, I watched the whole series, awesome stuff. In reference to electric motors, i saw a video somewhere where a guy put two electric motors in an older catamaran. So he said the motors are rated at like some ridiculous power consumption, but that rating would be at full load. Running wide open it would take about 30 minutes to drain the lithium batteries to their limit. BUT, at cruising speed, with good sun he said could run all day. I wanna say the top of his cat was almost totally covered in solar panels. Another option I've thought of is to run a set up similar to a locomotive. In a train, the massive diesel engine only drives the generator. The motors are electric. Electric motors are instant torque.
Thank you for being so detailed with these types of series. Feels like it will be valuable when I start getting into all this myself. Gotta say I’m quite impressed with how easily it seemed that you were able to rattle off all data and descriptions, wondering how much you knew of all this when you started out and how much was just learning bits and pieces over the years of working on Delos itself.
Hi guys, I'd like to add a couple of points regarding durability of solar panels - 1) Modules are very reliable, claim rates tend to be well below 50 ppm. If there is a problem in solar systems, it's more likely to be caused by the inverter or some faulty contact in the wiring. 2) Panel manufactures typically offer 10-year product warranties and 25-year performance warranties with maximum annual degradation rates. 3) Those maximum degradation rates typically are 2,5% during the first year and 0,8% p.a. thereafter. That 2,5% degradation in year 1 is called LID (light induced degradation) and is caused by traces of oxygen left in crystalline silicon. Under exposition to sunlight O2-boron complexes are formed and those complexes 'capture' electrons and reduce generation capacity of cells. 3) Exposure to corrosive environments such as salt water and spray can reduce lifetime of panels and may void panel manufacturer warranty. But even in such a challenging environment a high-quality panel should last for at least 10 years. 4) There is a specific IEC norm for salt mist corrosion (IEC 61701). When you buy panels for your boat, you might want to make sure that the products you chose comply with this specific norm. Greetings from São Paulo ... ;-)
Brian, these videos help me prepare for having my own boat especially the videos about electricity. Would you do one about diesel engine troubleshooting and routine maintenance? These things can be pretty overwhelming, but necessary, when I am also working to become a really good sailor.
Great info Brian. Makes me more comfortable in continuing our journey to one day sail because of Delos. Moving to Florida next month!!! Thank you for the inspiration. 🙏
I love your adventure. keep up the videos. I'm way behind in watching. kinda jumping around to get the most info I can from you guys. Plan on going back to the other videos when I can. thanks for the inspiration.
As usual, Delos is tops in covering all aspects of any subject. This is the most thorough and real-world explanation of a cruising boat working electrical system. Top flight!
Brian, I really enjoyed this short "Bits" series and hope there is an opportunity for more while you are on your "sailing sabbatical". I know you get kinda busy when on-board. On an aside, your website still shows Lisa and Elizabeth as current crew. Enjoy your family time with Karin.
Brian & Brady: Great and very interesting videos. Maybe 18 mos ago, when you showed the Victron BVM(?) 712 Battery monitor, it appeared perfect for my travel trailer. Bought one and absolutely LOVE it. I can even monitor our battery charge state from the tow vehicle! My guess is when our original lead/acid batteries need replacing, listening to your enthusiasm for lithium, I'll move that way too. So... thank you for the technical discussions. Very helpful, even for us'ins who don't have a sailboat! Keep up the good work. And... off subject a bit... How about bringing Brian, Karin and Sierra back into the video mix a bit. We haven't see much of you three since you departed for Sweden! You're missed!
I saved these for my Saturday evening viewing. I wanted to wait until the seven of seven series were released to sit down and watch the whole series. I totally geeked out as any electrical nerd would. Thank you and the crew for taking the time to put this series together. You, my friend, are a smarty smart pants.👨🎓👖
It's my Birthday in two day's. The coolest gift I could receive would be a reply to this suggestion, and even better if Delos takes up the idea for a video/s. May I suggest Brian does a video explaining some basic electrical theory, and use an existing web page so viewers will have reference information. Some topics beyond explaining watts, amps and power should include wiring in series and parallel, starting current vs running current for electric motors, sizing wire for amps and length of wire, end connections, running wires through bulkheads so they don't chafe, and a few other things. This can be aimed at someone wanting to install LED strip lights for example. For voltages above 24V, stress the point that only an electrician or suitably qualified or competant person should touch this and why.
Great tech series. I am doing a complete restoration of a 43 year old Alden 44 and will be tackling the electrical system next fall. I love all the great info and it gives me a ton to think about. Cheers!
Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. Although we only have a 22 foot Tanzer, some of this info applies. Parasitic loads, LED lights, generation capacity. Good stuff.
Informational series like these and interviews with other sailors (like Capt Fatty) are the most amazing and I hope you guys do more of all that. Thank you!!!!
Bryan have you ever considered changing the extra freezer over to a fridge by changing out the thermostat? Kind of a longer term storage fridge to feed the current fridge? I did something similar for my home brewing beer equipment: a small chest freezer was turned into a temperature controlled fermentation chamber and then after the beer is complete I can lower the temps and it can double as a kegerator, easily keeping things below 40F.
Thanks. I appreciated lots of interesting informations and also the quality of the image and the tonality. The sereine behaviour of the people around the table made it very confortable to follow quite a long technical conversation.
You should look for a VFD (variable frequency drive) for the dive compressor to remove the motor's inrush current. Your batteries make the common D.C. bus that VFDs have between the AC to DC rectifier section and the inverter section. Would work for the water maker too.
We are a 12v catamaran with 2100w of solar and 900ah of lithium. We ran our generator only 2 days in 4 months. It's too much to trouble to keep it around and we've just had the old rust bucket removed. I'm adding another 300ah battery in the process. It's amazing to me that Delos can have so many people living on board and you don't have more solar or run your generator more often. You guys must be really efficient with your power usage!
Delos's 24v system is more efficient than 12v and 2 wind turbine adds a 10% of total power, but if you upgrade your system go with the 48v. You won't be disappointed and all 12v components can be run with 48v to 12v converters.
Regarding electric propulsion vs fossil. I don't hear much discussion these days about the safety role a propulsion unit plays on a sailboat. For instance, a rigging failure during a storm; if there is a health emergency out at sea, or any other occurrence that necessitates power over sail in order to reach safety. Which propulsion unit provides a better safety factor. Seems to me the safety role of alternative propulsion units must be included in any electric vs fossil discussion.
I really liked this whole series. If you want to reduce the starting current on a motor like you dive compressor, you could look into putting a soft start or VFD in the circuit to reduce the initial spike and control the power. You can contact the manufacturer of the compressor to see what they think. If you contact a VFD manufacturer (like Allen Bradley) they will tell you they can do it. Cause they can.
You could look into a ‘soft start’ drive for the AC motor on your dive compressor. They have the ability to slowly ramp up the speed and you can set the maximum current draw during start. The only problem might be the compressor might have such a high compression ratio that a current limited motor might not be able to get the compressor over the first compression cycle. A decompression valve might solve that if it is a problem. Of course you would still have the running draw to consider. That would depend on how long you need to run the compressor and how many amp hours you have available in your battery bank. Might be worth the hassle if fuel consumption is a concern.
Yes, absolutely. I have been looking into those a bit. Of course we would probably end up depleting the bank and need to run the generator to recharge with the amount of solar we have. But technically it could be possible. Check out this one- battlebornbatteries.com/shop/easystart-364-3-ton-soft-starter/
@@-_-..-_ 400 amp x 24v = 9.6 kw. To run a 2000 watts compressor for 1 hour you will need a low frequency 3kw inverter no need for soft starter. Low frequency inverter can handle the spikes. 100A battery x4=400 amp x. 12v=4.8 kw. 100A battery x4=400÷2=200 amp x24v=4.8 kw 100A battery x4=400÷4=100amp x 48v=4.8 kw To raise the voltage, the amperage is divided Wattage stay the same. To run a 2000 watts compressor for 1 hour you will need a low frequency 3kw inverter no need for soft starter. Low frequency inverter can handle the spikes.
Sailing SV Delos I saw a video of this being used for an RV A/C unit running an inverter from a battery bank. It worked well. You might need something a bit bigger for your dive compressor. A good source of inexpensive soft starters can be found at: www.automationdirect.com On a sunny day when you have power to spare it would save you a few bucks.
Glass solar panels are all rated to still produce 80% of their rated power after 25 years, but the flexable panels will fail after 2-5 years. IF your generator can still start after 25 years, it won't have 80% of its rated power still. Love this series Brian and yes Brady too CHEERS Steve h.
Great series packed full of knowledge and experience.Mounting arch and 300W of semi flex panels on a Nic 35 right now so really useful thanks. Answered a few of my worries like whether I should have it dismountable, “we’ve had ours up in 50 kts with waves dumping on it and no problem” What would have been good would have been a yardstick figure for actual generation. They say in California and I expect the same in Portugal summer that 0.25 x watts = daily amps.what do you reckon ?? Hope all is well with the “wee one” Nick
As the previous owner of several mini-fridges, I have to say I'm impressed...look at the real estate in that thing! I am having some definite mini-fridge envy right now. it looked like you could put 3 entire jugs of OJ in that door alone.
Thank you Delos crew. That was a truely fascinating series of videos. I’m currently planning an upgrade on my electrics for my boat (trailer sailer) so have learned a lot. One thing I would have like to see is a bit more about wiring. How is it run and terminated on Delos.with three voltage systems? Do you need a licensed electrician to make changes to your wiring? Thanks again for a great series.
Again an absolutely awesome tech video , probably the most informative channel on youtube for wannabe long term / long range sailors , or actual long term liveaboard sailors , catamaran next up for solar need i think . Is Brian the new Jimmy Cornell , just maybe , does he have more fun , definately , did jimmy have the same team around him ? , not a chance , awesome job guys and thanks alot .
Lovin' this series of vids guys! We're in the process of building/installing a LiFePo4 battery bank and have tripled our solar array. Also installing an induction cooker and toaster/convection oven, etc, etc, $, $,$. :D Wth eh, it's only money Jajajajajaja :D
Really enjoyed the tech series of videos, well I really enjoy all your videos but these are very informative I think you may be on to something. I would love to see something this in-depth on all of your photography and videography equipment, editing equipment and software, etc. Basically everything it takes to turn Delos into a floating studio for up to six people and the processes you have developed to create your youtube channel. Technics for capturing “the shot” would be cool too.
Thank you so much for this very well done technical series. I'm learning a lot of very useful stuff that I can apply to the technical aspects of modern everyday life in our home in the big city (partially solar powered), as well as to our little home on the road, a Casita travel trailer, (also partially solar powered). The Delos tribe is a wonderful resource. Having installed flexible solar panels on Delos' bimini some time ago, it would prove valuable if you would evaluate them for the "tribe." I hesitate to use them on my RV, which already has a rigid panel, as I am not convinced the heat produced by the panels is safe for gel coat. I am also not convinced that mounting them flush to a curved surface is good for either the gel coat or the panels. What about longevity and electrical output? How well have your panels held up and are they still functional? Brian, you and Brady, your ladies and all the fascinating crew-members with whom you have shared your voyages have provided me with many hours of ear to ear grins. All of you have been inspiring to this old man. Thanks to all. Don Neilson Pilot, motorcyclist, and armchair sailor
BBWB 7 of 7 ! : - ) What surprised me was the difference in cost between your first solar panels and the second set you bought! Lots of other good info too. And for us folks from the US it'd be nice to have non-metric measurements. Our government is, I think, the only one (in the world?) that doesn't think it's people are sharp enough to learn the metric system. I think the US was supposed to start switching over back in the 1970s but that never happened. : - (
Interesting Math questions for those long dull passages.. People used to HATE those "Story problems" in grade school math class. There is a reason we had them...Here are some story problems no one is telling... 1) How many tons of coal does it take to make one Wind Turbine? Copper? Neodymium? Aluminum? Steel? 2) How many WInd Turbines will it take to replace all non-renewable energy Sources? 3) How many tons of Lithium will it take to provide the necessary storage capacity? 4) How many new mines will be needed to provide the needed materials? 5) How many tera-tons of new, incremental CO2 emissions will be required to replace all non-renewable energy sources? 6) how many tons of neodymium are produced per child-slave laborer in DR Congo? 7) From the time a pound of some mineral is removed from the ground, how many different vehicles are used to move it around until it is in a functioning turbine? How are those vehicles powered? 8) How many fuel powered vehicles will be scrapped? where will they go? How much landfill area is needed? WHat happens to all the toxic stuff in those vehicles will seep into the ground? 9) The lithium in one automotive cell can kill how many animals? 10) The blades of a wind turbine off-gas some interesting stuff. Use the total number of wind turbines you calculated above, how many tons of these gases will be released? What will be the environmental effect? 11) WHat is the life span of a wind turbine? Will we be done installing the first round of turbines before they have to be replaced? 12) How many electricians are there in the US? HOw many more electricians will we need to implement a Green New Deal? WIll it be necessary to create a form of government with the power to force people to work jobs they do not want to do? 13) Currently the planet consumes roughly 14,000 Mtoe annually and grows about 3.5% per year. If we began immediately tomorrow to produce renewables tomorrow, how does that affect the growth curb and where will that additional growth come from? 14) How is the story of Robinhood tied to our discussion of the environment? How does the story of Robinhood inform our current thinking about climate? Extra Credit Question: Energy can neither be created nor, destroyed. Currently, the vast majority of our energy comes out of the ground. WHat happens to weather patterns of the planet when you extract 14,000 Mtoe from the Earth's atmosphere? Currently, turbines are placed in the world's windiest places. We know that even if we reduce our carbon output to the levels of 11,000 BC, the climate will continue to change and weather patterns will change. How much will it cost to move 1/3 of the turbines 50 years from now when the wind stops blowing where they are currently sited? I like that you are thinking about becoming more efficient but in the near term, a pell-mell rush to turning off all fossil fuel consumption has a lot of very real environmental costs that no one is talking about. Just because they are not in the line-of-sight does not mean they are not real. Keep doing what you are doing but talk about these questions and their answers as you glide along on a passage and share your musings with your audience. It is not and never will be a matter of passing a few laws or buying a few things that make us feel good about ourselves. Currently the dialogue is al about dire emotional warnings and all the things we should do immediately. There are good reasons why we should try to improve. There are a lot of really good reasons why we should nit rush into it. Yet, we are not ALLOWED to have that conversation. Anyone who tries has a big red "D" burned into their forehead and is forever shunned as 17th century witches were shunned.
Looks like you need to "deice"/clean your freezer evaporator. Hard too see how thick it is with the ice on it bit they are usually pretty Thin. It helps alot on power consumption. Best regards from the West coast Sweden
I average 150 AH per day. Haven't needed my Genny in a year. 1kw solar, 500 watts wind and 432 AH battery capacity. Large frig, separate freezer, able to run water heater off inverter. Don't have a water maker or dive compressor.
The value of this series to others trying to make these decisions is paramount. Very well done. Way to pay it out to others. Thanks Delos Crew.
Hands down the best and most comprehensive explanation of how boat electical systems work, not to mention the real life context your comments give. You find the fine line between nerding out and the practical that, say, my wife would understand. What however helped me the most of all is your initial diagram! That drawing is just amazing, the way it divides up the stages into 4 main groups. That totally demistified everything for me during the planning stage of our new systems on our ageing sailboat. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge Brian! Cheers from SV Huldra in Norway 🍻
Hi Brady and all the crew. I just received my SV Delos Tribe flag in the mail yesterday. Thank you so much for making those available. My flag is a very quality product. Fair winds and following seas. Mike from Seattle.
Sent a link to a couple who are Russia's sailing around Australia in a 30ft boat. They appreciated the resources and knowledge. They had just done a large bailout and refit, but I can see then ditching propane for lithium aided electrics. You're helping folks on the other side of the planet!
This series on boat electrical systems is quite educational....thank you so much.
All electric plus having a diesel generator is very smart. Gasoline and propane add much danger to a house, and exponentially to a sailboat.
I've learned lots of tips from yall. Plus have found much relaxation through the CORONA problem. A huge THANKS!
Love this series, and would love to see more like it. Particularly, perhaps, a series on tech (3 separate WiFi networks?!?) going over your networks, storage systems, how you go about getting data while cruising different locales, what software/marine nav systems you use and why, that kinda stuff. One on production would be sweet too.
"A lot of knowledge". Truer words haven't been spoken before these ears in a while. This series is very interesting. It is incredible to think how much your book would make!
Thank you. I really enjoy your series.
Now it is 2022 and I just bought 405 Wp panels for less than 200 USD each. They weigh about 19 kg, bit large (176 x 105 cm) but they do the job. I installed 3.2 Kwp on my boat, 2000 Ah on the batteries, so should be able to run the whole boat without the need of my generator and that is exactly what I was hoping for. Used your flow diagram as an example, thanks for these series ! Great information.
Don't want to jump in on this in fan boy fashion, BUT these series of technical videos are fantastic. In fact, I would also comment, and I am sure that Brady doesn't remember, but about 1 1/2 to 2 years ago I actually shot him a question via email about a tender, and he answered and gave me some great advice. I appreciate the series, and I appreciate how you respond to your viewers. Great job boys. Keep it up.
Hi guys!
The off-grid lifestyle is great. ( those who build cabins in the woods want to save energy costs) .. but you guys are more for the adventure of it all.
I wish I were sailing with you guys for a few weeks or so now and then... for all that interesting fun. But here "on the hard"...eating in any restaurant anytime every day, and constant internet access and taking those long hot showers really spoils me too .... lol
I used to sail (day sailing) years ago.. [ before I had to give up my Casco Bay, Maine cottage in divorce...lol ]
I'm retired now so I had a "standard" house/job lifestyle.
You guys ( like the log cabin folks) seem to envy some aspects of land-lubber life like: the cooling of A/C and lots of hot-showers. When I look at ALL my only ENERGY & Water ...annual costs and it's not very expensive living conventionally here in a 12 room house in North Jersey ( Gas & Elec = $5.30/day and water =$1.80 )
So about $7 day for total energy-generated comfort year round.
I am a little late to this party. Thanks for running through these particulars for Delos. Most of my maritime work is with Outward Bound, so we cannot even compare power consumption. Your system is closer to my off-the-grid house. In April we increase to 1300w of solar. Your description of the benefits of LiFePO4 batteries has me planning for when we can replace our lead acid set. 3.5x the cost is a leap of faith that the claims of longevity will pay off. I see that you have increased your solar a bit more than just compensating for the removal of the center panel on the arch for the dome. When you have a chance, a follow up to this series to comment on your changes would be wonderful. Thank you. Safe passage south.
I’m 65 years old, single, a broadcast engineer by trade, and I plan to retire in 2023, and move to Florida. A small condo and a 30ish ft sailboat is my plan. I have watched almost every episode of SV Delos in the past two years. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Your weekly video releases are really awesome. Thanks for all the effort in producing them. I've been following your channel for almost 2 years now. It is my goto sailing and LPT (Life Pro Tip) info source. Very cool.
Great video guys. Yes, we have no generator and we do everything on solar. We just added a few more panels to our system, so we now have 2000W of solar. That’s enough to run our dishwasher daily and it’s just so much power we almost stop conserving it. “Almost” since good habits are bad to break.
Diggin' "Boat Bits with Brian". Definitely experienced, intelligent, crucial information. These videos will definitely save someone probably multiple someone's from taking a "wrong turn". There will for sure be a sailor in the future looking at a sunset or a sunrise on some remote part of an ocean somewhere raising their favorite beverage in the sky and saying "thanks Brian".
Very timely for us. We just went lithium with Battle Born and will be adding solar and wind, good discussion. We really enjoy watching you guys!
Love those tech videos, would certainly not complain if there were more. We've recently added an Atlantic Tower Arch (we've choose the heavy duty one - sch 80), with 2X 225 watt solar on it. Installation went smoothly. Now thinking on updating the batteries with lithium.
I live in Wisconsin. Hot summer month with the air conditioner running 24/7 and a few TV's going constant, plus fridge, stove, lights, laundry. We used 1008 kWh last month or 31.5 per day. Probably 1800 sq/ft ranch including the finished basement. You have more bathrooms than we do! Cost for the electricity was $161.
Love how you guys bring it straight from experience and no BS. It works or it will work or why it doesn't fit your application. I don't have a sail boat but do have a camper... lots of applicable logic! Hoping to see some more dive videos!
High value content with this. Thanks guys. Happy and safe sailing!!!. Just a thing to try (unrelated to this video sorry), when I'm tuna fishing, sometimes the fish will follow you, not so interested in the jig you are dragging. I'm a commercial fisherman so it's okay if I just jog the autopilot by a couple dodges in an s motion. Not so good for you guys, but, I'll play with the jig when I'm not catching my by pulling it in and out in different speeds usually garners more action. Kinda like not wanting it until they think they will loose it so they go ahead and strike at the jig for keeps.
This one was exciting😍 can't wait for the new boat and to see your new little family in action ❤ thank you for putting your life out there for us to share😊 much love for y'all 💖
Yes that promised 60 foot arctic monohul is imminent
Really interesting to see how Delos systems work!
Can you do a similar video on your sail handling systems and how they work?
this is the video I've been dreaming of too!!!
Thanks you for sharing these 7 videos on how the workings of Delos it was very enjoyable ❤️cheers to the Delos family
Hey guys, I watched the whole series, awesome stuff. In reference to electric motors, i saw a video somewhere where a guy put two electric motors in an older catamaran. So he said the motors are rated at like some ridiculous power consumption, but that rating would be at full load. Running wide open it would take about 30 minutes to drain the lithium batteries to their limit. BUT, at cruising speed, with good sun he said could run all day. I wanna say the top of his cat was almost totally covered in solar panels. Another option I've thought of is to run a set up similar to a locomotive. In a train, the massive diesel engine only drives the generator. The motors are electric. Electric motors are instant torque.
Thank you for being so detailed with these types of series. Feels like it will be valuable when I start getting into all this myself. Gotta say I’m quite impressed with how easily it seemed that you were able to rattle off all data and descriptions, wondering how much you knew of all this when you started out and how much was just learning bits and pieces over the years of working on Delos itself.
Hi guys, I'd like to add a couple of points regarding durability of solar panels -
1) Modules are very reliable, claim rates tend to be well below 50 ppm. If there is a problem in solar systems, it's more likely to be caused by the inverter or some faulty contact in the wiring.
2) Panel manufactures typically offer 10-year product warranties and 25-year performance warranties with maximum annual degradation rates.
3) Those maximum degradation rates typically are 2,5% during the first year and 0,8% p.a. thereafter. That 2,5% degradation in year 1 is called LID (light induced degradation) and is caused by traces of oxygen left in crystalline silicon. Under exposition to sunlight O2-boron complexes are formed and those complexes 'capture' electrons and reduce generation capacity of cells.
3) Exposure to corrosive environments such as salt water and spray can reduce lifetime of panels and may void panel manufacturer warranty. But even in such a challenging environment a high-quality panel should last for at least 10 years.
4) There is a specific IEC norm for salt mist corrosion (IEC 61701). When you buy panels for your boat, you might want to make sure that the products you chose comply with this specific norm.
Greetings from São Paulo ... ;-)
Brian, these videos help me prepare for having my own boat especially the videos about electricity. Would you do one about diesel engine troubleshooting and routine maintenance? These things can be pretty overwhelming, but necessary, when I am also working to become a really good sailor.
Great info Brian. Makes me more comfortable in continuing our journey to one day sail because of Delos. Moving to Florida next month!!! Thank you for the inspiration. 🙏
I love your adventure. keep up the videos. I'm way behind in watching. kinda jumping around to get the most info I can from you guys. Plan on going back to the other videos when I can. thanks for the inspiration.
As usual, Delos is tops in covering all aspects of any subject. This is the most thorough and real-world explanation of a cruising boat working electrical system. Top flight!
Brian, I really enjoyed this short "Bits" series and hope there is an opportunity for more while you are on your "sailing sabbatical". I know you get kinda busy when on-board. On an aside, your website still shows Lisa and Elizabeth as current crew. Enjoy your family time with Karin.
Brian & Brady: Great and very interesting videos. Maybe 18 mos ago, when you showed the Victron BVM(?) 712 Battery monitor, it appeared perfect for my travel trailer. Bought one and absolutely LOVE it. I can even monitor our battery charge state from the tow vehicle! My guess is when our original lead/acid batteries need replacing, listening to your enthusiasm for lithium, I'll move that way too. So... thank you for the technical discussions. Very helpful, even for us'ins who don't have a sailboat! Keep up the good work. And... off subject a bit... How about bringing Brian, Karin and Sierra back into the video mix a bit. We haven't see much of you three since you departed for Sweden! You're missed!
Brian is certainly a man who believes putting his brain into gear before his mouth ! Succinct answers, very refreshing and informative.!!!
World could certainly do with a few more like that!
I saved these for my Saturday evening viewing. I wanted to wait until the seven of seven series were released to sit down and watch the whole series. I totally geeked out as any electrical nerd would. Thank you and the crew for taking the time to put this series together. You, my friend, are a smarty smart pants.👨🎓👖
It's my Birthday in two day's. The coolest gift I could receive would be a reply to this suggestion, and even better if Delos takes up the idea for a video/s. May I suggest Brian does a video explaining some basic electrical theory, and use an existing web page so viewers will have reference information. Some topics beyond explaining watts, amps and power should include wiring in series and parallel, starting current vs running current for electric motors, sizing wire for amps and length of wire, end connections, running wires through bulkheads so they don't chafe, and a few other things. This can be aimed at someone wanting to install LED strip lights for example. For voltages above 24V, stress the point that only an electrician or suitably qualified or competant person should touch this and why.
Great tech series. I am doing a complete restoration of a 43 year old Alden 44 and will be tackling the electrical system next fall. I love all the great info and it gives me a ton to think about. Cheers!
Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. Although we only have a 22 foot Tanzer, some of this info applies. Parasitic loads, LED lights, generation capacity. Good stuff.
Informational series like these and interviews with other sailors (like Capt Fatty) are the most amazing and I hope you guys do more of all that. Thank you!!!!
Bryan have you ever considered changing the extra freezer over to a fridge by changing out the thermostat? Kind of a longer term storage fridge to feed the current fridge? I did something similar for my home brewing beer equipment: a small chest freezer was turned into a temperature controlled fermentation chamber and then after the beer is complete I can lower the temps and it can double as a kegerator, easily keeping things below 40F.
A LOT of knowledge, excellent series.
Thanks. I appreciated lots of interesting informations and also the quality of the image and the tonality. The sereine behaviour of the people around the table made it very confortable to follow quite a long technical conversation.
1 SV Delos a day keeps the doctor away !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cool video !!!!!
You should look for a VFD (variable frequency drive) for the dive compressor to remove the motor's inrush current. Your batteries make the common D.C. bus that VFDs have between the AC to DC rectifier section and the inverter section. Would work for the water maker too.
A 1/4 size fridge for sure to our land based yachts. Great information once again. Thanks Brian! It was a great series.
Very good! You guys do a great job explaining the systems and how you use them. Thanks.
Loving this series, really informative and timely as we are taking an in depth look at our battery situation this winter. Thanks.
Great content, I like your channel enough to let the commercials run through!!😎
This is invaluable. Very nice serie, helps a lot.
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and knowledge with us each week.
My solar is 20 yrs and still going strong.
How efficient is it though? After what Bryan said it might be worth upgrading.
We are a 12v catamaran with 2100w of solar and 900ah of lithium. We ran our generator only 2 days in 4 months. It's too much to trouble to keep it around and we've just had the old rust bucket removed. I'm adding another 300ah battery in the process.
It's amazing to me that Delos can have so many people living on board and you don't have more solar or run your generator more often. You guys must be really efficient with your power usage!
Delos's 24v system is more efficient than 12v and 2 wind turbine adds a 10% of total power, but if you upgrade your system go with the 48v. You won't be disappointed and all 12v components can be run with 48v to 12v converters.
Regarding electric propulsion vs fossil. I don't hear much discussion these days about the safety role a propulsion unit plays on a sailboat. For instance, a rigging failure during a storm; if there is a health emergency out at sea, or any other occurrence that necessitates power over sail in order to reach safety. Which propulsion unit provides a better safety factor. Seems to me the safety role of alternative propulsion units must be included in any electric vs fossil discussion.
I really liked this whole series. If you want to reduce the starting current on a motor like you dive compressor, you could look into putting a soft start or VFD in the circuit to reduce the initial spike and control the power. You can contact the manufacturer of the compressor to see what they think. If you contact a VFD manufacturer (like Allen Bradley) they will tell you they can do it. Cause they can.
Thanks for all the knowledge 💚💚💚
Great video, I will be upgrading the electric on a 55 ft sailboat that I just bought and you have answered a lot of questions.
I liked the series. Very educational,
You could look into a ‘soft start’ drive for the AC motor on your dive compressor. They have the ability to slowly ramp up the speed and you can set the maximum current draw during start. The only problem might be the compressor might have such a high compression ratio that a current limited motor might not be able to get the compressor over the first compression cycle. A decompression valve might solve that if it is a problem. Of course you would still have the running draw to consider. That would depend on how long you need to run the compressor and how many amp hours you have available in your battery bank. Might be worth the hassle if fuel consumption is a concern.
Yes, absolutely. I have been looking into those a bit. Of course we would probably end up depleting the bank and need to run the generator to recharge with the amount of solar we have. But technically it could be possible. Check out this one- battlebornbatteries.com/shop/easystart-364-3-ton-soft-starter/
@@-_-..-_ 400 amp x 24v = 9.6 kw. To run a 2000 watts compressor for 1 hour you will need a low frequency 3kw inverter no need for soft starter. Low frequency inverter can handle the spikes.
100A battery x4=400 amp x. 12v=4.8 kw.
100A battery x4=400÷2=200 amp x24v=4.8 kw
100A battery x4=400÷4=100amp x 48v=4.8 kw
To raise the voltage, the amperage is divided Wattage stay the same.
To run a 2000 watts compressor for 1 hour you will need a low frequency 3kw inverter no need for soft starter. Low frequency inverter can handle the spikes.
Sailing SV Delos I saw a video of this being used for an RV A/C unit running an inverter from a battery bank. It worked well. You might need something a bit bigger for your dive compressor. A good source of inexpensive soft starters can be found at: www.automationdirect.com On a sunny day when you have power to spare it would save you a few bucks.
Glass solar panels are all rated to still produce 80% of their rated power after 25 years, but the flexable panels will fail after 2-5 years. IF your generator can still start after 25 years, it won't have 80% of its rated power still. Love this series Brian and yes Brady too CHEERS Steve h.
#7 vid is a winner!
Great series packed full of knowledge and experience.Mounting arch and 300W of semi flex panels on a Nic 35 right now so really useful thanks.
Answered a few of my worries like whether I should have it dismountable, “we’ve had ours up in 50 kts with waves dumping on it and no problem” What would have been good would have been a yardstick figure for actual generation. They say in California and I expect the same in Portugal summer that 0.25 x watts = daily amps.what do you reckon ?? Hope all is well with the “wee one” Nick
As the previous owner of several mini-fridges, I have to say I'm impressed...look at the real estate in that thing! I am having some definite mini-fridge envy right now. it looked like you could put 3 entire jugs of OJ in that door alone.
Yes, and yes. Please make a special playlist of these Electrical Boat Tech!
Hey! All the boat work videos are here- ruclips.net/p/PLQp8FoQ4t-lX7JZR5CHlAMYSIev7HAVA6 the electrical ones are towards the end of the list....
As always, I loved it; and any video that you disseminate is always on track with me!
Great series Brian!
Have you considered converting your second freezer into a refrigerator? I would think adjusting/replacing the thermostat would do the job.
You guys are always very informative - thanks for taking the time!
Great videos packed with helpful information, thanks a lot! For me it looks like there is just one thing without full backup: Knowledge 😉
Thank you guys so much for this Boat Bits series! I really enjoyed it =)
Thanks so much guys. So much to learn so Brian we're happy you are sharing your ride experiences.
Love you guys always!
boats and electricity, my favourites!!! keep them coming please!
great video. thanks for sharing your thoughts on electrical tech
Thank you Delos crew. That was a truely fascinating series of videos. I’m currently planning an upgrade on my electrics for my boat (trailer sailer) so have learned a lot. One thing I would have like to see is a bit more about wiring. How is it run and terminated on Delos.with three voltage systems? Do you need a licensed electrician to make changes to your wiring? Thanks again for a great series.
Thanks for this informative video. Would appreciate a video on weather routing.
Again an absolutely awesome tech video , probably the most informative channel on youtube for wannabe long term / long range sailors , or actual long term liveaboard sailors , catamaran next up for solar need i think . Is Brian the new Jimmy Cornell , just maybe , does he have more fun , definately , did jimmy have the same team around him ? , not a chance , awesome job guys and thanks alot .
Great series of vids! I love the technical odds and ends. Will you do a video explaining your wifi/mobile internet systems? Please do!
Lovin' this series of vids guys! We're in the process of building/installing a LiFePo4 battery bank and have tripled our solar array. Also installing an induction cooker and toaster/convection oven, etc, etc, $, $,$. :D Wth eh, it's only money Jajajajajaja :D
I want to hear your every thought about sails, sail plans, trim, risk in squalls, etc.
Super helpful information. Thanks!
Very nice series.... thanks a lot!
I really enjoy these. Good information.
This is amazing, thank you for providing all of these important information specially that it comes out of experience
What a great set of videos. Loved all of them - very instructive
Really enjoyed the tech series of videos, well I really enjoy all your videos but these are very informative I think you may be on to something.
I would love to see something this in-depth on all of your photography and videography equipment, editing equipment and software, etc. Basically everything it takes to turn Delos into a floating studio for up to six people and the processes you have developed to create your youtube channel.
Technics for capturing “the shot” would be cool too.
really well explained, everybody should be able to understand that information, well done, i like these technical vlogs!!
I dig these tech videos. Thanks!
Great series subject guys!
Nice job everyone! Lot's of useful information.
Thank you so much for this very well done technical series. I'm learning a lot of very useful stuff that I can apply to the technical aspects of modern everyday life in our home in the big city (partially solar powered), as well as to our little home on the road, a Casita travel trailer, (also partially solar powered). The Delos tribe is a wonderful resource.
Having installed flexible solar panels on Delos' bimini some time ago, it would prove valuable if you would evaluate them for the "tribe." I hesitate to use them on my RV, which already has a rigid panel, as I am not convinced the heat produced by the panels is safe for gel coat. I am also not convinced that mounting them flush to a curved surface is good for either the gel coat or the panels. What about longevity and electrical output? How well have your panels held up and are they still functional?
Brian, you and Brady, your ladies and all the fascinating crew-members with whom you have shared your voyages have provided me with many hours of ear to ear grins. All of you have been inspiring to this old man. Thanks to all.
Don Neilson
Pilot, motorcyclist, and armchair sailor
BBWB 7 of 7 ! : - ) What surprised me was the difference in cost between your first solar panels and the second set you bought! Lots of other good info too. And for us folks from the US it'd be nice to have non-metric measurements. Our government is, I think, the only one (in the world?) that doesn't think it's people are sharp enough to learn the metric system. I think the US was supposed to start switching over back in the 1970s but that never happened. : - (
Fun to have something to watch every day ! All good information. Still looking for review on Maggie
Interesting Math questions for those long dull passages.. People used to HATE those "Story problems" in grade school math class. There is a reason we had them...Here are some story problems no one is telling...
1) How many tons of coal does it take to make one Wind Turbine? Copper? Neodymium? Aluminum? Steel?
2) How many WInd Turbines will it take to replace all non-renewable energy Sources?
3) How many tons of Lithium will it take to provide the necessary storage capacity?
4) How many new mines will be needed to provide the needed materials?
5) How many tera-tons of new, incremental CO2 emissions will be required to replace all non-renewable energy sources?
6) how many tons of neodymium are produced per child-slave laborer in DR Congo?
7) From the time a pound of some mineral is removed from the ground, how many different vehicles are used to move it around until it is in a functioning turbine? How are those vehicles powered?
8) How many fuel powered vehicles will be scrapped? where will they go? How much landfill area is needed? WHat happens to all the toxic stuff in those vehicles will seep into the ground?
9) The lithium in one automotive cell can kill how many animals?
10) The blades of a wind turbine off-gas some interesting stuff. Use the total number of wind turbines you calculated above, how many tons of these gases will be released? What will be the environmental effect?
11) WHat is the life span of a wind turbine? Will we be done installing the first round of turbines before they have to be replaced?
12) How many electricians are there in the US? HOw many more electricians will we need to implement a Green New Deal? WIll it be necessary to create a form of government with the power to force people to work jobs they do not want to do?
13) Currently the planet consumes roughly 14,000 Mtoe annually and grows about 3.5% per year. If we began immediately tomorrow to produce renewables tomorrow, how does that affect the growth curb and where will that additional growth come from?
14) How is the story of Robinhood tied to our discussion of the environment? How does the story of Robinhood inform our current thinking about climate?
Extra Credit Question: Energy can neither be created nor, destroyed. Currently, the vast majority of our energy comes out of the ground. WHat happens to weather patterns of the planet when you extract 14,000 Mtoe from the Earth's atmosphere? Currently, turbines are placed in the world's windiest places. We know that even if we reduce our carbon output to the levels of 11,000 BC, the climate will continue to change and weather patterns will change. How much will it cost to move 1/3 of the turbines 50 years from now when the wind stops blowing where they are currently sited?
I like that you are thinking about becoming more efficient but in the near term, a pell-mell rush to turning off all fossil fuel consumption has a lot of very real environmental costs that no one is talking about. Just because they are not in the line-of-sight does not mean they are not real.
Keep doing what you are doing but talk about these questions and their answers as you glide along on a passage and share your musings with your audience. It is not and never will be a matter of passing a few laws or buying a few things that make us feel good about ourselves.
Currently the dialogue is al about dire emotional warnings and all the things we should do immediately. There are good reasons why we should try to improve. There are a lot of really good reasons why we should nit rush into it. Yet, we are not ALLOWED to have that conversation. Anyone who tries has a big red "D" burned into their forehead and is forever shunned as 17th century witches were shunned.
Thanks for this series, it was a major help.
Thanks, enjoyed the whole technical series.
Thanks for sharing guys!
Looks like you need to "deice"/clean your freezer evaporator. Hard too see how thick it is with the ice on it bit they are usually pretty Thin. It helps alot on power consumption.
Best regards from the West coast Sweden
Love it Brian, " I don''t know, I haven't lived in a house in a long time",.. best line EVER! hahahahahahahaha
Great job guys! Loved this series.
I average 150 AH per day. Haven't needed my Genny in a year. 1kw solar, 500 watts wind and 432 AH battery capacity. Large frig, separate freezer, able to run water heater off inverter. Don't have a water maker or dive compressor.
I think your crew is responsible for getting more people into ⛵ than the Navy... 😆. We can't wait to meet your beautiful baby girl Brian and Karen!