marine battery and solar panel advice

petsitter22


Joined: 01/12/2009
Posts: 74

Message Posted:
18/06/2010 12:38

Does anyone know where I can get a Marine/Leisure Battery. I want to use it for my electric fans in the bedroom as I cant be running the geni in the night.



I did ask at Sunset Marine Centre but they couldnt speak English to well but did point to a battery and said it was a second hand one for jet ski. They do not have new ones. I guess its not a good idea to buy 2nd hand - it was 70 lire but would a jet ski battery do my fans.



Should I also buy a small solar panel to charge the battery day time? does anyone know how much that would cost.

petsitter22


Joined: 01/12/2009
Posts: 74

Message Posted:
18/06/2010 21:30

someone said my geni would not be on long enough to charge a battery so it looks like a solar panel may be the answer.

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
19/06/2010 07:40

Just drive down to Limassol - the place is chocker with boat chandlers - you'll get anything you want, albeit far more expensive than probably anywhere else in Europe!

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
19/06/2010 08:15

Why not buy a car battery? Not sure of the benefits of a marine battery in relation to your requirements.



Someone please explain the advantages of a marine one over normal sealed car one please...



Is it the gas?

MarkVPiazza


Joined: 14/08/2008
Posts: 530

Message Posted:
19/06/2010 14:53

As I understand it, car batteries need to be kept almost full of charge or else the plates tend to buckle and it will then not hold a charge



Leisure/deep cycle/boat batteries are designed to be run flat and recharged without the above problem.

keithcaley



Joined: 13/06/2008
Posts: 2521

Message Posted:
19/06/2010 15:01

My understanding of this (cop out ) is that Marine and Leisure batteries are designed to tolerate 'deep discharge' - i.e. you can almost completely discharge them before re-charging.

If you do this to a normal car battery regularly, iy will be damaged, as car batteries are designed to provided a massive (200A to 400A) current for a short while, while starting an engine, and then be promptly charged back up by the car's charging system.

Lorry batteries, although of greater capacity are normally similar to car batteries in this respect, although some may be designed to tolerate deep discharge if they are intended to provide 'home comforts' overnight for long distance drivers who have living space in the cab. - NOT the type of home comforts offered by the 'ladies of negotiable affection' who frequent lorry parks... - They would merely deeply discharge your wallet!

keithcaley



Joined: 13/06/2008
Posts: 2521

Message Posted:
19/06/2010 15:03

Beaten to it, yet again -

He's a bit quick on the keyboard, is old MVP!

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
19/06/2010 22:28

Thanks for the explanation both of you...



Any of the chandlers, Sefketoglu, Kingfisher Marine, or the one on the way down to the new harbour ought to be able to supply a nice new marine battery for you.

henrik



Joined: 01/10/2009
Posts: 314

Message Posted:
20/06/2010 12:06

talk to the experts regarding deep cycle batteries, inverters and solar panels. Prices as low as europe solar online shopping. Look at the website and also have a look at the references, many jobs done also for TRNC Belediyes, EU tenders and UNDP. TRNC registered company, active since 7 years, paying all its taxes here. No reason to buy it in the "dark side!" (Kibsolar is cheaper anyway)

website: http://www.kibsolar.com



Good luck

kibsolar


Joined: 14/09/2008
Posts: 552

Message Posted:
20/06/2010 19:08

a couple of correct things were mentioned here. eg msg 5 and 6. also keep in mind the energy consumption of the fan during night as the correct size of the battery (and type) is related to that.

what kind of deep cycle battery you choose is also related to the use of it... if you are planning to use a "marine one" and discharge them (to a certain level) every night = 150 discharges per year or more..., you will not be happy with a "marine deep cycle battery" as well.

especially if you use a solar panel to charge....

if you like... send me an email... to info@kibsolar.com

kiwikid


Joined: 18/08/2008
Posts: 496

Message Posted:
20/06/2010 23:14

If you're still looking for a marine battery, the "Seveketolgu marine shop" on the road from girne to Lefkosa which is by the new by -pass roundabout has them, she sells Jetskis, boats and parts. She also speaks perfect English if this helps.

Pasargad


Joined: 08/02/2010
Posts: 2

Message Posted:
21/09/2010 09:04

hi , you actually need to start with calculating your usage which you can obtain by measuring your consumption in terms of watt ( 1 w= 1V x 1A), fans normally do not use more than 50W per hour.Now if you want to run 5 fans (total of 250W per hour) for 8 hours. you need 2400W storage ( 20% downgrade of your batteries + inverter downgrade). what you can you is simpply get 2X 12V 100Ah batteries concet them in series and you have 24V 100Ah which will give you a storage of 2400W , now in order to charge them by solar panels the best is to get a monocrystaline solar panels with total wattage of 450W (this can be 3 pieces of 150W or any other configuration). then you need an inverter (500 W would do fine) and a charge controler (30 Amp is enough).

hope this helps

malsancak


Joined: 23/08/2009
Posts: 2874

Message Posted:
21/09/2010 09:24

Many of these solutions are so expensive you would be better off paying someone on minimum wage to fan you during the summer nights

malsancak


Joined: 23/08/2009
Posts: 2874

Message Posted:
21/09/2010 09:30

Have a look at these http://hubpages.com/hub/Portable-Fans

kibsolar


Joined: 14/09/2008
Posts: 552

Message Posted:
22/09/2010 13:53

if you consider the running costs of a genni (despite of the noise), see msg 1, "these solutions" might be much cheaper, malsancak.

petsitter2 could consider a DC fan, this would avoid the purchase of an "inverter" and work much more efficient = less Wattage = less battery storage ...

in petsitters case (as many others as well) I may recommend a complete back up system (maybe supported by some solar power) to avoid long running times of the genni...... you are right, the weak infrastructure in the TRNC makes live expensive, but energy in general is expensive, no matter whether this is fuel or solar. Solar, on the long run, seem to be cheaper then fuel.

but of course US dollars 3000 (msg 29, http://www.cyprus44.com/forums/37387.asp ), even for a high quality system, is certainly overcharged....

Iam not going to start a "battery lesson" right now and again, but msg 12 calculations are not correct.

posher


Joined: 18/09/2010
Posts: 55

Message Posted:
22/09/2010 16:15

I have a 3.5 kw inverter which runs off 2 X12volt H/duty car bateries it keeps 2 fridge freezers set on low running until 5am from 9pm the night before as well as a bit of telly for a couple of hours plus a few lights

then I just recharge the next day when the mains come back on

easy peasy

elko2



Joined: 24/07/2007
Posts: 4400

Message Posted:
22/09/2010 16:50

msg. 15 quote:

"I am not going to start a "battery lesson" right now and again, but msg 12 calculations are not correct. "

I agree. Just the gist of it: Watt abreviated to "W" is the measure of instantenous power. The capacity of batteries is given in AH i.e. Ampere Hours. If your battery has a capacity of say 100 AH it can supply 10 Amperes for 10 hours or 20 amperes for 5 hours and so on in theory. If the voltage of your battery is say 12 volts, it can store 12*100= 1200 WH or 1.2 KWH. Put it another way, it equals 12*100*60*60=4320 KJoules or 1,033,000 Calories. Now how many boxes of chocolates does that make?

ismet

kibsolar


Joined: 14/09/2008
Posts: 552

Message Posted:
22/09/2010 19:31

Thank you, ismet. "in theory....." is the main comment.

....have a look... you will be surprised of how much energy in one box of chocolate is "stored"....



msg 16. ok, fine. but consider that your fridge/freezers, after you decreased requiered temp "set on low", most probably will not turn on for 3 or 4 hrs till the "new temp" is achieved... energy from the batteries is only required from 1am onwards till 5am... and the temp of your fridge/freezer!! is up considerably....

dont store your ice cream too long ...