[Rhodes22-list] Thermoelectric cooler

The Rhodes 22 Email List rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
Mon May 18 12:52:36 EDT 2015


On a different subject. Does anyone know the length of the shrouds on a  
1974 Rhodes 22? It is fitted with a standard mast, and does not have mainsail  
furling. Are the mast heights of the mast the same for the two 
configurations?  (furling main, and conventional mast) Any help will be much  
appreciated...Sealady293 at aol.com
 
 
In a message dated 5/18/2015 12:39:57 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org writes:

Susan,
I will try to answer your question.

No.  The  solar panels will not keep up with your cooler forever.  It  will
however, keep up for a while.  If you leave it on while on shore  without
the suggested charger your batteries will be drained dead in a day  or
less.  Maybe longer if you use both batteries.

Here is some  Math.

As indicated a typical battery might be 90 Amp-hours  capacity.  I often see
products listed with Amps per hour as  mentioned.  However there really is
no such thing.  What really  should be listed is just plain Amps or
Amp-hours per hour, which would be  an average, assuming your cooler
doesn't run all the time (turning off and  on via thermostat like your
fridge).  In hot weather I would assume  the worst, in the typical example
mentioned (3-6) I would use 6 Amps.   So in a perfect world one battery
would last 15 hours.

90  amp-hours/6 amps = 15 hours

If your panels are from GB they are  probably 15 Watts.  They might be
configured one panel per  battery.  Assuming you have your battery selector
set to 1, and saving  your other in case you need it for electric start.

1 Panel = 15 Watts  (Volt-Amp) / 12 Volts = 1.25 Amps.

You might have clouds and your panel  is probably mounted flat and not
pointed directly at the sun, maybe aged,  maybe dirty, maybe it is
nighttime.  So 1 Amp would be a very generous  assumption.  But to keep the
math easy lets use 1 amp.

6 amps  used - 1 amp provided = 5 amps net draw. You are now at
90 amp-hours/5 amps  = 18 hours

Now, your battery is also probably not new and won't be able  to provide a
full 90 Amp-hours.  Probably much less.  So you  could probably double that
time for two batteries and two panels if you  don't use any lights, but I
would cut it in half again to account for older  batteries.

If you killed a battery dead, turned off your cooler, and  left the boat for
the week, to regain the full 90 Amp-hours at the 1 amp of  the panel it
would take 90 hours of good sunlight to fully recharge with  perfect
efficiency, which is not realistic.  So it would take at  about  a week to
recharge (12 hours of sun per day) 90/12=7.5  days.

Also, your panels might only be 5 or 10 watts.  I have just  heard other
listers report that they had 15 watt panels.

So, if you  have the shore battery charger you can probably use the cooler
for day  trips or two.  You can help the situation as you mentioned by
freezing  some drinks ahead of time etc.  If you count on electric start I
would  keep one battery full.

My only experience with this is I once (about  ten years ago) plugged one
into my vehicle the night before a trip so it  would be cool.  Instead found
the battery dead and drinks warm. So I  checked the math....and returned  
the
cooler.

-Patrick



On Mon, May 18, 2015 at 6:39 AM,  The Rhodes 22 Email List <
rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>  wrote:

> Thanks for that link.  I did look at your project and  it is probably a 
bit
> beyond my capabilities, but it shows what you can  do.  I was just trying 
to
> find a way to get around carrying ice  and having to replace it all the
> time.
> I just want to keep  drinks cool.  With the thermoelectric cooler, I could
> plug it  into shore power when not on the boat and things would be cool 
when
> I  got there.  The other trick is to add frozen bottled water to the  
cooler
> instead of ice which would help keep things cool if I can't run  it off 
the
> battery.
>
> Susan
>
>  -----Original Message-----
> From:  rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
>  [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of The Rhodes 22
>  Email
> List
> Sent: Monday, May 18, 2015 1:11 AM
> To: The  Rhodes 22 Email List
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Thermoelectric  cooler
>
> Hi Susan,
>           You have a great boat and a great bunch of people to help  you.
> We all were in your position once, really, even Rummy.  Well  he might not
> have been up right be he is much better not, or more  often. We spend long
> periods on the boat and I faced the same dillema  and tried a couple of
> combinations.  I finally setteled on a  rebuild of the ice box.  The 
results
> were very good.  With  careful use It keeps a 5# block of ice for 4-5 days
> in
>  Chesapeak weather, longer in Canada.  Below is a link to the  project.
>
>
> On Sun, May 17, 2015 at 6:45 PM, The Rhodes  22 Email List <
> rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>  wrote:
>
> > You'll need to install a battery charger (if you  don't have one
> > already), but shore power makes for a much easier  install. Simply plug
> > the charger into one of your available AC  outlets and connect to your 
two
> batteries.
> > Here is an  example
> >  http://www.amazon.com/Guest-2611A-Battery-Charger-24-Volt/dp/B000NHZV1
>  > S
> >
> > With this option, your batteries will charge  while you are plugged
> > into shore power.
> >
> >  When looking at refrigerators, be sure to look at amount of amps
> >  consumed per hour. I think you find most use in the 3-6 amps per hour
>  range.
> >
> > As far as your battery capacity, each group  27 battery has about 90
> > amp hours.
> >
> >  That's said, I agree with the others. I'd stick with a quality cooler
>  > and block ice.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Ted
>  >
> > > On May 17, 2015, at 5:47 PM, The Rhodes 22 Email List  <
> > rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org> wrote:
> >  >
> > > I asked Stan the same question about my solar panels  and batteries
> > > last
> > September when I got my  recycled boat and he said shore power does not
> > charge  them.
> > >
> > > Robert Weiss
> > >  Professor/Director Emeritus, SIUC
> > > Director of Music, 1st U.  Methodist Carbondale IL
> > >
> > >> On May 17,  2015, at 3:42 PM, The Rhodes 22 Email List <
> >  rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org> wrote:
> > >>
> >  >> All your responses have been very helpful, and I would like to  know
> > >> if plugging into shore power charges my  batteries.  Is that
> > >> standard or
> > how  do
> > >> I check that?
> > >>
> >  >> Susan
> > >> New Rhodes owner and not very  knowledgeable about electrical stuff.
> > >>
> >  >> -----Original Message-----
> > >> From:  rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org
> > >>  [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of The Rhodes
>  > >> 22
> > Email
> > >> List
> >  >> Sent: Sunday, May 17, 2015 1:31 PM
> > >> To: The  Rhodes 22 Email List
> > >> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list]  Thermoelectric cooler
> > >>
> > >>  Susan,
> > >>
> > >> Do you plug into shore  power to charge batteries when you're not
> > sailing?
> >  >>
> > >> Cheers,
> > >> Ted
> >  >>
> > >> S/V AIRPOWER
> > >> 1991/2013  R22
> > >> Jacksonville, FL
> > >>
> >  >>
> > >>
> > >>>> On May 17, 2015,  at 1:18 PM, The Rhodes 22 Email List
> > >>>  <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org> wrote:
> > >>>
>  > >>> I am getting my (1986/2000) Rhodes ready for the summer and  was
> > thinking
> > >>> about putting a  thermoelectric 12 V cooler on the boat so I don't
> > >>>  have
> > to
> > >>> worry about replenishing ice  all the time.  I have two batteries
> > >>> and
>  > two
> > >>> solar panels.  If I left something  like this plugged in all the
> > >>> time,
> >  >> would
> > >>> it be likely to run my batteries down  or would the solar panels be
> > able to
> > >>>  keep up with the demand?  I'm not very good with this electrical
>  > >>> stuff
> > so
> > >>> looking for  advice.
> > >>>
> > >>> Susan
> >  >>> Purchased AT EASE from Lee Kuhn last fall and still looking  for
> > >>> new
> > name
> >  >>>
> > >>>  __________________________________________________
> > >>>  To subscribe/unsubscribe go to
> > >>  http://www.rhodes22.org/mailman/listinfo/rhodes22-list
> >  >>>
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> > >>> archives
> >  go
> > >> to http://www.rhodes22.org/list
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> >  >>
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