[Rhodes22-list] Thermoelectric cooler

The Rhodes 22 Email List rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org
Mon May 18 13:04:01 EDT 2015


Nice explanation Patrick! Geoff

On Mon, May 18, 2015 at 11:39 AM, The Rhodes 22 Email List <
rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org> wrote:

> 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
> > > >>>
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> > >
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