I recently bought an "east coast" boat and had it shipped to the PNW. It has electric stove plus AC/heat pumps...but no inverter. Our boating season usually begins in the spring and runs to early fall, so many weeks and months cruising and living on board. All of our boats have had inverters, used mostly for making coffee and reheating leftovers for lunch. I recently got a quote for installing an inverter, all to ABYC standards, and it came to $4,800...just to reheat coffee!
Then I learned about portable power stations; basically, a lithium battery in a case with built-in inverter and an assortment of charging inputs and outputs (AC/12VDC/solar). They are available is a range of sizes between 1000-3000 watt output with 1500-3000 Wh capacities. Cost is between $1200-$3000. The one I'm looking at delivers 1000 watts with 2400Wh capacity.
https://www.bluetti.com/collections/1000-2000w/products/blutti-1500wh-portable-power-station
This new technology seems like a great solution for getting occasional AC power without running the genny. Not only do we get pure sine 120VAC power but we also get added battery capacity! Since we visit marinas in-between anchoring, we should have no trouble recharging the power station from our shore power hookup. Plus, the power station would get some charge when we run the generator to charge up the house batteries. Is anyone using one of these units on their boat or RV? What am I missing?
I recently bought an "east coast" boat and had it shipped to the PNW. It has electric stove plus AC/heat pumps...but no inverter. Our boating season usually begins in the spring and runs to early fall, so many weeks and months cruising and living on board. All of our boats have had inverters, used mostly for making coffee and reheating leftovers for lunch. I recently got a quote for installing an inverter, all to ABYC standards, and it came to $4,800...just to reheat coffee!
Then I learned about portable power stations; basically, a lithium battery in a case with built-in inverter and an assortment of charging inputs and outputs (AC/12VDC/solar). They are available is a range of sizes between 1000-3000 watt output with 1500-3000 Wh capacities. Cost is between $1200-$3000. The one I'm looking at delivers 1000 watts with 2400Wh capacity.
https://www.bluetti.com/collections/1000-2000w/products/blutti-1500wh-portable-power-station
This new technology seems like a great solution for getting occasional AC power without running the genny. Not only do we get pure sine 120VAC power but we also get added battery capacity! Since we visit marinas in-between anchoring, we should have no trouble recharging the power station from our shore power hookup. Plus, the power station would get some charge when we run the generator to charge up the house batteries. Is anyone using one of these units on their boat or RV? What am I missing?
Maybe if the current 40amp charger goes belly up, I will consider a larger charger.
==================================Just an FYI, if you decide to investigate that, you'll also need to take wire sizes into account. AT may have sized the wire specifically for 40A over that (whatever) distance, and if you go to a higher-output charger you might need larger wire over that (whatever) distance.
In our case... when confronted with a similar circumstance, but also a still-working 40A charger.... it was easier to add another charger, located closer to the target batteries, with it's own new wire run.
-Chris
==================================
Wire size matters.
As mentioned on previous posting re:my installation.
Just returned from replacing my 600W small microwave.
Inside installed Xantrex 2000 refused to power the microwave with tripping off about 40 seconds heating!!!
Had replaced the original undersized wiring with 1/0 5 feet long wires and yet not enough!
I hope this report was helpful!
... and then one the Bluetti people have on their website now, maybe newer than when you first shopped, MSRP $2K:
https://www.bluetti.com/products/bluetti-ac200p-2000wh-2000w-portable-power-station
That particular Bluette unit uses an LifePo4 battery pack, so would seem safer than some of the other options I've seen.
Just throwing a dart, at this point, but I suspect a more typical inverter/charger, with LifePo4 batteries, plus BMS if necessary (I think), plus installation may be about the same cost. Probably cheaper with traditional lead-acid batteries, but then I suspect figuring out where to locate the batteries relative to the inverter/charger (within appropriate fusing distance, etc.) may be much more difficult than it would seem...
NWBoater, thanks for starting this, and for your Hysolis installation info.
I've been following this... because our new ride comes with AC-only fridges (2), freezer, icemaker and I don't like to run the genset overnight*... because I like to make quiet morning coffee before starting the genset... because we like a quiet Happy Hour sometimes with hot hors d'oeuvres... et cetera...
And I've been trying to puzzle out where I could locate an inverter/charger and a whole 'nother set of batteries to service those loads.
I haven't done my consumption math yet, and I haven't shopped a lot for solutions, but two "power station" options so far are the Hysolis you used ($3865 MSRP, your price under $3K) and then one the Bluetti people have on their website now, maybe newer than when you first shopped, MSRP $2K:
https://www.bluetti.com/products/bluetti-ac200p-2000wh-2000w-portable-power-station
That particular Bluette unit uses an LifePo4 battery pack, so would seem safer than some of the other options I've seen.
-Chris
I don't see this product serving the purpose you are intending to serve. There is no way to wire it into the panel, it does not have a direct AC input, and no transfer switching so you'd have to switch the fridges/freezer/ice maker/coffee maker all externally to this device, and then back to the ship's AC system.
It's also lacking in storage. Each fridge/freezer/ice maker will consume 400-600Whr overnight, with 4 units, that's 1600-2400 Whr of consumption from a 2000Whr device, nothing left to make coffee in the morning.
To do this, a mastervolt or victron inverter/charger solution with 4000+ Whr of battery storage behind it would do the job, and have a built in transfer switch that could be wired to your boat's system providing automatic switching from inverter power to generator/shore/etc... the wiring here is going to be a considerable exercise and cost as well.
Thanks, I've come to the same conclusion.
And then I've recently been shopping on Mastervolt and Victron Energy inverter/chargers, to be linked to an (eventually) beefed-up battery bank that we already have.
https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s4/inverter-diesel-engine-room-how-bad-60173.html
-Chris
Seems pricey for just an inverter install but I did mine myself.
Rather than spend all that for a cup of coffee, why not time your battery charge with cooking time. We run the genny for a half to full hour in the morning and at dinner so we can use the microwave. Our stove is propane.
Lithium iron phosphate certainly seems like the future for rv and marine inverter banks, not all inverter chargers come with charging profiles optimized for them. I would definitely look for that capability even if you aren't planning to change batteries at this time.
Yep, both of the models I've looked at most closely are LiFePO4 capable. Actually, charge profiles are customizable, too.
-Chris
Yes, I agree! It’s a pain to have to run a generator just to make coffee or keep the fridge going….
Sorry if this is a repeat suggestion: what about replacing fridge with a dual voltage? I just replaced my old one with another 12v / 110 v model. Switches automatically to whichever is available. For stoves I couldn’t do without my propane force 10.
Sorry if this is a repeat suggestion: what about replacing fridge with a dual voltage? I just replaced my old one with another 12v / 110 v model. Switches automatically to whichever is available.
Yes, I agree! It’s a pain to have to run a generator just to make coffee or keep the fridge going….
Sorry if this is a repeat suggestion: what about replacing fridge with a dual voltage? I just replaced my old one with another 12v / 110 v model. Switches automatically to whichever is available. For stoves I couldn’t do without my propane force 10.
Yes, I agree! It’s a pain to have to run a generator just to make coffee or keep the fridge going….
I have an AGM battery power inverter. The inverter is good to a thousand watts, it has jumper cables for starter duties, USB ports, and a couple of AC plug in's. I bought the biggest one I could. This is the second one I've owned. And it has a air pressure motor to blow up my car and bike tires.
https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/motomaster-nautilus-battery-pack-800-a-0111592p.html#srp