Ganging Outboards - Does it work?

Yeah, I think I've caused some thread drift. Sorry, folks. The original poster is supposed to keep it on track. I dropped the ball.

Back on topic, with electric still possible, assuming I can't find a GAHP... the electric posts are just to say electric is still possible and is not off the list in my case.

What size is your Robur, WestVan? Do they make small ones? I'm looking at the website now.

If I could get at GAHP that would fit on the boat, I could completely eliminate the heavy, loud generator, use a pair of outboards and just use solar for all the electricity needs.

Any ideas for small GAHP units that run on propane?

That would fix this entire confusing systems/engine mess.

 

Thread drift is OK,no need to apologize as it is your thread and you can post whatever you like.

I'm not sure which one it is,I'm not at that place right now.Anyways it is in conjunction with a passive solar and geothermal system.

My own preference for propane,is to have neough on board to only fire the BBQ..and that's in an exposed tank.I wouldn't have that much propane on board to fire a heat pump.

Quite a while ago I showed you how to get all the power and hot water you'd need for house supply for a gallon or 2 of diesel a day,silently.

 

I was thinking of a diesel powered heat pump, actually. A conversion.

What was the advice you gave? Building, semi designing, and supplying materials for a boat is more than taxing. Could you point me back to that thread?

 

You're busy,fair enough.
Diesel is best I agree..I saw propane in your post.

It is in your diesel electric thread.

Basically a 5-7 hp Kubota flat single, electric clutches hooked up to whatever accesories you want ( scuba/freezer/ac compressor,water maker,DC gen etc) and route the waste heat through hot water tanks.100-125 amps of 12vdc.

They're small and cheap/light enough you could have another one devoted to AC gen for heat and ignore capturing waste heat.


Not my video,and read the comments.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hggDSmH2i7M

Something like this
http://www.nextgenerationpower.com/3kwmarine.html

Bigger
http://www.nextgenerationpower.com/5kwmarine.html

 

Oh, that! I do remember that. Thank you.

I will have to do the math to see what type of compressor (size) I can run with a small Kubota and how many BTU's (or tons) of a heat pump I can get with it.

Also, will have to weigh the components.

One bonus would be that setting up my own evaporator and condenser would allow me to fit them into spots on the boat more easily.

Now about the Kubota being quiet... ??

I thought you had some kind of silent option for me, like the gas adsorbiton cycles. I will double check that route though. I had been thinking about it for a while independently - thinking about running several automotive Selden type compressors and rigging up my own heat pump with reversing solenoid.

That's a bit of extra work, but not entirely bad, since I am capable of refrigeration work.

 

Inside my boat,it's dead silent..and even in the engine room if there's any waves slapping the hull it's hard to tell it's on.

I often import items from Asia,at the docks one day was a 20' fridge unit..and recognized the exhaust note as being a Kubota 300 running it.

IIRC 4500 BTU needs 1 hp but I may be wrong..

 

Just did by BTU calcs. Oh boy!

I need 48,000 BTU to cool the whole boat at once during the day.

If I just want to cool the bridgedeck and galley during the day, then cool the whole boat at night, I need 36,000 BTU.

So, basically a 3 ton unit with compromises or a 4 ton unit.

I also need heat, so a heat pump is the only way to go.

What I meant above, by "Selden" compressor should have said "Sanden" compressor. It's the standard automotive compressor (mechanical HVAC compressor) with clutch for belt drive. By reversing valve, I mean that in order to make a heat pump, instead of just an air conditioner, you need a reversing valve to reverse the flow (to get reverse cycle).

If your BTU calc is right, I need a 12HP motor and I'm thinking it has to be more than one compressor.

 

..Ok Sanden that makes sense.


Was looking at something,stumbled on a co. with engine drive AC units..they say a 22,000 BTU unit draws 4 to 6 hp so I was about right.

 

Yeah, your idea is the best one. I went through all the math this weekend and there's nothing that can beat it.

I'm going to find a small Kubota or similar, hook up a multiple belt drive pulley to the flywheel output, then hang a pair of automotive compressors off those belts as well as a high powered DC alternator.

So, the boat will run mostly on solar, except when I need heat or air conditioning. Then, I'll fire up the Kubota and produce refrigerant flow. With a reversing valve in the system, I can make my own heat pump.

If the batteries get a little down due to hairdryers or something crazy guests do, I can fire up the Kubota to make some bulk battery charging power.

Also, I'll run a hot water heat exchanger though the Kubota to get that for free when heat, ac or battery charging is going on. (Otherwise, solar will feed it)

Only issue: Where do you find a pair of proper copper/nickel seawater heat exchangers rated for 3 tons each?

Everything else seems a go, assuming just gasoline outboards, which I hate... but will have to live with.

 

They go through the systems & is good info on here though they use AC.. etc.

http://www.hflgen.com/buyingair.html

I have one of their gensets,is not made anymore and you can switch it been 120 or 240 VAC,or 12/24 VDC. It's 4 in one.


Unless you need a large freezer, a holding plate unit driven off the engine isn't worth the extra gear. DC refrigeration has come along way...I've wondered if a DC holding plate system is worth the trouble.

Just google: marine engine driven air conditioning.
And a few co's show up...I had found CuNi heat exchangers but don't remember which site

 

I have an ancient contraption under the house that I believe was once employed by the Australian Army as a drive unit to attach to pontoon barges and the like. It would be no later than the 1950's vintage, and is made from aluminium with stainless shafts, and has a bronze prop 13x9 with left-hand rotation. There is a superficial resemblance to an outboard motor, with mounting brackets and 360 degree rotation in place of reverse gear. But it was driven by a flexible drive, which I don't have, though I have some of the tubing and fittings it turned in. Obviously not something that caught on, but it is obviously a possible solution to utilise to drive from an engine remote from the leg. There is reduction gearing built in to the unit.

 

Actually, I don't use any type of "daily run" systems anymore. Not worth the effort, and you can never leave the boat. My refrigerator and freezer have been (and will be) run exclusively from solar. There will be an enormous freezer, since this is a commercial galley. When you run from solar, it just works, all the time. No daily run schedule that keeps you from being able to fly out to visit family and go on vacation.

 

I've actually worked out a setup for diesels, but I cannot locate any type of appropriate drive leg. Where would one find such a drive leg?

 

hijacked !!

What happened to the origanal post of multipal outboards . why is this yapping And rabbiting on about about air conditioners and other nonsense things that have little to no referance to boats and boating !!
Who hijacked this thread and started this rubbish ??as is it YOU ??

 

Drive legs are relevant to the thread. Objection dismissed !