Choices in ground tackle.

[Zozza 293]

Hold on here.  I have a RC8-6 , that will be juiced only by solar and AGM batteries as I have no inboard engine as my auxillary is an outboard.

Reading some of these posts has given me pause.....seems as if I am gonna have a huge spike when using the windlass that could well blow it out.

[raz88 96]

Not an expert but wouldn't operating the winch off the batteries which sit around 12.5v require considerably more current than operating the winch at 14.4v with the engine running?

 

Worse if the voltage drops as you run the winch.

 

I don't know what voltage the current ratings discussed above are at but would think if you're rated for an 80amp breaker at 14.4v you run the risk of continually popping the breaker if you run it at 12v.

[DrWatson 374]

Not an expert but wouldn't operating the winch off the batteries which sit around 12.5v require considerably more current than operating the winch at 14.4v with the engine running?

 

Worse if the voltage drops as you run the winch.

 

I don't know what voltage the current ratings discussed above are at but would think if you're rated for an 80amp breaker at 14.4v you run the risk of continually popping the breaker if you run it at 12v.

Im not sure if it works like that, does it? I mean the windlass has a nominal wattage of 700, and I expect that’s at 12 v. But as the battery gets lower on voltage upon discharge, will a load draw more and more current, or will it only draw what it can get? Extrapolating the „draws more current“ theory, a load attached to a 100% flat battery would be drawing infinite current... and I’m pretty sure that’s not the case.

 

In any case, we’ll have two of these suckers in parallel, http://www.super-b.com/en/product/30//sb12v160e-zc#product-specifications

Nominal full charge voltage 14.6V

So I think we’ll be ok regarding battery survival.

I think the breakers will hold - this is the first discussion I’ve read where there was a mention of something drawing enough current at its spec voltage to blow its fuses. If you had to run everything at 2v more than nominal spec just to be sure you didn’t blow a fuse, I’d be blöödy surprised.

 

Update; Lewmar manual says correct voltage should be 13.5v. But I expect the breakers are spec’d with a fair decent safety margarita.

[Zozza 293]

No, the breaker it came with is sized to blow in unusual spikes not at start up.

 

As long as you don't haul up, 15 minutes later move 300mts anchor again then haul up, 20mins later move 300mts and anchor again sort of thing, like fishos do hunting fish, you'll be fine.

 

Beside worst case, you are no 40kg scrawny prick so 2 weetbix, rip off the shirt and get those abs pumping as the big guns show people how to do it armstrong style. Get a bit of sweat on the brow, the abs pumped up and you'll have Mermaids blushing all around the bay :)

 

If I just stuck to weetbix then maybe those mermaids would come running (swimming) as they could finally see my abs under the custard pudding!

[Dtwo 157]

But I expect the breakers are spec’d with a fair decent safety margarita.

 

Ahh yes, the safety margarita.  I knew it would only be a matter of time until this issue raised its salty little head.