How long can you stay on the water with a fully charged battery? There's no single, concrete answer to that question. The type of boat you sail, the location, and the battery capacity are all important factors for an accurate calculation. You don't have to do it yourself. At Powerlit, we're happy to determine the required power for your boat and your needs. We do this based on the following factors.
- Battery capacity
The battery's capacity, measured in ampere-hours (Ah) or kilowatt-hours (kWh), largely determines when you need to charge it. The higher the capacity, the longer you can stay on the water.
- Boat type and weight
Small, lightweight boats generally require less energy to propel themselves forward than larger models. Your battery will last longer when sailing an electric sloop than when taking to the water with a large motorboat.
- Engine power
A powerful engine generally consumes a lot of energy, even when sailing at the same speed as a less powerful model.
- Sailing speed
If you're sailing fast, your battery will drain faster than if you're sailing at a more leisurely pace. So you can extend your time on the water by sailing more slowly.
- Weather and water conditions
The more challenging the weather conditions, the higher the energy consumption. Braving wind, waves, and strong currents? There's a good chance the battery will drain faster.
- Boat and engine efficiency
Some boats and motors are designed to travel many miles, even at high speeds. Others aren't. An efficient design is essential if you prefer to spend as much time on the water as possible.
How does Powerlit calculate the required power for your needs?
To make the correct calculation, we extensively tested boats and batteries of various types and sizes. On open water and along the canals; in sun, rain, and strong winds.
An example test case: we calculated the sailing time of a 430cm-long sloop with a total load of +/- 450kg.
The data
- Boat type: Sloop, 430cm
- Motor type : Amarew 2000W 24V Electric motor
- Battery type: Powerlit 24V 100AH Lifepo4 battery 2560W
- Number of persons: 2
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Sailing conditions: 14 degrees, wind force 3, canals and open water
What is the consumption per speed?
To determine fuel consumption at each speed, we need do almost nothing! The Powerlit battery's smart Bluetooth BMS system displays the exact fuel consumption of the battery pack. By pairing this with a GPS speed sensor, we achieved the following test results:
-3kmh: 150W per hour 2560/150= 17 hours
-4kmh: 250W per hour 2560/250= 10.25 hours
-5kmh: 400W per hour 2560/400= 6.4 hours
-6kmh: 625W per hour 2560/625= 4 hours
-7kmh: 925W per hour 2560/925= 2.75 hours
-8kmh: 1300W per hour 2560/1250= 1.96 hours
-9/10kmh: 2000W per hour 2560/2000= 1.28 hours
Is the battery capacity sufficient?
That depends on your boating preferences! There's no doubt about it: sailing fast uses exponentially more power. Do you enjoy spending every weekend cruising the canals? At a speed of 6 km/h, you can sail for four hours, which is longer than the average person. Prefer to sail much faster and for longer? If you're primarily speeding up on open water, you'll need a larger or multiple batteries.
Personal advice?
Use this form to tell us what type of boat and engine you'd like to use, and how long you'd like to stay on the water on average. Or give us a call, and we'll be happy to give you a free consultation.
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