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Lisa.Lenhoff Posts: 3
4 days ago
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Friends,
Leaving Malmo, Sweden and heading to Norway we have discovered that about 2/3rds of the Marina's we've been in have 16amp connections but they are actually on 10amp breakers which is too small for our needs. Bummer!!!
~Lisa
edited by Lisa.Lenhoff on 27/05/2025
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Dick Posts: 413
3 days ago
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Hi Lisa,
We tried (and succeeded usually) when restricted to 10A shore power to keep Alchemy’s batteries powered-up which, for us, was all we needed as everything else worked off batteries.
The issue was the initial in-rush of amperage, needed to start the battery charger (bc) charging, would blow the circuit breaker (cb).
In an admittedly kluge-y way I did not like doing but usually worked, I would plug in and start the bc and a few seconds later the cb would blow. Doing this a few times and each time the inrush was lower as the battery bank started getting a bit of a surface charge and finally the in-rush amperage draw dropped below 10 amps and the bc kept going.
After that there was no boat load that demanded the bc compensate with over 10A.
It helps to do this right away after securing the boat as the batteries are charged from just motoring.
Less kluge-y, I also considered a small (under 10-amp draw) portable bc such as used by automobile owners. This could get the batteries going and charged and then the boat’s bc could take over. Never needed to go that far, but a better solution, I think, if in 10-amp territory for longer periods.
Good luck, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
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Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
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Simon Currin Administrator Posts: 818
3 days ago
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Dick,
Can’t you just dial down the number of amps the charger (or charger/inverter) draws to stay below 10 amps?
As an aside we got caught out by the big amps that go through the shore power cable in the US. We were used our European 16 amp one until it quickly melted with half the volts and twice the amps. After that we always controlled the amps coming in using the charger inverter as we worried that our internal wiring wasn’t rated for high US amps (though I think they are rated to 32 amps).
Simon
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Simon Currin
S/V Shimshal simon@medex.org.uk
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Dick Posts: 413
2 days ago
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Hi Simon,
Mine was a dedicated charger at the time and it was not possible: the only controls were for the different charging algorithms for different battery chemistries. That BC has since been replaced by a dedicated Mastervolt charger and I am not aware one can dial down the amp draw. I have read the directions and think I would remember, but I will check.
That sounds like a nice feature of your inverter-charger: what kind is it?
That melt-down sounds scary. Better always to be wary of AC electrical systems. Before I took my US boat to Europe and I knew I would be there a while, I put in a very modest 220v system allowing me to us UK.EU appliances such as dehumidifiers and space heaters and to charge batteries. 110v could still be brought on line to the boats 110v system by using the inverter. Covered the bases.
Certainly one of the benefits of 24v DC boat systems vs 12v is the weight and expense saving by using smaller gauge wires.
My best, Dick
Hi Simon,
Mine was a dedicated charger at the time and it was not possible: the only controls were for the different charging algorithms for different battery chemistries. That BC has since been replaced by a dedicated Mastervolt charger and I am not aware one can dial down the amp draw. I have read the directions and think I would remember, but I will check.
That sounds like a nice feature of your inverter-charger: what kind is it?
That melt-down sounds scary. Better always to be wary of AC electrical systems. Before I took my US boat to Europe and I knew I would be there a while, I put in a very modest 220v system allowing me to us UK.EU appliances such as dehumidifiers and space heaters and to charge batteries. 110v could still be brought on line to the boats 110v system by using the inverter. Covered the bases.
Certainly one of the benefits of 24v DC boat systems vs 12v is the weight and expense saving by using smaller gauge wires.
My best, Dick
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Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
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Arnd.Wussing Posts: 6
2 days ago
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Dick wrote:
...
That sounds like a nice feature of your inverter-charger: what kind is it?..
My past 2 boats had various Victron models of inverter/chargers, which all allow a nifty feature of limiting the shore power draw. If the boat loads exceed the set limit, the remaining power is drawn through the inverter. This is a great feature in Europe, but I've used it in the USA and Caribbean as well to limit the charging speed when the battery bank is depleted; this prevents any heat buildup that happens with high charge rates.
edited by Arnd.Wussing on 29/05/2025
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Dick Posts: 413
1 days ago
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Hi Lisa,
I am not sure what needs your boat has that precludes cruising where only 10A is available. Can you say more?
That is ~~2200 watts (10 x 220) which would run most heavy use items that a boat has and even many of “luxury” hungry accessories such as space heaters and/or air conditioners. I also think 2200 watts is able to handle the in-rush current for most battery chargers.
Now, coping with restricted power may demand that one turn off the space heater when you wish to use the electric kettle or micro-wave: we have needed to do that on numerous occasions when using 20A shore power which is not uncommon in Canada (20A at 110v is the same amount as 10A at 220: both ~~2200 watts).
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
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Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
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Simon Currin Administrator Posts: 818
1 days ago
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Dick,
We had this function on our old Victron charger / inverter and on our newer Mastervolt so it’s been around for 20 years. You are right about the dangers of AC but you will be amused to know that it was an electrician (in the US) who melted our European 16 amp charger cable. It happened when he upgraded us to lithium and, of course, they charge at a very high rate and he hadn’t throttled our SHOREPOWER input to be below 16 amps.
North Americans are used to this super-thick SHOREPOWER cables so he hadn’t clocked the concern.
Why does America insist on 110v? It must be a huge problem for home EV charging.
Simon
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Simon Currin
S/V Shimshal simon@medex.org.uk
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Dick Posts: 413
21 hours ago
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Hi Simon,
I will check my MV instruction manual to see if there is the capacity to reduce output. It is a nice feature.
As to US and 110v: at one point in our years in Europe, I started an article on the many ways the US has chosen different paths: “red to right returning”, driving on which side of the road , etc.. Did not go anywhere but it was fun to play with.
But I did learn, correct me if I am wrong, that because 220v is so much more lethal, that UK and EU construction sites use a transformer to degrade the V to 110 as the chance for stray current is so much greater. This allowed a friend to purchase some 110v tools to use for a project. I believe many US boats also purchase one of these transformers for use when in 220v-land: the hertz difference makes little difference for most appliances.
Some of these differences seem so arbitrary. I recently heard that my favorite drive for screws (Robertson or square drive) vs Phillips or slot was undermined by Henry Ford as he liked Phillips and slot and insisted those only could be used in his factories. Therein lies the reason a generally acknowledged better drive system is little used in the US and more common in Canada.
Not sure all of the above is accurate, but certainly underlines the potential for arbitrary roads to be chosen.
My best, Dick
PS, And it was a delight to use 220v shore power cords for all those years.
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Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
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