Car battery to power lights etc?
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Probably a bit too late for you taws (as you already have the freezers), but a chest freezer is a better choice than an upright. As soon as you open the door on an upright the cold air pours out of the freezer and all over your feet
When you close the door the freezer then has to work extra hard to bring the air temperature back down. With a chest freezer it's not so much of a problem as the cold air stays in the freezer when you open the lid.So you would greatly reduce power consumption from the batteries by using a chest freezer and switching it on for only a few hours a day (actual time depending on local temperatures and how quick it warms up). A simple power socket timer (like the ones used to control lights) would do this with very little drain on the batteries.
You can get email at sea via hf radio free if you have a amateur radio licence. There are two systems - http://www.winlink.org/ which needs an expensive modem, and pskmail which just needs a laptop with soundcard.
Ordinary car batteries don't do well if you deep discharge them, so I's agree with everything that's been said about marine/leisure batteries being preferable. But for emergency use, it's reasonable to use what you have.
My amateur station is battery powered - I have a small solar panel that keeps the spare battery topped up. Wind is a good bet and I did look at the Rutland windcharger but they are pretty expensive. I remember seeing a homemade windcharger that was based on a dynamo bike wheel.
Hiya Dogwood,
I spend usually 10 to 12 weeks of the worst part of the winter, wherever I happen to be, in a marina. I'm nearly 66 now and too old to ride out the December gales in some desolate anchorage while all the youngsters are tucked away in marinas. so I join 'em...
I've got a laptop and most marinas sell an Internet connection facility. This one is 30 Euros unlimited useage per month, so I sign up for the time I'm here. Once I get to sea I have no internet access and use Internet cafes when I call into harbours briefly for water and stores.[/QUOTE]
Ordinary car batteries don't do well if you deep discharge them, so I's agree with everything that's been said about marine/leisure batteries being preferable. But for emergency use, it's reasonable to use what you have.
My amateur station is battery powered - I have a small solar panel that keeps the spare battery topped up. Wind is a good bet and I did look at the Rutland windcharger but they are pretty expensive. I remember seeing a homemade windcharger that was based on a dynamo bike wheel.
Hiya Dogwood,
I spend usually 10 to 12 weeks of the worst part of the winter, wherever I happen to be, in a marina. I'm nearly 66 now and too old to ride out the December gales in some desolate anchorage while all the youngsters are tucked away in marinas. so I join 'em..
.I've got a laptop and most marinas sell an Internet connection facility. This one is 30 Euros unlimited useage per month, so I sign up for the time I'm here. Once I get to sea I have no internet access and use Internet cafes when I call into harbours briefly for water and stores.[/QUOTE]
You can get email at sea via hf radio free if you have a amateur radio licence. There are two systems - http://www.winlink.org/ which needs an expensive modem, and pskmail which just needs a laptop with soundcard.
Thanks for that Doc. I have a basic VHF which I really only use to "listen in" on, for channel 16 the emergency channel, just in case someone close by needs help, it's got about 15 mile range (on a good day!!)I wouldn't want contact with shore other than that, people would have me on a string and start flapping if the 'ol boy didn't make his check calls. ..
Paws, I've seen a big home made fan/propellor type rig ashore on an old London bus..He had it spinning a car alternator to charge his lighting battery, but you have to gear it up so you get about a gizzilion revs on the alternator to do any good..
Thanks for that Doc. I have a basic VHF which I really only use to "listen in" on, for channel 16 the emergency channel, just in case someone close by needs help, it's got about 15 mile range (on a good day!!)I wouldn't want contact with shore other than that, people would have me on a string and start flapping if the 'ol boy didn't make his check calls. ..
Paws, I've seen a big home made fan/propellor type rig ashore on an old London bus..He had it spinning a car alternator to charge his lighting battery, but you have to gear it up so you get about a gizzilion revs on the alternator to do any good..
He had it spinning a car alternator to charge his lighting battery, but you have to gear it up so you get about a gizzilion revs on the alternator to do any good..
I've got some instructions some where that show you how to rewind alternators so they will generate the correct current with a prop just stuck on the front. I got them from the center for alternative technology, they are an interesting read and if I ever have to I'll give it a go but it did seem like an awful lot of bother
I guess if something is free and available eg car batteries, don't knock it but I agree asking any battery to keep a freezer going is a bit much, the most I ever ask of my battery is a couple of flourescent tubes, a submersible pump, occasional coolbox use and charging a laptop/mobile phone via an inverter.
For the most part a freezer ought to keep things frozen during small power outages, for anything longer I would go for a generator.
As for my battery I use a solar panel ( I forget how many watts now, it is about 36" by 12" ) from a company that must have gone bust years ago because I can't find the details now.
It keeps it topped up for my limited usage.
For the most part a freezer ought to keep things frozen during small power outages, for anything longer I would go for a generator.
As for my battery I use a solar panel ( I forget how many watts now, it is about 36" by 12" ) from a company that must have gone bust years ago because I can't find the details now.
It keeps it topped up for my limited usage.
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