- Free shipping from €150
- Own workshop
- Premium quality materials
How a simple request from the owner of a beautiful houseboat led to a complete overhaul of the electrical system. Read part 1 of our series on this challenging project here. The challenge was not only the complexity of the system, but also working on-site with all the necessary equipment and tools, and the client's reliance on this system. It concerns a house, and a prolonged winter outage would make the boat uninhabitable.
We have a Victron EasySolar 24/3000/70 MPPT 150/70 on our houseboat. I've never been able to use the app. I'd like to be able to use it because, among other things, I need to see the DC load. Currently, the built-in Color Control doesn't work. I'd appreciate some help with this and with a few other questions about my battery pack
These are the questions we at Robust-MT Marine Technology BV find interesting. After all, you never know what you'll find. Every boat is unique in that respect, but the request was quite specific, and the components mentioned were in line with our product range. We corresponded with this customer, which led to an invitation to come and inspect the situation on board.
Arriving at the houseboat, we were surprised by a beautiful boat with an extremely cozy interior, where a couple had been living for a few years. A spacious cabin with a large table and an impressive wheelhouse. A staircase down, immediately after which a full bathroom, even with a bathtub, opened. A cozy living room with an open kitchen, pellet stove, workspace, and a lovely bedroom for the owners. If we ever get the chance to live on a boat, we'd love to own one of those beautiful, floating houseboats.
Beneath the cabin is a huge technical room with a wealth of tools, batteries, inverters, pumps, a diesel engine, a diesel generator, water tanks, and so on. Too much to absorb at once. It was, of course, the technical room where we were asked for advice. This room still housed the batteries and the EasySolar inverter, the heart of the system.
Before a second visit to the houseboat, the client carried out a major clear-out of the mechanical room and moved the batteries to the cabin benches for better accessibility. The wiring also received an initial overhaul. It was wonderful to work with such a technically skilled and friendly client on such a wonderful project and to be able to complement each other.
During a second visit, we first installed a shunt on the house battery and thoroughly tested the system by running several loads simultaneously. The result was that we quickly saw that the inverter was working perfectly, but the batteries were experiencing a significant voltage drop when discharged. So significant that we concluded they needed to be replaced, and the customer decided to upgrade to a proper new lithium-ion battery setup.
While we initially intended to create a complete overview of all sources and consumers and their expected usage throughout the seasons, the customer was faced with an unreliable system during the winter months, requiring rapid action. Based on existing capacity and some overcapacity for future expansion, we arrived at the following set of parameters:
On Friday, February 7th, we dismantled the old battery bank, removed the old batteries, installed the new main bank, and connected the distribution board and BMS, including the inverter. We also connected the Cerbo to the display in the wheelhouse. All in all, a monumental job. The moment we turned on the main switch (2-2) and the Cerbo screen came on with all the information from the entire system was a magical moment. After changing some settings, configuring the VRM portal and remote access, and thoroughly testing the system, a 16-hour day was over. The customer is thrilled because instead of being off-grid for 15 minutes, they can now go off-grid for three days with lighting, pumps, cooking, pellet stove, internet, etc. And then we still have to optimize the rest of the system and connect the solar panels.
In the next part of this report, we'll discuss connecting the engine as a power source and installing the starter batteries. The generator also needs to be integrated, and the 24V network needs to be cleaned up.
Another fantastic project we're proud of. Do you also need support with your electrical system in your home, houseboat, pleasure craft, camper, or van? Feel free to contact us.
