2021 Leopard 45 Owner's Version
By the very nature of cruising you will become an "expert" in managing electricity production and consumption. This is probably the area I have learned the most in our years on Semper Fi. Over the first three boats we owned I found what worked, what didn't work and what we needed/wanted. That combined with the technologic improvements over the years allowed me to build the system we have today on our fourth boat.
One of my goals was to have enough solar and battery capacity that we could operate our Master Berth Air Conditioning overnight without running the generator. If you can't do that you have to choose between running your generator all night or sleeping without Air Conditioning. I didn't want to do either so we have the solar capacity to charge our battery bank in the daytime, the battery capacity to supply the power and an inverter that can carry the load. Now instead of 9 or 10 hours of generator run time a night I have maybe 9 - 10 hours of generator run time a week. The result is less hours and maintenance on the generator, quiet at night, and a lot less diesel being burned.
Managing Power is a required skill to go cruising
Solar
2400 amp/hrs Lithium Batteries
Victron Lynx Distributor M8 & Victron Lynx Shunt
Victron Lynx Distributor M8 & Victron Lynx Shunt
April 2024 are 6 x 400 Amp/Hr Lithium Batteries. That gives us 2400 Amp/Hrs of power available. More than you will find on any sailing boat of this size. This is a number that was only a dream just a few years ago.
Victron Lynx Distributor M8 & Victron Lynx Shunt
Victron Lynx Distributor M8 & Victron Lynx Shunt
Victron Lynx Distributor M8 & Victron Lynx Shunt
Also new in April 2024 is the Victron Lynx Distributor. Each Distributor can handle 4 batteries so there are two distributors joined to handle the 6 batteries. The Distributer joins to a Victron 1000 Shunt
Victron Lynx Shunt 1000
Victron Lynx Distributor M8 & Victron Lynx Shunt
Victron Lynx Shunt 1000
The Victron Lynx Shunt 1000 is the final piece of the April 2024 upgrade. This shunt allows "intelligent" management and monitoring of your state of power and consumption.
Victron Lynx Shunt 1000
Four 175 watt Solar Panels mounted forward on the Saloon Hardtop
Victron Lynx Shunt 1000
The Victron Lynx Shunt 1000 is the final piece of the April 2024 upgrade. This shunt allows "intelligent" management and monitoring of your state of power and consumption.
Four 400 Watt Solar Panels on the rear rack.
Four 175 watt Solar Panels mounted forward on the Saloon Hardtop
Four 175 watt Solar Panels mounted forward on the Saloon Hardtop
Four Talesun BiStar 400w Mono Solar Panlels provide 1600w of the 2300 watts of Solar on board S/V Semper Fi. Each 400w panel has a dedicated Victron MPPT 100/30 Solar Controller.
Four 175 watt Solar Panels mounted forward on the Saloon Hardtop
Four 175 watt Solar Panels mounted forward on the Saloon Hardtop
Four 175 watt Solar Panels mounted forward on the Saloon Hardtop
Four SunPower 175w Flexible High Efficiency Solar Panels clustered two to a Victron MPPT 100/30 Solar Controller. The panels are mounted forward on the saloon hardtop and provide 700w of the 2300 watts on board S/V Semper Fi
Victron MPPT 100/30 Solar Charge Controllers
Victron MPPT 100/30 Solar Charge Controllers
Victron MPPT 100/30 Solar Charge Controllers
The red device on the left of the picture is a Sterling BBW 12v/120A used to divert excess power from the alternators while the engine is running. It works by sensing the state of charge of the engine starter battery. When the starter battery is at full charge and the alternator is producing power it diverts that excess power to the house batteries. It also protects the starter batteries from any draw from the house batteries.
Victron MPPT 100/30 Solar Charge Controllers
Victron MPPT 100/30 Solar Charge Controllers
Victron MPPT 100/30 Solar Charge Controllers
6 Vitron Controllers: One Victon Controller per 400 watt panel and one Victron Contoller per 2x175 watt panels
Victron Cerbo GX
Victron MPPT 100/30 Solar Charge Controllers
Victron Cerbo GX
The Cerbo GX is the brains of the Victron System. This is the device that receives and consolidates information from the solar panels, generator, batteries, inverter/charger, etc
Solar
Victron Quattro 5000 watt Inverter and 200 Amp Charger
Victron Quattro 5000 watt Inverter and 200 Amp Charger
Victron Quattro 5000 watt Inverter and 200 Amp Charger
New in April 2024 Victron Quattro 5000/200. This is the top of the line inverter/charger with capacity to handle any load our boat might require. The 2500/100 is an upgrade from anything Leopard offers and this Victron Quattro is double that. This is one of the keys to running the heavy draw systems like Air Conditioning or Water Maker on our boat without running the generator.
Main Power Panel
Victron Quattro 5000 watt Inverter and 200 Amp Charger
Victron Quattro 5000 watt Inverter and 200 Amp Charger
The Main Electric panel gives and complete view of that state of the system with the BV 712 Smart Battery Monitor and the Victron Screen.
Victron Screen
Victron BV 712 Smart Battery Monitor
Victron BV 712 Smart Battery Monitor
This Victron Screen is my "go-to" for power status. You can see all sources of power in and out. There are subordinate pages that allow you to modify settings. The entirety of the system can be accessed on an app on your phone from anywhere in the world.
Victron BV 712 Smart Battery Monitor
Victron BV 712 Smart Battery Monitor
Victron BV 712 Smart Battery Monitor
The BV 712 Smart monitor gives another source of confirming the state of the batteries. Although I use the Victron Screen most of the time, it is very convenient to have another source of info.
Solar
Northern Lights/Lugar 9kw Generator
Northern Lights/Lugar 9kw Generator
Northern Lights/Lugar 9kw Generator
The Northern Lights/Lugar 9kw generator has been an option that we have had on all three of our Leopard Catamarans. They are proven and reliable.
Northern Lights/Lugar 9kw Generator
Northern Lights/Lugar 9kw Generator
Northern Lights/Lugar 9kw Generator
Located in the Port Foward Lazarette it is as far away from the Master Berth bed as possible. Even though it is relatively quiet it is better to have the solar and batteries that we have.
Northern Lights/Lugar 9kw Generator
Northern Lights/Lugar 9kw Generator
Northern Lights/Lugar 9kw Generator
By minimizing the run hours with our solar and battery configuration it minimizes the run and therefore maintenance. I change oil every 250 hours. If you run the Air Conditioning off the generator then you are changing oil and other maintenance every three weeks or so. After three years on our boat we only have about 700 hours of run time.