Consumer

Consumption

Consumer	Amps	Hours			Amp-Hours			Percentage
		Min	Normal	Max	Min	Normal	Max	Min	Normal	Max
Normal Daily Consumption
Lights
Cockpit	1.4	0.5	1.0	4.0	0.7	1.4	5.8	1.1%	1.1%	2.5%
Galley	1.9	1.0	2.0	4.0	1.9	3.9	7.7	3.0%	3.0%	3.4%
Salon	2.4	2.5	3.5	5.0	6.1	8.5	12.2	9.3%	6.7%	5.4%
Companionway	2.8	0.0	1.5	3.0		4.2	8.3		3.3%	3.7%
Head	0.4	0.1	0.2	0.7	0.0	0.1	0.3	0.1%	0.1%	0.1%
Aft Cabin	2.9	0.1	0.2	0.3	0.3	0.6	0.9	0.4%	0.5%	0.4%
For. Bunk	1.9	0.2	1.5	3.0	0.4	2.8	5.6	0.6%	2.2%	2.5%
For. Cabin	1.0	0.1	0.2	0.3	0.1	0.2	0.3	0.1%	0.1%	0.1%
Reading	1.1	1.0	6.0	9.0	1.1	6.8	10.2	1.7%	5.3%	4.5%
Masthead	1.4	0.0	1.0	10.0		1.4	14.0		1.1%	6.2%
Total					10.6	29.8	65.2	16.3%	23.3%	28.7%

Pumps
Starboard Fresh	7.0	0.0	0.0	0.1			0.7			0.3%
Port Fresh	5.0	0.0	0.1	0.2		0.5	0.8		0.4%	0.3%
Port Bilge	10.5	0.0	0.0	0.1			1.1			0.5%
Starboard Bilge	7.5	0.0	0.0	0.1			0.8			0.3%
Shower Bilge	5.3	0.0	0.1	0.1		0.3	0.5		0.2%	0.2%
Total					0.0	0.8	3.8		0.6%	1.7%

Communication
Iridium Phone	0.2	24.0	24.0	24.0	4.8	4.8	4.8	7.4%	3.8%	2.1%
VHF Standby	0.3	14.0	20.0	24.0	4.2	6.0	7.2	6.5%	4.7%	3.2%
VHF Receive	0.4	0.1	0.3	0.7	0.0	0.1	0.3	0.1%	0.3%	0.5%
VHF X-Mit Low	1.4	0.1	0.2	0.3	0.1	0.2	0.4	0.2%	0.3%	0.4%
VHF X-Mit High	5.5	0.0	0.1	0.1		0.3	0.6		0.4%	0.6%
SSB Receive	1.7	0.3	0.9	1.7	0.5	1.5	2.9	0.8%	1.2%	1.3%
SSB Transmit	20.0	0.0	0.2	0.4		4.0	8.0		3.1%	3.5%
Total					9.6	16.9	24.0	14.8%	13.2%	10.6%

Computers
Chris's
E-mail	2.4	0.5	2.0	3.5	1.2	4.8	8.4	1.8%	3.8%	3.7%
School	2.4	0.5	1.5	3.5	1.2	3.6	8.4	1.8%	2.8%	3.7%
Gaming	4.8	0.0	0.1	0.3		0.7	1.4		0.5%	0.6%
Weather fax	2.4	0.0	0.3	0.7		0.7	1.7		0.5%	0.8%
Amanda's
Writing	2.4	0.1	0.6	1.1	0.3	1.4	2.7	0.5%	1.1%	1.2%
Gaming	4.8	0.0	0.0	0.1			0.7			0.3%
Jon's
School	2.4	0.0	1.5	5.0		3.6	12.0		2.8%	5.3%
Gaming	4.8	0.0	0.1	0.3		0.7	1.4		0.5%	0.6%
Movies	5.0	0.0	0.1	0.6		0.7	2.9		0.6%	1.3%
Sue's
School	2.1	0.1	0.3	0.6	0.3	0.6	1.2	0.5%	0.5%	0.5%
Total					3.0	16.7	40.7	4.7%	13.1%	18.0%

Other
Watermaker	8.8	1.0	2.0	3.0	8.8	17.6	26.4	13.5%	13.8%	11.6%
CD Player	1.3	0.0	5.0	11.0		6.3	13.8		4.9%	6.1%
Refrigerator	3.3	10.0	12.0	16.0	33.0	39.6	52.8	50.7%	31.0%	23.3%
Total					41.8	63.5	93.0	64.2%	49.7%	41.0%

Grand Total					65.1	127.6	226.7

The data I have here are over a year old, but for the most part should still be accurate. Some of the usage numbers may change from time to time, but it is unlikely they shall ever exceed either the minimum or the maximum on any regular basis. If they do, I shall certainly adjust the numbers. If I find any significant error, I will correct it with the next update.

One modification that I would like to make, but which I do not have time to present with this version, is the addition of data concerning consumption during sailing. Unfortunately, such data is much harder to calculate than normal daily usage, as we do not sail a regular number of days in any length of time (a month, for example,) or even spend a regular amount of time at sea across any number of given crossings. This is further complicated by the fact that are usage while sailing appears to be less regular than our normal daily usage.

As for the data shown here, a few things are worthy of note. The category 'Other' simply contains 3 things as I had no other place for, but accounts for nearly half of the normal consumption. Of the 3, the refrigerator accounts for nearly 2/3^ds and is by far the largest single consumer in any category. (Although the graphs are divided by category, 'Other' is not shown. It is split into its 3 components, shown clearly on the legends.)

Other noteworthy points include that lights consume a startling proportion of our daily usage. At nearly a quarter of normal consumption, it may be that a little more caution in their use could result in a notably decreased consumption. Although we try to be conscious of our light usage, I am sure we could be much more so.

The results in the pumps category surprised me. I had known that the pumps would take a notable amount of power when running, and even so some of the numbers seemed unpleasantly high. It was amazing how little they actually account for though. Although they may take more than 7 or even 10 amps while working, they run so rarely it is hardly possible to notice their consumption. Round to the nearest 2 amps and they would essentially vanish, round to the nearest percent and they would vanish. Even all together, they amount to less than most individual light circuits.

I am satisfied with the totals for consumption. The solar panels should produce between about 110 and 170 amp-hours per day (this is an estimate with significant leeway on either side, I hypothesize the real number to be between 135 and 165 most of the time.) Even at this very low production, it would be a while, perhaps a week or two, before we would have any notable problems with our battery levels (we would probably be very energy conscious under overcast skies.)

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