Boston-based yacht electricity company BoatRx has evolved into a specialist designer of air conditioning systems aboard yachts that can run on only battery power. The battery packs and power control solutions from WhisperPower enable them to do this and install power supply fast and easy.
“The system with the OctoPower energy management together with a large 48-volt battery bank, will make it possible for us to equip a large 80 foot (24 meter) power catamaran with an air conditioning installation that can run silently overnight, only using battery power.”
Founder and technical consultant of Boston-based engineering company BoatRx, Phillip Gutowski has just taken delivery of the set of WhisperPower equipment for this project and is hoping to receive more for future jobs.
BoatRx specializes in hybrid and battery powered air conditioning systems aboard yachts. For the large power catamaran, a system is needed that can provide enough energy to cool the owners and guest cabins during the whole night in typical Caribbean conditions. “We configured the system to be able to cool the central cabin during the evening, where at nighttime the air conditioning should be turned off and then enough energy remains in the battery pack to have the airco’s running in the bed cabins throughout the night,”
Multiple sources
“We apply VRV (variable refrigerant volume) type air conditioning systems, that can be configured to cool or heat only chosen areas with local refrigerant units. This is much more energy efficient than a central system with a chiller. In normal use, after a night’s rest, the crew starts up some power sources and the sun is out, providing solar energy.”
To sail efficient, comfortable and quiet with the motor cat, a Piccolo 18 silent generator is integrated in the onboard electric power network, together with the battery bank and the OctoPower controller. Would the crew leave the central cabin cooling running at night, the silent Piccolo 18 will automatically engage and keep the batteries from draining. Gutowski:
“All of the energy sources on board are used to charge electric power into the battery bank. This catamaran has a hardtop, with solar panels on the roof. And of course, it has two large engines, which we equipped with increased capacity alternators. If all the energy sources provide the power they are designed to do, the generator should virtually never have to run.”
Pre-configured
“The engineers from WhisperPower have pre-configured the Piccolo generator and the power management equipment to exactly match the system aboard the yacht,” Gutowski mentions. “With all the sources of electric power and the consumers of electricity aboard. Even the wiring to connect different components had been pre-installed as they sent the shipment over the Atlantic. This saves time on engineering and even more on installation.”
Phil Gutowski, BoatRx, Boston USA
Ocean entrepreneur
Gutowski shares the specifics of this project and talks about BoatRx through a video call from aboard his sailing yacht. The entrepreneur is planning for a big sailing journey, crossing the Pacific. At the moment his boat is at the US east coast, so the first trip would be across the Caribbean to reach the Panama Canal. For now, he is preparing the yacht with additional and renewed equipment for the journey.
“WhisperPower founder Roel ter Heide promised me a Piccolo 4 that will provide enough electric energy during long times of sailing with no engine running but still having the household functions running. I will be testing this equipment thoroughly myself.”
During the sailing trip, the company founder will keep on working through satellite connection with the crew in Boston as well as with clients.
Prescriptions to improve
Boat Rx was founded 8 years ago and now has a team of 6. At the start, Gutowski thought long about the name. “We wanted to achieve good marketing from the start by having a good company name. After overthinking tons of possibilities, the name that implies offering a custom prescription of substances to better your boat, was chosen.
Whereas BoatRx started off providing electrical engineering for yachts and installing different systems, they have grown into specialists for configuring and installing battery powered air conditioning and heating systems aboard yachts. Even smaller sized yachts can have airco, running on 12-, 24- or 48-volt battery packs, without having to install generators. Even racing sailing yachts haven been equipped with the cooling and heating systems of BoatRx.