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Nigel Calder’s Integrel, Part 2—Is It Really Better Than a Generator?

In Part 1 of our review of Nigel Calder’s Integrel machine, we dug into how it works, why it’s innovative, my worries about reliability, and why it is neither fault tolerant nor easily repairable in the field.

And, finally, we concluded that it was too expensive and complicated to be of use to cruisers who have reasonably modest daily power needs.

But what about those of us who want all the comforts of home and therefore use a lot of power in the run of a day, or even those with one foot in each camp?

Up until now, the only realistic way to achieve that was by fitting a separate generator. Yes, I know some cruisers are harvesting huge amounts of power using renewables, but, although I think that can be done on motorboats with plenty of deck space and little shading, doing this on sailboats results in un-seamanlike clutter and windage. Yea, I know, that’s not a popular view, but when did that ever stop me?

So before you go any further into this chapter, you may want to take our simple test to see if you even need a generator, or Nigel’s Integrel machine.

Also, those of us who have an even tiny bit of lust for all the comforts of home, as promoted by Triskel Marine, Nigel and Paul Shard, should read on, since we will cover what that’s really going to cost us, in complication, aggravation, and money, with Integrel or a stand alone generator.

OK, still with us…you luster after all the comforts of home, you?  Let’s shine the bright light of arithmetic rigour and analytical thinking on this thing.


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More Articles From Integrel Review:

  1. Nigel Calder’s Integrel, Part 1—What You Need To Know
  2. Nigel Calder’s Integrel, Part 2—Is It Really Better Than a Generator?
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Dick Stevenson

Hi John,
Excellent article and analysis of power generating even aside from the focus on Nigel’s contribution. With your other articles, the whole is a great and realistic model for any cruiser, experienced or otherwise, to think about their power needs and approach designing a system to meet those needs.
You report MC being in the 200-400 amp range and that you do an hour or so of generator running per day. I am curious about the battery charger set up you use: is it one big charger or a few strung together? What is the initial amp output if you start at 50% depleted and how many amps are being put into the battery bank when you reach 80% about an hour later?
I am also curious about whether there is a drop-off in amp output when you add load such as a water heater.
My little experience with AC gensets is that it is hard to get the full kw capacity of the genset into DC amps, at least in any sustained way. Then, when you tried to load up the genset by adding loads like the water heater, the output of the battery chargers drops.
Thanks for your thoughts,
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy

Jean Jutras

Hi
There is another alternative to recharge batteries. Each summer, I am cruising New England for 3 months and when I anchor in an idyllic harbor I do not appreciate to have my pleasure ruined by other boats starting their generators. If you are cruising in popular places, you know what I mean. This can become horrible. I have a DC Fischer Panda and I stoped using it in 2015 when I had an EFOY 210 installed in my Cabo Rico 42. I loved it immediately. I would not cruise without it. At anchor, we can enjoy music or silence on board and this is priceless. The EFOY has zero maintenance, do not beak, can be used sailing or at anchor and operate in an auto mode. I start my season bringing 10 gallons ($900) on board. I can be anchored for days up to a week and never have to start my generator. I run a freezer, fridge and electronics and need about 250 amps per day. My solar panels with the fuel cell do provide all the amps I need daily. For me, the Efoy is the second most valued item on my boat, after the autopilot.

Jean Jutras
s/v Mahi Mahi

Marek

Excellent article…little bit wordy but Nigel Calder pieces are not brief either ?
All this hoopla only strengthen my belief that “conservation is better than generation”. If somebody wants all the comforts of home buy a home. BTW in many tripical countries beachfront property will cost less than the whole Intergel system and the breeze is free….keep up the good work John!

Alan

Some Nordhavns take a more efficient approach to power generation underway, obviously does not change the consumption. They typically have hydraulic stabilising fins driven by a pump on the main engine gearbox PTO and this system can be expanded to include a hydraulically driven A.C. cruising generator

Conor Smith

Steve Dashew experimented with that, I believe, in some of his early sundeer boats. He had a hydraulic PTO running a crash pump, generator head, and something else I thought too. The blogpost said in the end it did not work the way he hoped.

Dick Stevenson

Hi all,
I am rather surprised and curious about why Nigel, or one of his team, has not responded to John’s article and the comments generated. Just as I appreciate it when principles get involved (like the man who commented on Colin’s anchor article), I notice when an article gets ignored. The marine community benefits from a respectful give and take.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy