Electricity supply of a floating house - creating the ability to connect electrical appliances in a floating house, for comfortable living.
The nature of the phenomenon
One of the most important competitive advantages of life on the water is the possibility of not connecting to centralized networks ("off-grid"), which creates the basis for a fundamental change of lifestyle thanks to mobility and freed-up resources.
Low-voltage network
Creating a low-voltage network (12 V) to run LED lighting fixtures throughout the house looks the most promising. High-voltage appliances (220 V) are then connected through an inverter, a device that converts low voltage into high voltage.
Besides consumers (light bulbs, radios, navigation devices), such a network also has batteries (standard car batteries) and power generators connected to it.
Readily available solar panels are the most commonly used generators.
The high-voltage network is connected via a transfer cable, when possible.
This scheme is typical for the power supply of yachts and floating dachas, and provides a high degree of autonomy.
Weaknesses of an autonomous low-voltage network
- A significant share of everyday household appliances are difficult or impossible to connect to a car-type network, which limits the low-voltage network's use to lighting, charging mobile phones, and powering navigation equipment.
- Batteries do not hold up for long without power generators that are currently active connected (and can barely withstand running an inverter under such conditions).
- Available power generators depend on the presence of solar energy. For year-round operation of the network it is better to supplement the system with other generators, such as a compact wind generator suitable for mounting on the house roof. As a rule, there is no shortage of wind energy on bodies of water, especially in winter and on overcast days - precisely when solar panel generation becomes questionable.
Hybrid network
This implies a low-voltage part connected to a high-voltage part by a charging device that powers the battery (or batteries). In the high-voltage part of such a network it makes sense to use a generator that produces electricity by burning liquid fuel. Such a device is not cheap, but it allows the low-voltage network to be quickly recharged when it is not possible to use generators such as solar panels or a compact wind turbine. If high-voltage electricity can be obtained more or less regularly "from the shore," from centralized networks, then it also makes sense to run wiring with outlets throughout the house.
High-voltage network
In this format the floating house is fitted with standard electrical wiring, as in an ordinary house - which allows unrestricted use of ordinary household appliances without buying additional electrical equipment, but sharply reduces the house's mobility and limits its autonomy - creating a dependence on a reliable, steady connection to the centralized network on shore.