WhisperPower launches OctoPower 3 energy system for small boats
After extensive trials, the new OctoPower 3 is now available from Netherlands-based off-grid manufacturer WhisperPower.
The compact 3kW unit replaces a diesel/gas generator and functions as a zero-emission and, the company says, super-silent self-contained electrical power system for a boat or recreational vehicle (RV) typically powered by a 12V DC battery bank but also needing mains voltage for AC equipment.
The unit combines the components needed to charge its built-in Lithium Ferro Phosphate (LFP) battery bank from various sources such as shore power, engine alternators (outboard or inboard) and renewables, and supplies the energy as both 230V AC and 12V DC power throughout the vessel.
Its battery module is designed to take four WhisperPower 100Ah LFP batteries totalling 5120Wh, although double or triple storage packs are offered as add-on options. The battery bank has a long life, with an estimated 2,000 charge cycles available.
To tap into the growing number of renewable energy producers carried afloat, the module contains a solar MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking) charger, which can manage an array of solar panels of up to 500W output.
“The WhisperPower system is quiet and powerful, retains plenty of energy and quickly recharges via the outboard alternators. I am convinced that the OctoPower 3 is the perfect alternative to a diesel generator for this type of boat,” says Patric Polch, owner of Boote Polch in Germany, who recently trialled the unit on a Nimbus T11 powered by twin outboard motors and carrying three solar panels.
