Part of the research and development for Remora (TM) was finding a solution with the lowest possible power need. We wanted this product to be useful for people with 2 stroke engines that have no battery installed on the boat, as this is a common feature of boats used in developing nations. We also know that people who have dinghies on a mooring would appreciate having a bilge pump that required no oversight, no battery charging and no sinking! Keep the skiff floating by doing nothing!
Once the Remora had fulfilled our goal of completely emptying containers of fluid until they were bone-dry, we did the math on power consumption to see if we could optimize anything. With a few alterations of the algorithm that controls the device, we realized we could power the Remora at 100% effectiveness during daylight hours with only a 10w solar panel! A small 10w solar panel is only 29cm x 29cm x 2cm and about 1 kilogram in weight and will cost you less than $50.
The Remora starts up when the sun comes up and turns itself off at the end of the day. It also controls the maximum speed of its pump according to how much power is available from the panel. If the sun goes behind a cloud, the Remora doesn’t completely turn off, it just slows the pump down to make use of all the power it can get. Now that’s smart!
