Solar installations on Mainship 390-400

[tiz]

Sorry you other mainship folks but I'm looking for specifically the 350-390-400 as the install would be similar.

I'm interested in putting two solar panels (200w each if I can find them sized right) on the flybridge stern railing. One mppt controller for each for redundancy and in case something shades the panels.

Flipped down I would hope they hinge down-outboard-aft and when up would be level possibly supported by a strut.

Who has done this? What did you use? Where did the wiring run in order to get downstairs?

--Kevin

 

[DavidM]

You don't have to use separate controllers for shading redundancy as long as they are wired in parallel to the controller. The panel in the sun will continue to supply its full output even if the other one is shaded.

But how will one but not the other get shaded anyway if mounted on the stern rail.

David

 

[tiz]

Very helpful. So for two paralell 200w 10-amp panels feeding a 12volt battery bank I'd need a ~30-40 amp controller for some headroom? That would make bluetooth monitoring easier. Also wiring.

--Kevin

 

[jefndeb]

Here is a pic of what I did...

 

[tiz]

Nice - thanks. We don't have the rear bimini. As I mentioned they will be railing mounted.

--Kevin

 

[tachyon]

Rail-mounted panels

I mounted 4x50 watt panels to the fybridge aft rail on our 390. The forward edge of each panel is clipped to the upper rail, and a support strut extends down to the lower rail from about 2/3 the way across a cross-beam added underneath each panel. They could easily be swung down but are so unobtrusive I've never had the need. I used standard aluminum channel for all of it: the 50W panels, mounted individually, offer little windage. A bonus of rail-mounting is that the array follows the curve of the rail and is quite inconspicuous from most viewing angles.

 

[tiz]

Thats GREAT info - thanks. Electrically I expect they are in parallel. Did you use a single controller? What battery bank are you feeding? The stock 8d batteries or something lithium?

 

[tachyon]

I chose to hook them up in series to a single Renogy mppt controller. (there are no shading issues with them back there on the rail). They feed the two 8d's plus a bank of 4 group31's. Very happy with the results, it has enabled us to stay out on the hook much longer without the annoyance of running the genny just to recharge the system.

 

[tachyon]

Rail-mounted panels

Here's another pic that more clearly shows the panel mounting arrangement. Just as a precaution, I used stainless lockwire across the rail clip ears to prevent them lifting off. The connection of the strut to the lower rail is a stainless hose clamp riveted to the end of the strut.

 

[tiz]

I chose to hook them up in series to a single Renogy mppt controller. (there are no shading issues with them back there on the rail). They feed the two 8d's plus a bank of 4 group31's. Very happy with the results, it has enabled us to stay out on the hook much longer without the annoyance of running the genny just to recharge the system.

Where are your batteries located in the boat? I have the original 8d’s on port aft in the engine bay (single Cummins). Wondering where to site a future lithium bank.

—Kevin

 

[tachyon]

Where to situate the second bank in our boat was a no-brainer......starboard side in the engine room (we also have the single Cummins), between the stringers, Mainship had placed 250lbs of steel ballast to offset the boat's portside list. I removed it and secured a shelf at that location, on top of the stringers, for the group31 bank. I then paralleled up the 8d's (still in the original portside location), and ran one set of the original cables over to starboard to connect to the new bank. Apart from cables needed to parallel up the banks, no new cables required.
I'd love to go Lithium, but the expense of it (along with the required new charger) puts me off every time!

Nick

 

[tiz]

Nick-

How did the solar panel cables run to the controller? Where did you put the controller? Where did you connect controller to battery ? Did you use an echo charge like the yandina unit to automate the charge distribution to both banks?

—Kevin

 

[tachyon]

Kevin, I mounted a junction box for the panel cables to the middle stanchion, then ran the feed wire to the controller down the stanchion, under the lip of the flybridge deck and over to the starboard engine air intake. It drops down the intake to just under the salon floor, then up into the AC compartment. I mounted the controller in the salon on the drop-down access panel for the AC, next to the battery switch. The controller output cables go back down under the floor and over to portside where I have an Inverter just aft of the bulkhead behind the 8d's. The connection is made at the inverter input terminals. Note that I always run the boat with the batt switch in the "all" position, and all my LA batteries are deep-cycle, except the genny start battery, which is a stand-alone. It's a simple system, very easy to manage, since no one battery gets drawn down very much.
The bank of gr31's were just replaced after nine years of service, so the heavy current draws from engine start, thruster, windless etc. don't seem to affect the deep cycle batteries if the bank is large enough to handle it.

 

[tiz]

I can’t tell you how helpful this is.. thanks.

—Kevin

 

[Dougcole]

That's a very nice install, Nick, thanks for the informative posts. I've been bouncing this project around in my head for my 400. Did you consider trying to pull the wires through the FB railing? Would be cleaner for sure, but seems difficult to do.


Thanks,


Doug

 

[Marco Flamingo]

I've been looking at the possibilities of rail mounted solar panels on my upper deck, which is extended clear aft. My 1" stainless railing is 30" high and has an available length of 65 inches. I thought I might face the panels outwards and pivot them up using these railing clamps, two per panel. Each of my stanchion posts has a SS ring welded to its base (for attaching a sunbrella windscreen). I could use those rings for attaching an adjustable length support pole that would allow me to put the panel level, up 30 degrees or down 30 degrees, depending on the angle of the sun. I know bigger is better, but I haven't yet cut a piece of cardboard to see whether I could live with a pair of 240W panels hanging off my upper railings.

 

[tachyon]

That's a very nice install, Nick, thanks for the informative posts. I've been bouncing this project around in my head for my 400. Did you consider trying to pull the wires through the FB railing? Would be cleaner for sure, but seems difficult to do.


Thanks,


Doug

Yes, Doug, that option crossed my mind but my previous "fishing" episodes on our 390 have mostly been exercises in frustration. And without any knowledge of how the railing was constructed, the possibility existed of there being no clear path thru the railing. I also considered trying to run the cable between the flybridge deck layers, entering at the base of the stanchion, but shelved that idea for much the same reasons. So we're stuck with this exposed cable across the cockpit overhang. Not a big deal, and maybe someday I'll deal with it (when I've caught up with all the other projects on the boat)

 

[Blue Tortuga]

On my 2004 400 the lower deck support tube near the transom door is easy to remove and hollow. You could take solar wiring put in a loom and loop over the aft deck railing edge and enter that tube drilling a hole in the glass at the base and it will drop into generator room by the rudder. It can then be run along ceiling into engine room but you may have to drill a hole and be careful of what is bolted to aft engine room wall (battery charger etc). That is how I ran my aft deck camera to get it to the wiring bundle into the flybridge. That run up into the fly is a whole another can of worms.

 

[Max1]

I have installed 400W of power (2 panels) on my travel trailer last spring and I could not be happier with the results. I have gone from needing to run my Generator almost every other day in the previous year to only once last summer.

Now that we have joined the boating community, I have decided to do the same with our boat.
We plan to do EXACTLY what you are doing. 2 195W panels will be railing mounted at the rear of our flybridge deck. I plan to eventually mount them to a sturdy bimini top in the subsequent years. But for now, rear deck rail it is.

I already purchased the two glass panels, although now having watchd several of the Pacific Yacht videos and listening to Jeff Cote explain solar panels on boats, I think if I had to do it again, I would go with flexible panels to save weight. The glass panels are much heavier, and JC explains that heavy panels high above the waterline lowers the stability of the boat. Mind you, I only have 2 panels and total weight is 80lb on the flybridge rail, but still, its something. If I ever want to double my power output by going to 4 panels, now we are talking 160lb on the flybridge. Not bad in calm waters but in rough waters, the additional 180 pounds up top will really "rock your boat"

My trailer currently runs in 160A lead acid batteries.
The boat will have a 200A Lithium battery. I may add another 200A at a later date, but for now we are starting with 200A

My Charge Controller is an MPPT 40A and will also have a remote monitor.

 

[tachyon]

I've been looking at the possibilities of rail mounted solar panels on my upper deck, which is extended clear aft. My 1" stainless railing is 30" high and has an available length of 65 inches. I thought I might face the panels outwards and pivot them up using these railing clamps, two per panel. Each of my stanchion posts has a SS ring welded to its base (for attaching a sunbrella windscreen). I could use those rings for attaching an adjustable length support pole that would allow me to put the panel level, up 30 degrees or down 30 degrees, depending on the angle of the sun. I know bigger is better, but I haven't yet cut a piece of cardboard to see whether I could live with a pair of 240W panels hanging off my upper railings.

I agree, the more solar power the better, but I'd be wary of the vulnerability of these very large panels hanging out from the railing, in a windstorm. The supporting framework would need to be very robust. Cardboard cutouts are a great idea to get a feel for it. If I felt the need for more output, I'd add four more 50W panels (for a total of 400W) on the inside of the rail, and design the hardware to easily hinge them down when/if we needed the space.

Nick

 

[koliver]

I agree, the more solar power the better, but I'd be wary of the vulnerability of these very large panels hanging out from the railing, in a windstorm. The supporting framework would need to be very robust. Cardboard cutouts are a great idea to get a feel for it. If I felt the need for more output, I'd add four more 50W panels (for a total of 400W) on the inside of the rail, and design the hardware to easily hinge them down when/if we needed the space.

Nick

I installed new solar panels, hanging from the upper rail, with a post to support each in the horizontal position. I used this: Deck Hinge With Removable Pin, this: New 316 Stainless Steel Top Slide 7/8" and this: Top Cap 7/8" with Warranty.
The Solar is fixed in place, either up or down, and has been exposed to whatever winds we get here, in both positions. There has been no detectable effect from being so exposed.
I have been able to put these panels up once out of my shelter and leave them up regardless of weather forecasts, until returning to the shelter. In fact, if the shelter was wider, I wouldn't need to put them down.
They do extend over the side deck and the rail, but not past the 1/2 the width of my fenders, so I have no issue tying to a dock or rafting to another boat.

 

[carpediem12775]

Hello Tachyon.
This is a very nice set up!
I have been searching for different set-ups and this one is really nice.
Quick questions: how heavy was that setup?
How many watts did you get in each panel?
Thanks again!!!
Lesli
Carpe Diem
2002 Mainship 390