Thread: solar panels
View Single Post
Old 01-01-2012, 08:27 PM   #6
BruceK
Guru
 
BruceK's Avatar
 
City: Sydney
Vessel Name: Sojourn
Vessel Model: Integrity 386
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 13,333
RE: solar panels

Quote:
Scabbydan wrote:* Where on your boat did you mount the panel? *What make and model did you install, how do you match your battery bank to the panel size?
*There is a good article by Don Casey, "www.boatus.com/boattech/casey/30". I put 3 30watt panels on each side of the extended flybridge,outside the railing, wired together, to fit the space, using aluminum angle screwed to the panel sides and to teak strips which I sikaflexed to the deck to avoid screws and take up any unevenness so not to flex the panels.They can get shaded so it`s not optimal,better is up high on a special frame,or even on the bimini(but that means cutting the canvas). I put as much panel as I could easily fit, viewing them as a supplement and battery maintainer, but NYE while anchored waiting for the fireworks they ran 2 electric fridges until the sun dropped. A friend has 240 watts of panels, well mounted, running a fridge 24/7 at 3 degrees C. How much you fit depends what you want of them, I don`t think you can easily replace a genset, but with big panels and batteries and an inverter you might start it less often but you won`t run a eutectic fridge/freezer compressor,or the espresso machine.

I bought my panels on Ebay, much cheaper than panels also from China at the boat shops, also regulators identical but much cheaper. Don`t just buy the cheapest, quality varies,my single 25w panel for the genset battery is not the high quality I used for the main batteries but does the job for just $99,if it extends the life of the battery 50% it pays for itself.Regulators "free" with panels can be very basic. Check out retailers, hobby/electrical and marine shops,expect products from China as the main manufacturer.On ebay I think it`s safer to buy from a local importer rather than China direct,though I successfully bought LEDs from HK.

Panels are popular here.Good luck,take your time,get it right, BruceK
BruceK is offline   Reply With Quote