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Old 04-11-2017, 15:56   #1
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Solar and Lucia 40

Terbonium conviced me to look deeper into the capapilities of SunPower solar panels (thank you).

I did it and found that their panel X22-360W would be a much better solution than the FP proposal. Their option for the Lucia only provide 270-300W on the bimini for 3800$.

I made some drawings from the scaled pictures of the options (please double-check my assumptions), adding 2 or 3 panels on the bimini and dinghy to see the possible overhand and "hindering" for both.

So...
2 x X22-360W = 720W on the binimi
2 x X22-360W = 720W on the dinghy
3 x X22-360W = 1080W on the bimini
3 x X22-360W = 1080W on the dinghy

and even a convinced ecologist can install up to 2160W ...
OK they will be very visible and close of the way around dinghy, but quite feasible.
See attached drawings.

If somebody have an other solution please post it.
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Old 22-11-2017, 08:45   #2
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Re: Solar and Lucia 40

Quote:
Originally Posted by Falbala60 View Post
Terbonium conviced me to look deeper into the capapilities of SunPower solar panels (thank you).

I did it and found that their panel X22-360W would be a much better solution than the FP proposal. Their option for the Lucia only provide 270-300W on the bimini for 3800$.

I made some drawings from the scaled pictures of the options (please double-check my assumptions), adding 2 or 3 panels on the bimini and dinghy to see the possible overhand and "hindering" for both.

So...
2 x X22-360W = 720W on the binimi
2 x X22-360W = 720W on the dinghy
3 x X22-360W = 1080W on the bimini
3 x X22-360W = 1080W on the dinghy

and even a convinced ecologist can install up to 2160W ...
OK they will be very visible and close of the way around dinghy, but quite feasible.
See attached drawings.

If somebody have an other solution please post it.
that is quite a lot !
I will go with 2 250w PANASONIC on the roof
Not installed yet, it will be enough for us. my question is how do you go down to the hull ?


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Old 22-11-2017, 13:21   #3
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Re: Solar and Lucia 40

Quote:
Originally Posted by Oliver66 View Post
that is quite a lot !
I will go with 2 250w PANASONIC on the roof
Not installed yet, it will be enough for us. my question is how do you go down to the hull ?
I made this study to illustrate the maximum we can install on a Lucia 40. For sure the owner have to find the best solution according to his needs, esthetics, and cost.

I saw at the Annapolis Show a Helia 44 (that have much less space between the main rail and edge of the bimini) installed with solar panels that extend much aft ... and I think the Lucia with 1080W will have the same overhang... not too bad !

This is not as nice as the FP option only for 300W and a the trade off of a 1080W installation.

I made much more drawing to decide between overhand and power ...
Take care, only the aft one (Sunpower X22) is at position, the other are for comparision but well centered.
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Old 23-11-2017, 01:13   #4
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Re: Solar and Lucia 40

Quote:
Originally Posted by Falbala60 View Post
I made this study to illustrate the maximum we can install on a Lucia 40. For sure the owner have to find the best solution according to his needs, esthetics, and cost.
nice study !!
but again my question is how do you managed with wiring passage down to hull ?
on my ex Lipari it was easy but on the Lucia it looks much more complicated !
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Old 23-11-2017, 01:39   #5
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Re: Solar and Lucia 40

Well I guess as on all boats you will have to drill a hole in the deck or hard top bimini somewhere and go down with the wires there using a water tight fitting. You could go along or through the compression posts.
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Old 26-11-2017, 18:13   #6
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Re: Solar and Lucia 40

The factory installation takes the cable through the traveller beam (pre-drilled hole) then through a (drilled) hole into the channel above the ceiling panel containing the cockpit lights. Another hole through into the saloon where you use anther channel to take the cable behind the freezer cabinet, down into the main cabin and back to the starboard engine room. If you are prepared to pull the cockpit and saloon panels off it will be quite easy. I was not but I did manage to get it through to the freezer cupboard with some difficulty. After that it is easy as there are removable/opening panels and a conduit that is not full utilised.

I did provide some info on this in another thread and sent some pics to another subscriber. I will see if I can find this and re-post it

You can't go down the bimini support posts as these sit over the cabin roof and will exit into the cabin in a very visible spot. Probably more effort to remove the traveller and drill the post out then to do it the other way.
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Old 26-11-2017, 18:16   #7
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Re: Solar and Lucia 40

Incidentally I fitted 3 x 100w flexible panels in the Solar "tray". I am about to replace these with 3 x 150W hard panels that will sit over the "tray" and not overlap the bimini edge. I will look at options to relocate the flexi panels but with our consumption 450W will meet most of the need.
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Old 26-11-2017, 21:08   #8
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Re: Solar and Lucia 40

If you install 450W without overhang... will you use Solbian ?
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Old 26-11-2017, 21:10   #9
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Re: Solar and Lucia 40

Quote:
Originally Posted by MKB53 View Post
Incidentally I fitted 3 x 100w flexible panels in the Solar "tray". I am about to replace these with 3 x 150W hard panels that will sit over the "tray" and not overlap the bimini edge. I will look at options to relocate the flexi panels but with our consumption 450W will meet most of the need.


Ho sorry I just realized that it will be Panasonic !
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Old 26-11-2017, 21:38   #10
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Re: Solar and Lucia 40


They are actually a house brand from an EU retailer.
They were about the only ones I could find that were the right dimensions. All the higher wattage ones would have required an overhang and rightly or wrongly aesthetics matter to me and I figured a 50% increase in output was ok.

My 300w flexis were delivering between 1.3 and 1.6 Kwh on a good day and probably less efficient due to high temps with no airflow under.

So far my experience with lower price panels has been good so I am assuming my luck holds with these.

There were some nice suitable panels designed for "architectural" applications (ie: you build your own frames but they were expensive and by the time you added the custom framing it would have been over my budget. I think these were Panasonic.

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Old 27-11-2017, 00:36   #11
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Re: Solar and Lucia 40

thanks MK,
I'll be happy to get the photos from your install. Or at least the post you wrote.
about way to go down , OK I undestand that the tricky job will be from cockpit to freezer ( hopefully I don't have freezer option ! ) than easy when in the maestro hull.
I'll do it this winter ...
boat will be ready for April, at that time weather is getting nice again for little weekend trip in Med'
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Old 27-11-2017, 07:10   #12
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Re: Solar and Lucia 40

Our Lucia will be live-aboard for 5 months/year and even if we will have the 7.5kW Onan for AC and diving compressor, I want all the rest, watermaker, fridge, freezer, etc will run on batteries. Actual owners says that with 1000W even in a cloudy day their SunPower X22 give just enough not to start genset.
OK the over-hang will not be estethic... but I have carefully examined the Helia 44 at Annapolis Show and this is a better compromise than installing on the dinghy...which is MUCH more in the view when rexaling in the cockpit.
The bimini over-hang is not too bad... and if the designers of the Lucia would "think for future" they should make the bimini longer aft the main rail to say "we have the cat of the future for installing 1000W solar" and make their bosun like the Bali and Lagoon...
My 5 cents
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Old 27-11-2017, 07:26   #13
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Re: Solar and Lucia 40

Quote:
Originally Posted by Falbala60
... and if the designers of the Lucia would "think for future" they should make the bimini longer aft the main rail to say "we have the cat of the future for installing 1000W solar" and make their bosun like the Bali and Lagoon...
My 5 cents
I Agree 200%
a bimini a bit longer and you could go up to 1000W without any compromise on view or compromise on walking up there when moving down the main...
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Old 27-11-2017, 11:19   #14
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Re: Solar and Lucia 40

Factory solar wiring:
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Old 27-11-2017, 12:32   #15
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Re: Solar and Lucia 40

Quote:
Originally Posted by Terbonium View Post
Factory solar wiring:
Thank you Terbonium (I suppose this is the name of your Lucia... simple deduction...I never asked),

but... you mentionned to me that you where planning to install SunPower X22 360W on the bimini, ... so are the pictures are from your actual installation or taken on an other Lucia ?

What are those panels, size and capacity.

With a very small overhang, nearly flush, the highest capacity I checked is with a SP X-22 in the center and 2 Solbian 154W besides giving 660W ... but is there a problem with 2 diff manufacturer event with 3 separate controlers ?
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