Poll: What is the size of your solar array

[Bleemus]

Originally Posted by foggysail

My panels always provided some charge on cloudy days just not as much as in bright sun.

I asked because I have more solar than you and on cloudy days like today I may only be getting 6 amps which isnt enough to keep up. After a couple of days I have to run the diesel.

[admiralslater]

On the Outremer 585 watts in 4 panels split into 2 arrays one on the hard top and the other over the bimini. each with its one 25 amp blue sky controler . this feeds 525 amphr firefly bank . We run an isotherm fridge ,frigoboat deep freeze and an Engel cooler in the cockpit . We also make toast in morning and use a hair dryer every now and then. THere is a watermaker and electric freshwater head as well .
This generally is a good balance but last year we had a week of overcast in Dominica and I was having trouble getting back to 100 % but never fell below 60% of capacity .
I am considering new pannel for the davit arry as I can get 720 watts in the same space as I now have 360.

On the Pdq I now have 275 watt LG panel going into 2 trojan 6 volt golf cart batteries through a Victron Mppt 100/30 with blue tooth dongle . The boat sits on a mooring and I leave the fridge running . THis is a new panel to me and it is keeping up with the fridge no problem . The batteries are fried but the panel keeps slamming the juice to them to the point I am holding off replacing them.
I cannot say enough about the Victron mppt and dongle combo . with the easy to use app on your mobile device you see the real time voltage and wattage numbers plus you get a 30 day history which tells you ,min/max voltage ,total kilowatts generated,and the amount of time each each of the 3 stages of charge . Seeing that you got to float on the solar gives me the warm and fuzzies

[macman4190]

Originally Posted by Bleemus

And what do you do on a cloudy day?

I still get amps going in. Even in rain. About 4 amps. Covers the fridge when it runs, charges batteries when fridge is not running. On my solo Chicago to Mac race, there were two cloudy/rainy days in a row. Still no problem with auto pilot added to the power draw. If there was any break in the clouds I saw 20-23 amps going in. I turned off my AC charger in early May. No problems even with consecutive days of rainy/cloudy weather. By 10am it has switched to the float voltage.

[NSboatman]

2x 100w cheapy rigid Coleman panels from Canadian tire. Feeding 410 ah Trojan batt bank (t105's). Love to have more- will do so when actually cruising. These easily handle the fridge loads here in the summer tho. Rarely plug in the boat.

[MikeFergie]

L40 cat

2 x 345w sun power solar panels
2 x victron 100/35 Mppt controllers . one panel one controller

Maybe I will add another sun power to get up to 1000w of solar.

[belizesailor]

Interesting how similar to a normal curve the results are distributed with exactly the same % in each category on either side of the curve.

[belizesailor]

Interesting how much like a normal curve distribution the results are.

Me: 3 x Kyocera 125W panels = 375W. Blue Sky 3000i controller. House bank: LifeLine 8D AGM x 2...20HR rating = 255AH, total 505AH.

[macman4190]

Originally Posted by macman4190

I still get amps going in. Even in rain. About 4 amps. Covers the fridge when it runs, charges batteries when fridge is not running. On my solo Chicago to Mac race, there were two cloudy/rainy days in a row. Still no problem with auto pilot added to the power draw. If there was any break in the clouds I saw 20-23 amps going in. I turned off my AC charger in early May. No problems even with consecutive days of rainy/cloudy weather. By 10am it has switched to the float voltage.

Fridge turned on for the first time in two days, so it is running at max power draw. This is the sky - no amps being drawn down from batteries. Panels can keep up with demand.

[N4585K]

2x Solbian CP140L 140W flexible panels on the bimini, 1x20A Sunware Fox 360 charging 560 Ah house bank (4x VMF Sportline 140 Ah) and 95 Ah engine start battery (Varta).

[macman4190]

Originally Posted by Bleemus

I asked because I have more solar than you and on cloudy days like today I may only be getting 6 amps which isnt enough to keep up. After a couple of days I have to run the diesel.

6 amps is enough for me at anchor to run fridge and water maker. I haven't run the water maker yet, but in theory it only uses 3 amps.

[ahun]

60 watt semi flexible solar panel, to 86Ah sealed lead acid battery. No fridge, leaving aboard, 22 feet LOA.

[Bleemus]

Originally Posted by macman4190

6 amps is enough for me at anchor to run fridge and water maker. I haven't run the water maker yet, but in theory it only uses 3 amps.

At night?

[macman4190]

Originally Posted by Bleemus

At night?

I would run water maker during the day. Fridge uses 22 amp hours overnight, which is easily put back the next morning. So far bulk charging is done by 10am when the sun is out.

[djsaxton]

4 ea 100 watt panels 2 panels each in series 600 ah house

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by macman4190

I would run water maker during the day. Fridge uses 22 amp hours overnight, which is easily put back the next morning. So far bulk charging is done by 10am when the sun is out.

Why do you need a watermaker on a lake?

Pete