Which is better 1 or 2

[Hank Kivett]

I am in the process of preparing my 30' CS for the trip to the keys at the end of the year...My plan is to install solar pannels but here is where i get lost...Is one 240 watt better than two (2) 140 watts...now here is what i have on board...one sea frost refer...gps/chartplotter...vhf...stero...tv...nav lights...cabin fans 3 ea....now all cabin lights and soon all anchor and running lights will be LED's...lap top with 500 watt inverter....I have just replaced all three of my batters with new...(two house and one start)...and upgraded my charger to a 30 amp...so guys/gals any suggestions would be appericated...thanks

[noelex 77]

Go for the most watts you can fit easily and preferably cheaply in the space you have.
If everything else is equal multiple smaller panels will do better in the shaded conditions experienced on a boat.
2x 120w would give slightly more power than a single 240w panel, but the difference is small. A single larger panel usually takes up a bit less space and is easier to mount than multiple smaller panels of the same wattage.

In your example 2x140w (if that is not a typo) is better than 1x 240w. More watts and more panels.
Include the cost of installation and delivery, with cheap solar panels available this is more significant than ever. Delivery costs can be much higher for the larger panels.

[Badsanta]

You need a way to store all energy made. If you have a fantastic charging system with high output alt, solar and whatever and have no way to store the energy made you are wasting energy. You need to match your battery bank to store your production.