Experience With Temp Mount Flexible Solar Panels

[vonchris7]

Hi,

I'm planning for a longer trip than usual... a couple of weeks to the Abacos from Florida. I don't currently have any solar or wind capacity. My house battery bank is just 210 amp hours. I know that I will need to go through some calculations... however, just wondering if anyone has experience using temporary mounted, flexible solar panels such as this one to recharge the batts:

https://www.amazon.com/ALLPOWERS-Ben...ds=solar+panel

Thanks!

[Kelkara]

I have 2x50W temporary mounted flexible panels, but on my boat there are really only two possible places to mount them (a) on the foredeck on top of the dinghy - this is the best location as far as shading, but it does make it a pain to use the dinghy, and (b) on top of the coach roof, the boom can shade the panels here but it keeps them out of the way. So I would switch between them depending on whether I anticipated using the dinghy much.

I just held them down with bungy cords so that they were quite easy to move, but I learned the hard way that the hooks have to be facing down, or they can snag the jib sheets. I was a bit concerned that the wind might get underneath them and flap them around, but even with 30 knots it was no problem.

You probably have more choices on a 36 ft boat, but it is worth making sure that your cables are long enough to reach all the possible locations you might want, until you figure out what works best for you.

It's not likely to be as efficient as building a good home for permanent panels. But it's a lot cheaper and easier to implement.

[JeffBurright]

Another option for temporary mounting is to go outside your lifelines. We did this with 2 panels on our 30' boat for 3 years with no trouble in all kinds of weather. We used thick poly-braided fishing line to suspend the panels like wings with a slight downward angle.

Here's an image of what it looked like on our boat: https://imgur.com/IuGj4Wj. You can see that we had 2 lines on each of the 4 grommets, tensioned tight to the toerail and the top of the stanchions.

I spliced a longer 12V wire to the original leads on the panel, then zip-tied the wire to holes on the toerail. The wire went through a small hole into our lazarette where the controller was located.

This setup is easy to cut down if you need to, but we never did except once when we were tied up close to a high seawall. You might look a little funky in the anchorage, but it saves a hell of a lot of deck space.

Good luck!

[Capt.Don]

My flexible solar is evolving and only used when we spend a weekend or more on the boat. I have a split backstay running through my bimini. Last year I purchased two 50w panels for placement on top of my bimini. Earlier this year, I wanted to add another 50w panel. Instead, I decided to buy two 80w panels. The 80's fit perfectly across the frame of my bimini; however, I felt the 80w panels were too flimsy. I just added 1/2" aluminum angle iron rails to the sides. I attach them with dyneema loops and soft-shackles to my bimini frame and split backstay. I'm pretty happy with how this is evolving and appreciate the additional 60w power.
Don

[vonchris7]

Thanks for your thoughts @Kelkara. I like your comment about "less costly and easier to implement." For the sailing I'm doing right now, I don't need solar on a regular basis. This is very encouraging to know there are like-minded people out there.

[vonchris7]

Originally Posted by JeffBurright

Another option for temporary mounting is to go outside your lifelines. We did this with 2 panels on our 30' boat for 3 years with no trouble in all kinds of weather. We used thick poly-braided fishing line to suspend the panels like wings with a slight downward angle.

Here's an image of what it looked like on our boat: https://imgur.com/IuGj4Wj. You can see that we had 2 lines on each of the 4 grommets, tensioned tight to the toerail and the top of the stanchions.

I spliced a longer 12V wire to the original leads on the panel, then zip-tied the wire to holes on the toerail. The wire went through a small hole into our lazarette where the controller was located.

This setup is easy to cut down if you need to, but we never did except once when we were tied up close to a high seawall. You might look a little funky in the anchorage, but it saves a hell of a lot of deck space.

Good luck!

Thanks Jeff, never would have thought of this idea without your picture.

[vonchris7]

Originally Posted by Capt.Don

My flexible solar is evolving and only used when we spend a weekend or more on the boat. I have a split backstay running through my bimini. Last year I purchased two 50w panels for placement on top of my bimini. Earlier this year, I wanted to add another 50w panel. Instead, I decided to buy two 80w panels. The 80's fit perfectly across the frame of my bimini; however, I felt the 80w panels were too flimsy. I just added 1/2" aluminum angle iron rails to the sides. I attach them with dyneema loops and soft-shackles to my bimini frame and split backstay. I'm pretty happy with how this is evolving and appreciate the additional 60w power.
Don

Love the ideas here. I see a lot of boats "decked out" at my marina with gadgets that cost lots of $$... but why, when they are never used?? If I purchase a $5,000 array of solar and it's used once a year, what's the point?? There seem to be a lot of systems on boats that are awesome for full-time users, but they just deteriorate, like everything else, with time.

[Matt Johnson]

Originally Posted by vonchris7

Thanks Jeff, never would have thought of this idea without your picture.

You'd be better off tying to the top lifeline and supporting for the bottom with two wooden dowels or something. The shadow from the ropes will greatly impact a flexible solar panel.

Matt

[JeffBurright]

Originally Posted by funjohnson

You'd be better off tying to the top lifeline and supporting for the bottom with two wooden dowels or something. The shadow from the ropes will greatly impact a flexible solar panel.

Matt

Hey Matt,
I'd heard the same thing, but I can't say I noticed a significant effect from those thin lines. We consistently pulled high enough amps to please us, though we had a pretty modest power setup with only occasional use of the fridge.

Originally I had a PVC dowel design for my first panels, which were these godawful 10-foot long flexible things that I'd put wooden ribs on the back for stiffness (thankfully the technology has progressed since 2012). I don't remember why exactly, but the dowels I found irritating and not very good for quick stowing if needed. Eventually I switched to the fishing line as an experiment, and I can't remember a noticeable difference in output.

It's a fair point though and something to consider. Everything on boats seems to require a compromise, you know?

-J

PS - The new boat looks nice! I'm envious of your arch.

[Matt Johnson]

We have a 100 watt flex on our dodger and the shadow from the tail of the mainsheet cuts power down to under an amp.

Maybe a thin monofilament fishing line, 100 pound or so, would work for your panel. Thin and semi clear would reduce the shadow to maybe nothing.

Originally Posted by JeffBurright

PS - The new boat looks nice! I'm envious of your arch.

Thanks. Unfortunately, the wind gen shadows the solar for at least half the day robbing us of most of our charge.... and it has put out way less power than expected. I sure hope the wind gen gets useful when we go way, way North.

Matt

[thannever]

i have a 100 watt flexible panel as the output from my two rigid mounted panels was insufficient and I didn't have a good place for another mounted panel. Instead I have a longish cable for the flexible and move it around to where ever the sun is best that day. I often move it several times a day to maximize its exposure. i have lines to all four corners to fasten it securely no matter where I put it.

[vonchris7]

Just purchased 2 of the 100 Watt solar panels mentioned in the original post on this thread. Going to tinker around with them to see what works best. Will update this post with my info...

[vonchris7]

Here's an update... these solar panels work great!! None of the "shadow effect" that everyone writes about with other panels. They work from sun up to sun down without fail. Would highly recommend them!