Illustrated Guide to Solar Installations on Boats

[alaskanviking]

Originally Posted by bergius

Yesterday it wasn’t snowing all day, so we did the first test hoist of our FLINsail (three 100W flexible panels that you pull up like a mainsail).







Given the foggy December conditions not much output, but at least we could see some benefit from the easy tilting mechanism: these panels produced 12x what a fixed panel on our cabin top did, despite being only 5x larger.



The intention with these panels is to get some extra production that we need to run our work computers from anchor next summer.

That is bloody brilliant!! I would not have thought about running panels up the mast like that. Should really increase the solar cell Square footage on a monohull while at anchor.

You used batten cars? Is that strong enough to support the panel by itself?

The lines coming off the aft end, look like they go to the backstay? Are you using the lines to support the panels?

I just realized you could do the same off the front of the mast using the Spinnaker track. Especially if you had a longer track to store the Spinnaker/whisker pole on the mast. Not sure if the furler would produce shadows.

[westsailwill]

I am looking to replace my old Kyocera 140w panels (2) with new 180/200w high efficiency marine grade Perc monocrystalline panels,and don’t want to break the bank. Recommendations?
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[westsailwill]

Originally Posted by westsailwill

I am looking to replace my old Kyocera 140w panels (2) with new 180/200w high efficiency marine grade Perc monocrystalline panels,and don’t want to break the bank. Recommendations?
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I forgot to mention that these are rigid panels. The dimensions are approximately 59 1/4”x 26 1/4”. My budget is $300-$400 per panel.

[SailingKiss]

Originally Posted by SailingKiss

Thank you - that was what I was hoping for, that's another tick in the box


I will go for the domestic panels and post my installation (next spring).

Now it took a little longer and we made it to Portugal. But here is what we did on our FP Mahe 36:

In 2021 we installed two domestic LG NeON Bifacial 2 400 Wp solar panels, one on our new dinghy davits and one on the fixed bimini. Dimensions are 2 m x 1 m each. Total of 800 Wp.

We use a Victron Smart Solar MPPT 100/50 for each panel. Nice visualization and configuration via bluetooth. We also use a Victron 3000 VA inverter.

We decided to not go for pivoting function on the davits because we are lazy and did not want to build something which we know we will not use after a couple of days.

The panels and chargers were approx. 1200 € plus all the bits and pieces (I was surprised how much small stuff we needed for our electrical refit and at the end, this was a considerable amount of stuff and €).

Total Efficiency: it's amazing. We never run out of electricity. Our lifepo 400 ah batteries regularly were back to 100 % before lunchtime. Even if we run our watermaker on 220 V for 2 h the solar system filled up the batteries very fast. And we saw some almost 500 watts on the panels due to the bifacial. It really works, especially on the davits with reflection from the water.

Even on cloudy days the panels produce a considerable amount of energy. When you think today will not be a big production, you will see some 250 watts on each panel constantly.

Until now there is no issue on our system or installation. We build our davit form 50 mm seawater resistant aluminium tubing and coincidentally saw, that lights and speakers in theater and live events are mounted on the same sized tubes. Guess what: the connector fittings are made from seawater resistant aluminium as well and are inexpensive

What would you do differently next time: We bought a wind generator on ebay, it was a very good deal (brand new) and we didn't know better. But we did not install because we wanted to check solar first. Trying to sell it now.

In the Portugiese winter we had a lot of nice sunny days but the angle was to shallow and there was not a big production to serve all the needs (especially for heating with forced air diesel heater). Therefor my recommendation would be not to buy an inverter but an inverter/charger (with some serious AC charging capacity of approx. 70 A @ 12 V or roughly 1000 watts) to use a cheap petrol generator. This would cost like 250 € more on the inverter/charger and some 300 € for a cheap generator, but is way better and cheaper than the hazel of installing and running a wind generator or using the main engine on idle to charge with alternator.

How has adding the solar affected your sailing or cruising? Adding solar was the contribution to be absolutely free to stay on the anchorage as long as we want and produce nice quality drinking water, cold beers and boil water for the morning coffee on 220 V AC

Summary: having solar is key for cruising

[michaeld]

Type and model and size of boat. Monohull Kaufman 47 Cutter

Total Panel Output (How much power can be generated?) 350W

Panel Size: How big are the panels? Individual? Total area required? 2 each @ 26" x 52"

Age of Panels: When did you install the panels? April, 2022

Panel Location:
Where is the panel located and does it cause problems there? Over Bimini
Does it cause problems with any other gear or while sailing? Can't see the Windex through the overhead eisenglass anymore.
Does it cause windage problems? No.
Has shading of the panels been a problem due to location of the panels and surrounding rigging or equipment? No, but I'll be adding a flexible panel above the dodger with its own MPPT controller in the near future.

Type and Brand of Panel:
Who made the panel? Renogy
What type of panel is it? Monocrystalline
Marine or Domestic (land) panel? Both
Origin? Unknown

Total Cost:
How much did it cost to build the system? $1200USD
How much was each panel? $200USD

Total Efficiency:
Do you consider the installation efficient? 19.8% according to the RNG-175D datasheet
Please any comments that may help another improve efficiency, based on your experience. Too early to tell.

Damage? Has the installation been damaged by wind or corrosion or breakage? No

What would you do differently next time? Tips? Different type of panel? TBD

Any problems? Disappointments? Surprises? Dissatisfaction? Issues? Weaknesses of gear or system? The Renogy mounting kits seem flimsy and fasteners are magnetic. They were returned for refund. I fabricated brackets from of aluminum angle.

How has adding the solar affected your sailing or cruising? Less reliant on engine to charge house bank. Reduced fuel requirements adding energy independence.

[fxykty]

Type and model and size of boat.

Total Panel Output (How much power can be generated?)

Panel Size: How big are the panels? Individual? Total area required?

Age of Panels: When did you install the panels?

Panel Location: Where is the panel located and does it cause problems there? Does it cause problems with any other gear or while sailing? Does it cause windage problems? Has shading of the panels been a problem due to location of the panels and surrounding rigging or equipment?

Type and Brand of Panel: Who made the panel? What type of panel is it? Marine or Domestic (land) panel? Origin?

Total Cost: How much did it cost to build the system? How much was each panel?

Total Efficiency: Do you consider the installation efficient? Please any comments that may help another improve efficiency, based on your experience.

Damage? Has the installation been damaged by wind or corrosion or breakage?

What would you do differently next time? Tips? Different type of panel?

Any problems? Disappointments? Surprises? Disatisfaction? Issues? Weaknesses of gear or system?

How has adding the solar affected your sailing or cruising?

[fxykty]

2003 Outremer 55L sailing catamaran

Total Panel Output: 2570W (3x 330W and 4x 395W)

Panel Sizes:
330W: Length: 1686mm (66.38inch) Width: 1000mm (39.37 inch) Height: 35mm (1.38 inch) Weight: 19kg(41.89 lbs)
395W: Length: 1690mm Width: 1066mm Height: 40mm Weight: 19kg

Age of Panels:
330W panes installed July 2020
395W panels installed November 2021

Panel Locations:
3x 330W panels in series over davits (replaced the factory installed 2x 160W panels). Lower than cabin roof and bimini means no windage nor interference issues. Shading from wind generator mounted adjacent to port and from mainsail, boom and mast when sun ahead.

2x 395W panels in series on bimini port side and 2x 395W panels in series on bimini starboard side. These are incorporated into the bimini with a central walkway between the two pairs. Shading from boom above. Some additional windage compared to original bimini as the panels project further forward and outboard than the original bimini. No interference with sailing gear.

Typically if we need full power we swing the boom out of the way.

Type and Brand of Panel: Both sets of panels are domestic: Phono Solar PS330M1-20U/H Perc Monocrystalline and SunPower Maxeon 3 SPR-MAX3-395

Total Cost: AUD10,600 split between panels (NZD270 each for the 330W panels and AUD415 each for the 395W panels) and frame/installation (NZD2995 for the davits panels with new aluminium box frame and AUD3100 for the stainless steel tube bimini frame), plus three MPPT controllers (Victron Energy SmartSolar MPPT 150/100 NZD1000 and 2x 250/60 AUD1680)

Total Efficiency: Good efficiency, but could be better if could tilt the davits panels. Bifacial panels probably would increase generated power.

Panels are grouped into 3 arrays based on shading and the higher voltages radically decreased the size of the wires required for the 9m and 12m runs to their controllers. Our wiring conduits did not allow for all the cables that would have been required to wire the 7 panels individually, nor do we have room for all those controllers, but that would have marginally increased the overall efficiency.

Damage? None yet. Will need to add protection from boom in case of topping lift failure.

What would you do differently next time? Tips? Different type of panel?
If they had been available would definitely have used bifacial panels for the davits area and possibly for the bimini.
Tilt mounting for davits panels; at the time the extra cost and weight of a tilting frame was prohibitive.
Change davits frame to make it easier for future panels upgrade; the current frame is exactly matched to the panels.

Any problems? Disappointments? Surprises? Disatisfaction? Issues? Weaknesses of gear or system?
None yet.

How has adding the solar affected your sailing or cruising?
Provide enough power to offset moderately heavy power usage (electric galley) even in poor solar conditions. Using panels to create the bimini hardtop reduced the size, cost and weight of the remaining fibreglass foam panel structure needed to complete the cockpit cover.



Bimini panels arrangement



Davits panels frame details

[zachduckworth]

Is there a tutorial on this somewhere? I really like the way this can be broken down and removed, and the canvas bimini cover put back up. I would like the keep the ability of fold up the bimini when I want and this seems to allow for that (albeit with a little big of breakdown and set-up...
Really cool idea.

Originally Posted by MLOI

Simple Solution...

What we have done is added 6 Grommets down each side of 110 watt flexible panels, then used the grommets to string the panels to what are effectively bimini bows. (I actually had them made from 1.6mm stainless tube then cut them to size, but it's the same idea).
Used 2mm spectra to thread them up and keep them taut.
Note the angled stays at the back from the same 25mm by 1.6 tube. We actually used the top of the rear stays as a mounting point for a block to lift the outboard engine. There are also 2mm spectra lines going forward holding the structure taut. If needed I was going to add props between the vertical legs of the bows, but it didn't seem necessary.

So we get solar plus shade in one structure. And they are behind the boom so no shading when the mainsail is down.

The four panels are configured with split into 2 panels fore and aft, then each string run into separate MPPT controllers. The panels face a little forward for the front pair and a little back for the rear, so I figured that this was the best way to split the panels up. Two panels in series to get the voltage up, then the two pairs in parallel to reduce any shading effects etc.

Now, multiple people said that this wouldn't work. However in winds to 40 knots we saw no flapping of the panels, and this photo was taken a year after install. We are still getting 30 + amps from the controllers after 12 months of use - which was enough to keep us independent from shore power or running the engine. You can see where the tension lines from the grommets are in the panel, however the grommets were placed between the individual cells so no cells are being bent.
Overnight consumption for us was between 80 and 120 AHs, we were always back to float by mid afternoon at the latest, and typically charged all toys etc in the afternoon using the spare power.

Cost was;
$400 for the bows and supports, plus $120 worth of fittings
$220 each = $880 for the panels
$280? each for the Victron 100/30 controllers.

So under $2k AUD all in to get us to power independence.

Mike

[rgleason]

Bristol 32 Sloop
Dodger Installation, Semi flexible.

These two panels totally replace a 15w flexible panel we had for 5 years which shorted out.

Sunpower (2) 50w at 20v 20" x 20.2" each
Morningstar (2) SR4 (PWW one for each panel with a fuse on battery side)

Not sure if the panels will survive 40 knots. May survive 25 knots.
Boom shades them somewhat, but the large area without solar is under the boom. No windage problems if they don't lift in heavy wind.
We will learn if they are flexible enough.

They are easily removed and stowable.

Relatively expensive. Installed ourselves.

Innovation: We secured 5/16" Stay covers on each side with silicone sealant to provide an eased edge to prevent chafe on the dodger and give the panels more support. It seems to be working.

Charging FLA Trojan T-105 in Series, 225ah.

Total Efficiency: Eventually we will get (2) Flexible 100w, 20v solar panels to be mounted on the stern. At that time we will install (2) Victron Smart MPPT 75/15 for the port and starboard panels, perhaps in parallel. Currently charges at about 4 amps.

Damage? Has the installation been damaged by wind or corrosion or breakage? ---Too soon to determine.

Any problems? --- I am concerned that the panels may not be bending evenly on the dodger.

How has it affected our cruising? --- Too soon to determine, but we are not running the engine as much to charge the long tail of these batteries.