Solar Panel Output verse rating

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by buzzstar

Has anyone following this thread ever bought solar panels for their boat because of the payback? Homes, and business places, sure. Boats? Where I am one's slip fees include electricity, and at sea there is no payback, with the choices being other sources, and/or solar, or none except what you brought with you. Solar seems a good way to go or to augment your power, with the minor details not worth the pencil and paper or even the electrons needed to calculate the differences between ideal and actual.

In my curent marina we pay 5bucks a month to plug in plus .10 per kwh used and cruising the guest marinas in my area charge $3 a day to plug in. I have not needed to plug in anywhere in over a year due to solar so my system is now paying me to have it on the boat.

[john61ct]

Some people are lucky enough to not have to be concerned with such trivia.

Some whether they need to or not, are deeply interested from a purely academic POV.

[chala]

Originally Posted by rom

I did measure amps & volts at the input of the MPPT

So what where the values of these amps and volts?

[a64pilot]

I can't get over $3 a day for power, that is nothing, my electric bill runs more than that, and we are only there on weekends. I'm used to thinking $2 a ft per day for a slip being a good price

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

I'm kinda surprised at the wax recommendation. I was under the impression that the glass surface was treated in some way to improve low angle light absorbtion. Seems that waxing such a surface would negate this advantage, and of course, add at least a small amount of attenuation in the wax layer itself. Further, I've not had problems in cleaning the glass surface without wax.

I'm dubious...

Jim

I would also think depending on what wax means, that it may put a reflective surface on the glass, and maybe you don't want to reflect the light, but let it pass through?
So far I have just used Dawn dishwashing liquid, only because that is what we had, I would have used whatever we had, however I learned many years ago that clothes detergent should be avoided, its a strong detergent and can hurt paint, and maybe leave a film?
There is a difference between detergent and soap, its not just semantics?

Wax protects paint by reflecting / absorbing light to some extent, sort of a sun screen?

[rom]

Originally Posted by chala

So what where the values of these amps and volts?

I don't see how this is interesting but: steady 50.7 volts, about 12 amps with the average precision you get from a clamp on ammeter. This monitor was showing a steady 600W and 50.7V at that time.

Victron MPPT does not show input amps, just input volts & watts. I suppose they have an ammeter at the input and do the translation to watts directly as amps are not very useful on that side. I remember Outback showed input volts, amps & watts, and you bet watts was exactly volts x amps...

I suspect those 2 brands are doing things right and are showing correct monitoring values.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I can't get over $3 a day for power, that is nothing, my electric bill runs more than that, and we are only there on weekends. I'm used to thinking $2 a ft per day for a slip being a good price

The 3 bucks a day is at a guest marina and I do know of a few that are under a buck a ft per day. There is one with no power or water at the dock that is only $.50 a ft per day. with you there on weekends figure 9 bucks each weekend for power if at guest marina. It adds up quick . On my boat the only thing that would draw power would be my battery charger so solar negates even that need.

[a64pilot]

The $3 a day was $3 a ft then? We just went from being unbelievably low, to more than I'm willing to pay

What is a guest Marina?

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

The $3 a day was $3 a ft then? We just went from being unbelievably low, to more than I'm willing to pay

What is a guest Marina?

sorry should have said guest slip at the marina.

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

The $3 a day was $3 a ft then? We just went from being unbelievably low, to more than I'm willing to pay

What is a guest Marina?

No it was a buck a ft plus 3 a day for power. And at ten cents a kwh it takes a lot of power used to make that worth it especially with just a battery charger drawing at 1.5 kwh (20amp charger) when im only there for ten hours before moving on . Solar saved me the 3 bucks that day

[buzzstar]

Originally Posted by newhaul

In my curent marina we pay 5bucks a month to plug in plus .10 per kwh used and cruising the guest marinas in my area charge $3 a day to plug in. I have not needed to plug in anywhere in over a year due to solar so my system is now paying me to have it on the boat.

Is that why you bought solar, and if so how long did you determine the payback to be?

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by buzzstar

Is that why you bought solar, and if so how long did you determine the payback to be?

Doing the math my $125 spent for my 100Watt panel and pwm controller.
I suppose it would look something like this. My marina charges 5 a month I used to use about 3 bucks worth a month so thats 8 bucks a month.
When cruising I spend about 5 days a month in guest slippage that equals about 23bucks a month I spend on electricity so lets just say ok save $20 a momth because of the panel. So $125*by 20= payoff in just under 7 months. And the last 6 months have been like money in the bank. By next summer I will have saved enough to buy a new house battery if I want to.

[buzzstar]

Originally Posted by newhaul

Doing the math my $125 spent for my 100Watt panel and pwm controller.
I suppose it would look something like this. My marina charges 5 a month I used to use about 3 bucks worth a month so thats 8 bucks a month.
When cruising I spend about 5 days a month in guest slippage that equals about 23bucks a month I spend on electricity so lets just say ok save $20 a momth because of the panel. So $125*by 20= payoff in just under 7 months. And the last 6 months have been like money in the bank. By next summer I will have saved enough to buy a new house battery if I want to.

So, you admit your did not consider it beforehand, and thus far no one has claimed they did.I am impressed that your entire solar system cost only $125.00. Who were the component vendors, and is it proper to believe you did the install and wiring yourself?

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by buzzstar

So, you admit your did not consider it beforehand, and thus far no one has claimed they did.I am impressed that your entire solar system cost only $125.00. Who were the component vendors, and is it proper to believe you did the install and wiring yourself?

Brian the panel was from renogy. The controller was from a vendor out of california dont remember who . Here is an ebay link to a simmilar controller

LCD 10/20/30A 12V/24V Solar Panel Controller Regulator Charge Battery Protection | eBay
And yes I did the install myself there is a photo album on my page of the.install.
Rob SV Meer Schaum

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by buzzstar

So, you admit your did not consider it beforehand, and thus far no one has claimed they did.I am impressed that your entire solar system cost only $125.00. Who were the component vendors, and is it proper to believe you did the install and wiring yourself?

Actually I did want solar long before I considerd the financial aspect.
I have a 30lumen solar garden light for my anchor light it is independent of house batteries. I even have a solar reading light that is again ok ndependant of the house if I need it.