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Solar panels

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Cloudveil
1st Mate

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USA
60 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/28/2005 : 18:09:35

Hi All -
I am planning on installing solar panel on my C25. Any suggestions,
make, size, supplier. I have 2 battery setup, and would like to
have additional amps beyond "trickle' charging the batteries
for gps, etc.
Thanks, John
89WK 5973 "Uzumati'

Edited by - on

atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 12/28/2005 : 18:24:50

Sounds like you want at least 10 watts. Most people say you can connect a 10 watt straight to 2 batteries without overcharging. A 20 watt will give you 1.2 amps at 12vdc but will require a regulator.

Whatever you purchase, I really reccomend the flexible panels. I had a glass panel an it lasted exactly 39 days till it slipped of the seat and shattered!

Flex panels can be found on ebay pretty cheap. Search for flexible solar panel.

Tom.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 12/28/2005 : 20:06:28

I now have 3, United Solar Flex-11s. Each is 11 watts. Of course, together, they put out 33 watts, which is about 3 amps in direct sunlight. These panels will provide all the electrical power I need for unlimited time away from the dock. I cruised 3 weeks this summer using them all day, every day. I used autopilot, VHF, Stereo, laptop computer, charging cell phone, and cabin lights.

I have a regulator, it cost $12. The panels cost $95 at Discover Solar, a solar warehouse here in San Diego. If I did it again I'd just buy the United Solar Flex-33. I don't use the regulator unless I was leaving a panel on for a long time (don't want to overcharge my gell cell batteries).

The nice thing about the flex panels, you can just throw them on deck or tie them to the boom. You can walk on them. The salesman said I could shoot a hole through one and it would still work.

The Flex 11 is about 18 inches x 24 inches.

Nice thing about having 3 - I modified their wiring so each one can plug into the next - a daisy chain. If I lost one I'd still have charging. I can use just one for long term trickle charging or hook up all three to charge a battery.

Edited by - on

Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 12/28/2005 : 20:10:41

John,
I have two BP8W panels with SS backing plates I picked up off E-Bay. I have two 12v plugs in the combing pockets one on each side so I can use either 1 or both of the panels. I also have two 27 deep cycle battery's and the panels keep them charged well.

Edited by - on

Steve Siefken
1st Mate

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USA
81 Posts

Response Posted - 12/28/2005 : 22:38:31

I was thinking about going with solar panels, but I was wondering how well solar battery chargers work in the winter - especially in a cloudy area like Seattle.

Do you guys have any words of wisdom on that?

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3408 Posts

Response Posted - 12/28/2005 : 23:50:25

I recently installed a 20 Watt Kyocera panel and a Morningstar Pro-15 Controller (purcheased from Northern Arizona Wind & Sun - http://store.solar-electric.com/1to39wasopa.html). I also have 2 batteries onboard. Info regarding charging capabilities usually indicates you need about 5 watts per battery to just take care of the daily battery loss. Running any equipment/lights then it's up to your outboard's generator and and any additional wattage supplied daily by your solar panel to recover that loss. Also, if you get a solar panel that is greater than 5 watts per battery, then you need a controller so you do not cook the battery. A controller is a good idea anyway unless you separately install blocking diodes, otherwise, some battery juice will be lost at night.

I only have one photo on my website showing my panel installation. I have addl and plan to beef up the website with all the installation details and experiences. Just no time to do it yet.
http://catalina25.homestead.com/olarryr.html

What I can tell you is that ideally my 20 watt panel puts out 1.2 amps/hr. Most info on the web will indicate that you should estimate getting approximately 4-5 hrs/day at that rate. If you go back to the 5 watt estimate per battery mentioned above, that means you would
get ~ .3 amps/hr X 4 = 1.2 amps/day and some books/web info indciates that the trickle down effect is about 1 amp/day in the summer and less in the winter per day. But then you have to figure in some days are rainy, etc. Anyway...that's where they get the 5 watts per battery to square away the trickle down effect.

My experience has been that my panel is indeed capable of getting the rated 1.2 amps/hr but that is only under ideal situations. The three biggest factors effecting that amp rate is 1) full sun 2) Proper angle - perpendicular to the sun rays 3) No other blocking (ie. mast, another boat in an adjoining slip, the dock posts/light structures). When there is full sun and with panel horixontal (not at angle to face sun), the panel amp rate drops to about .6 - .8 amps/hr. If it is at the proper angle to the sun but it is an overcast day with the sun peeking out a bit - then the I get about .4 - .5 amps/hr.
My controller, I believe it is the 15M nodel has a digital readout and the LCD rotates thru various data - Battery voltage, solar amp rate and if any load is hooked up direct to the panel then it reads that load current as well. The amp rate is a good way to tell under just what conditions you get max amps out of the panel as well as zippo amps.

Larry

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
3408 Posts

Response Posted - 12/29/2005 : 07:04:41

One other thing I wanted to mention. There are at least three ways these panels are sold...maybe more. You have the flexible - rollit out anywhere, walk on it and then leave it out or tuck it away. then there is the rigid, glass covered panels which really are for mounting and leaving it where it is while you sail, etc. Then there is sort of a hybrid of the two which is a rigid with some flexibility and allows walking on it or attachment to the deck but it's frame is not rigid enough to be mounted without having a support structure underneath it.

There is no real right or wrong way to go. it really has to do with preferences and understanding the pro/con of each. The individuals that have bought each of the above probably can elaborate a lot more and more accurate as to the attributes and disadvantages of each. I discssued each type with the distributors before i made my decision. Also, some panels are not as available as one would think. When i was looking for mine a couple of months ago, apparently tax incentives in Europe and a percentage of individuals in China that are buyjng panels have created a shortage of some of the panels for shipping to the USA. Many panels are made in other countries and depending on the currency exchange and availability, you mmay find that the panel you have your heart set on may not be available. make sure you buy a panel from what appears to be a reputable company and not a 1 or 2 person operation. You really need to decipher what they say regarding availability or not. the website I provided for Northern Arizona Sun & Wind lists all panels they sell but they have a separate section on which ones are available at the present time. I believe you will also find some web sites that explain why some panles are not available - similar explanation as I gave above. Supply was to improve in 2006 and so maybe the panels are more plentiful starting now.

Unisolar is one maker of the flexible panel. It has lot's of advantages being so versatile with where you can place it. I think there main disadvantage is that most come with a 3 year warranty. that is mainly because they probably are moved around a lot and subject to more wear and tear throughout the year. They may last as long on average as any other panel type but...the fact is they come with a 3 year warranty..maybe some will offer a 5 year warranty.

The rigid panel put out probably more wattage per sq inch of panel than other types and it generally comes with a minimum of 10 year warranty. many come with 25 year warranties. But you cannot walk on it and it has to be handled carefully because it has a glass top to it. You generally mount this one out of the way - off the stern rail, etc.

The hybrid one...well there is a German company called Solara. It is a panel sort of like the Unisolar in that you can walk on it but it has a metal (maybe aluminum) backing to it and so it is semi-rigid. I think it can bend about 5-10 degrees max allowing it to fit the contour of certain decks. It can also be mounted off the stern rail but needs a full support structure under it since it is also quite thin like the flexible panels mentioned above. Typically, the flex and the semi-rigid panels are perhaps 1/8-1/4' thick. the rigid panels are about 1/2" or slightly greater in thickness. The Solara panel comes with a 10 year warranty.

Some of these panels are also better functioning in less than ideal light. I think the Solara and the rigid ones generally function better in low light conditions but you better check the web sites for that info. Not all rigid panels function better in low light or partially shaded conditions. It has to do with how the individal solar modules in the panel are wired. I know that there are differences between Kyocera, Siemans(Shell) BP, etc.

My first choice was the Solara panel. It was fairly costly. But it had attributes i was looking for - thin, can walk on if I chose to put it on the deck, small footprint for the wattage and it had a 10 year warranty - I could not see going with a product that has a 3 year warranty. My thought is I did not want the warranty so much to return a defective product but to me the length of a warranty (from a reputable company that has been in business for a long time) is a gage of how the manufacturer views the reliability of his product. So...something to ponder. As it turned out, there was no - zippo availability for a 20 watt or similar sized panel from Solara. the distributor had none for quite awhile and i called two sources. One even EMailed the parent company but no response. I did not pursue it any further and decided to go with a rigid panel and mount it out of the way. I can easily take it off since I constructed the brackets with wing nuts and lock washers. the rest of the panel mounts, I used self locking nuts. I also can tilt my panel up or down and to either side. many individuals do not have that flexibility with the way they mounted their panels. In the winter, the angle of the sun really makes it important to keep the panel at an angle to get anywhere close to the rated watts/amps out of the panle.

I hope to get the rest of my photos onto my website soon. but for now, there is the one photo which shows the mounting system and the panel off the stern rail. it's just one set-up. Others have equally good set-ups. lot's for you to ponder these winter months. Good luck !
http://catalina25.homestead.com/olarryr.html

Larry

Edited by - on

IndyJim
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
130 Posts

Response Posted - 01/05/2006 : 23:25:17

I don't hold a candle to all your wisdom on solar panels, but I can tell you this.... If you're shopping for one, and you think you know what size you want, get the next size larger! I run depth, speed, cabin lights, vhf, stereo, tv, autopilot, gps, bilge pump, anchor light, steaming light, foredeck light, seat locker lamp, deck wash pump and 12 volt plug ins for cell phones etc. Okay, I've been accused of having too many electrical toys onboard (can you really have too many?) but I always want more juice! And I have to agree that the flexible ones are fantastic. But, like outboards, the best one is the one YOU have! When is someone going to make a sail out of flexible solar panel material? :)

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