Added Solar Panels

[Triumph]

I recently added two 120 watt solar panels up over the Bimini top. The panels are 56" long by 26" wide, and they fit end to end behind the backstays. I had JSI make up the support structure. I had previously gone to rigid supports for the bimini, eliminating the straps. At the back of the boat we came up from these, came in at a 45 degree angle to the front bar that was run up and over about 4 inches behind the backstays. Then added a bar that ran between the 45's. This gives it better lateral support in my mind. It seems real solid.
I installed a Blue Sky Solar boost controller for these panels. It all seems to work great.
<a href="http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e235/ ... nts005.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e235/ ... 005[url]<a href="http://s40.photobucket.com/albums/e235/ ... nts005.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e235/ ... vements005[/url]
[img][IMG]http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e235/ ... nts005.jpg[/img][/img]

[tranquil]

Wow - this is incredibly kool! How might I get pictures - cannot get the url to open

How have they been working for you thus far?

Thanks

Teri

[KenKrawford]

Link to picture - http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e235/ ... nts005.jpg

[Triumph]

The 2 -120 watts panels work real well. We cruised the Bahamas for three months, and only once or twice had to run the Honda Generator we carry. We did very little motoring as well, so most of our daily needs were covered by the solar panels. We never run the main engine to charge batteries. The peace and quiet of solar is great, and, no moving parts, thus no maintanence.

[tranquilcat42]

A picture is worth a thousand words! Thank you. Maintenance free? Music to the picture!

[yodagwb]

Finally got around to installing solar. After 13 years of fighting with the batteries. Can one fail an IQ test? Again, overkill? Most likely. Just installed 2-245 Kyocera with a 45amp MPPT controler. The additional fitting and rail to stiffen and support the panels on top of the bimini frame cost as much as the panels. Figured if a charging day is marginal and the panels are only producing at 50% then 50% of 490 watts is a good bit more than 50% of 300 watts. The panels overhang the back of the bimini but are in line with the back end of the boat. The front of the panels are just behind the end of the boom, no shadowing. There is one panel on each side of the split back stay. Wonder if I can use the ice make while on the hook?

[JohnForr]

Thank you. That was very useful.

[nybor]

Count me in regarding PV modules. I did something a bit different, by strengthening my davits (with battered -oops inclined) tubing. The one 245 Kyocera sits atop them and I can hang from the supports even with the dingy hanging with virtually no movement. I know, I know, PHOTOS!!! I will take some this weekend to post. But, I love watching the inflow/outflow of current from the PV and batteries. I also, added a 1500 W, true sin wave inverter and can run my vacuum cleaner just with the PV power.

The controller is the Blue Sky 3000i, which boosts the amperage 30% when available. So instead of 245 W, one can theoretically get 1.3 x 245 = 318 watts. Note the word "theoretically".

dave

ps. Leigh was 100% correct in another forum about tach issues. Mine started quitting at weird intervals, and he said it was the PV confusing the ac generator signal from the alternator, causing it to shut off. Sure enough, I added an ON/OFF switch so that when motoring, I can switch the solar off. I tried to simply turn on the fridge, but I think the PV panel's power still mucks up the tach signal.

Note the word "muck".

[TBOT422]

yodagwb,

I can't tell from the picture, are the panels mounted outboard for the back stays? You noted that the additional bimini structure cost almost as much as the panels. What did the total installation cost, panels, controller, re-work of the bimini, etc.?

Thanks

[yodagwb]

The whole project ran about $2000. The SS tubing was more than I hoped. I got stuck buying the 2- 12' pc for $10.50 per ft. I am still pissed about that. I could find it cheaper but the freight was silly and I am not a patient person. I needed 2 -12' pc to span the bimini, and they had to be the heavy wall tube. The panels mount on the outside of the split stays, which in turn puts then close to the outside edge of the bimini. The panel, controller, wire, breakers, tube mounts, connectors, thur hulls for wire and miscellaneous ca ca ran a little over $1100. You can most likely get away with smaller panel if you so desire. I went with the bigger panels, 245 watts each. Once you get to 500 watts you end up having to go with higher end, more expensive controllers. The panels I used fit with in the foot print of the boat, but there is not a lot of extra wiggle room.

Its a wonderful feeling to not have to worry about the batteries any more.

PS, I added some batteries so the main bank is now 6- 6volt T-105 which give me over 300 usable amps. Don't know what I am going to do with 300 amps but I got them.

[TBOT422]

yodagwb,

Thanks for the reply. You have the same battery configuration that we have. Given the wonderfully efficient refrigerator that we have, if you did not have the solar panels you can go through 300 amps in a couple of days at anchor. I am wrestling with spending one boat $Unit$ to upgrade the alternator in order to recharge the battery bank, or 2-3 unit$ to add solar, or put in a bigger shore charger and run it off the portable Honda. Each has their advantages and disadvantages. I think I am leaning toward the solar solution.

[Fat Cat]

I installed an Efoy Comfort 140 (I call it my "nuclear reactor") two weeks ago and will be testing it out this weekend, basically by anchoring out in Gowlland Harbour and running EVERYTHING! For those that don't know, it's a fuel cell made in Germany and runs on methanol. Really looking forward to see how this machine performs.

[TBOT422]

Fat Cat,

Let us know how it works out. I looked at the technical specs. It should handle the job. It claims to be able to produce 6 amps 24 hours per day and is very small and quiet. The fuel seems to cost about $60 for a 30-day (2.6 gal) supply. Certainly some advantages over bulky solar panels. But at nearly double the cost of solar panels it's a bit pricey.

[TBOT422]

I finally added two Kyocera 140 watt panels and a Blue Sky controller last week and tested them out over the weekend. In 3 days, (2 of them cloudy all day), the house bank state of charge never got below 85 percent. It appears that the two panels will provide about 2/3 of our daily electrical consumption on cloudy days and nearly 100 percent (125 Ah) on sunny days.

Here are a couple of pictures of our installation:

[S/V Tavish B.]

Hello, two questions for anyone who has installed solar panels (and charger controllers), but also leave their vessels plugged into shore power.

1. If you have both solar and an AC charger, do you keep the solar off when on AC power?
2. Has anyone installed an AC/DC relay to cut out solar while plugged in, but allow solar if power is lost?

I recently learned (the hard way) that my two 4D GEL batteries didn't appreciate my leaving the solar charger "on", while leaving the shore power connected, allowing the Magnum Inverter/Charger to also charge the batteries. I had interpreted that as long as the Magnum was "floating" the batteries full, the Blue Sky Solar Boost 3000i wouldn't kick on. I even called Magnum and whoever answered the phone said that would be fine, however it wasn't until after I cooked off my batteries and found my cabin full of gas that I called Blue Sky and was told my plan was no good. They said every morning when the sun comes up, the charge controller wakes up, senses the batteries aren't topped off and begins a two hour Bulk session.

So, I want to install a relay that will be "normally open" between the solar panel and the charge controller, until the AC power is lost, then closes the circuit to allow the solar to work. Should AC power be restored, the relay would open again, isolating the solar panel again. I lose power at the dock sometimes, and like to leave my frig on, thus the desire to have the solar kick on if shore power cuts out.

Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks all, safe travels,
Nick C.
S/V Tavish B.
#26

[KevinMc]

1. I keep the solar off when on AC power (or engine alternator power)
2. I went with a different solution

I had the same issue you described when we installed our solar panels this spring. Immediately after finishing the install I powered up the solar panels while on shore power. In my case both the port and starboard GFI breakers for the outlets popped and we got the gas smell. Being a smart guy I realized popping breakers and bad smells was probably because of something I did.

I took a moment to think about it and realized I had hooked up two independent power supplies -- both attempting to charge the same battery bank at the same time; certainly providing different output voltages; which got their little electronic brains all confused.

My remedy is more basic. I installed a 20A "red" breaker between the solar panels and the Solar Boost 3000. (West Marine - CE World Circuit Breaker, 20 Amps, Red Toggle) It's installed on an open spot on the DC panel and allows me to flip the breaker to isolate solar panel power from everything. I installed a 20A breaker since my panels put out about 16A and I choose a red breaker to identify it as "power".

It's not as elegant as a relay (which I like) to automatically switch between solar and shore power. What it does do is isolate solar power and shore power; AND allows me to isolate solar power from alternator power. I figured if I was popping breakers with solar+shore I would probably also have issues with solar+engine alternator.

[S/V Tavish B.]

Thank you for the response, I liked the red toggle idea and did the same now too. I didn't think about the alternator aspect either, so I think a 12v/12v relay attached to the ignition may be in order as well.

I also decided to install a Blue Sea m-LVD (automatic low voltage disconnect), so even if I still forget a step, loss power, or have some other unforeseen failure, my new batteries will never be allowed to get South of 11.3 volts.

I often have great difficulty with remembering to flip switches on and off, and in which order, when out on the boat for a day sail, so the more automated I can make the system, hopefully the less frequently I'll need to be replacing two 4d batteries.

Thanks again for the input,
Nick C.

[knitchie]

Our 2007 C350 is new to us this year. Came with 2 100 watt panels that appear to only generate about 6 amps max together in parallel. This is not enough to keep the fridge running and the batteries charged. The fridge draws about 6 amps with a 35-50 percent duty cycle, depending on the temp. So, we are looking to replace the panels and the PMW controller with MPPT.

Panel prices are all over the map. What makes have good and bad reputations?
Any experience with Renogy?
We figure to need about 125 amps per day, so how much solar is recommended? I am thinking about 280-300 watts.

Which MPPT controllers have good and bad reputations?
What are the experiences with Blue Sky vs Victron?

There seems to be conflicting recommendations regarding pairing controllers with multiple panels. Some say, one controller per panel, others one controller for all panels in serial. Any expert advise on that one?

The season in Vermont is ending soon, so I need a few projects to keep me going until spring.

[TBOT422]

We added 2 Kyocera 140 watt panels and a Blue Sky SB2512i-HV MPPT Controller in 2015 and just love the system. No more hanging around the boat running the generator or engine to re-charge the batteries. Our system produces a peak of over 15 amps going into the batteries. You are correct that you need about 125 Amp-hours each day. We find our system produces about 90 per cent of that need. So we theoretically could go about 10 days before needing to recharge the batteries. However, we also find that we need to defrost the fridge about once a week, so we just turn the fridge off overnight and let it defrost. That saves enough power that the solar panels can catch up with the 10 per cent shortfall the next day.

We also have a Victron Battery monitor which allowed us to go with the less expensive Blue Sky solar controller. I saw no need to monitor the input from the solar panels, when the Victron was already monitoring all inputs be they solar, shore power, or alternator.

We purchased all of our system from Hotwire Enterprises in Tarpon Springs, FL. They are very knowledge and also avid sailors. You may want to give them a call at 727-943-0424 or email them at svhotwire@gmail.com

Good Luck