Solar Charger - Mounting Location / Wiring / Type?

[John Danicic]

I did worry about your concerns as well but so far, it has turned out ok. When coming into dock, I always fold the panels down vertically. They are actually behind the rub rail and don't get in the way at all even on tall docks. Occasionally, a dock line gets behind one but all it does is lift the panel and slip out from underneath. If something is poking out from a dock at the level of your life lines, that is a dock to be avoided. They are a tempered glass product so yes, they could be broken. We take our chances but I do that every morning in some way or another.

I mounted them on a rail and use a friction brake to hold them in position so given enough pressure the panels will move.

The Yankee sheets run just below the bottom of the panels along the rail. I keep the sheets leading car block just ahead of the forward panel and the second block between the two panels. The sheet then runs back to a turning block at the aft end of the cock pit and then forward to the winch. The panels are outside the plane of the safety lines but the bottoms can be tilted in side the toe rail and out of the way of the cars if I want to pull the sheet in point farther back which I rarely do. I have a weather cloth that effectively blocks the industrial looking back of the panels. Only the top edges peak out above the weather cloths.


Since these photos were taken, I have raised the rail to the top of the posts and raised the friction brakes on the panels. This allows a greater pivot point and doesn't get in the way of the weather cloth as much but keeping the panel in the same place relative to the deck and rail.


As far a the winch handles, you can hit them only if they are in a certain position and only with your hand. My standard Lewmar winch handle spins all the way around. I am trying to think how I adjusted to this but can't, we adjusted and it really is not a problem.

When we are hard over with the rail buried, the panels are still out of the water. If they get wet it is because we are heeled over far enough to fill the cockpit with water, something I try to avoid. I am not sure what sea water will do to these units but they are aluminum frames with sealed glass and weather tight junction boxes for the wiring. They are built to be outside in the weather.

The biggest trouble is when we fly the Gennaker and the sheets get caught underneath the panels. To solve that, you need to either fold them in completely or tilt them up inward to catch the sun.

All in all, I find it to be a very good set up. We sat at anchor for five days and nights last summer and and never had to run the engine, made ice and even ran the vacuum off the inverter. And the really nice thing about this set up is that it all comes off and the boat could be returned to a regular, non solar cell encrusted craft when I get to install the fuel cell generator that runs off the gas from the holding tank.

Not any time soon, but there you are.

Always happy to to answer any questions about the set up.

[Russell]

Seawater wont hurt them in a corrosion sense, I have the same brand panels on top of my bimini and radar arch and they have been hit with plenty of seawater even way up there. They should be cleaned though, dried up salt (or dirt, or pollon) will have a large impact on performance.

The rail mount method isnt uncommon and works well in general, one big downside is if you have a bimini they will get very badly shaded much of the time. Its not uncommon for cruising boats to use the same method but to mount the panels forward of the cockpit away from the bimini. The boom can still shade them there at certain times of day, but it will be far less drastic then what a bimini would do for cockpit mounted ones.

Many distance cruisers I know who mount them this way remove the panels for long passages. A good sized wave hitting the panel can certainly crack it if left in place folded down.

[Duncan]

Thanks for the guidance on small needs/small panels.
Wouldn't it be nice to have kerosene running lights? And a kerosene radio...

I'm thinking 20 watts, since it's not as sunny up here. This also leaves open the possibility of a second one later, maybe.
I sure like the idea of the roll-up ones with grommets.

As a guy said to me once, about his wonderful mooring setting:
"It's a beautiful place to work on the boat",
and we both just about fell over laughing.

[Evergreen]

Did you ever get any photos of your relatively new panel setup?

I believe you said your panels are fixed ---- do you find that you get adequate charging without rotating them?

[Russell]

Did you ever get any photos of your relatively new panel setup?

I believe you said your panels are fixed ---- do you find that you get adequate charging without rotating them?

Nope, still no working camera. I just got into VA though, about to sail up the potomac and sit still for about a month, fixing the camera is on the list.

I get plenty of charging without rotating them. My origonal setup allowed me to tilt them with the sun, but I found I really didnt bother doing it that often. Rigid mounts made them more secure as well. But keep in mind I have 3 times as much wattage as Johns setup. But even with daily running of the water maker, heavy inverter use in addition to typical loads like the fridge, I do not have to run the engine for charging unless its very cloudy for like a week.

[John Danicic]

Philip & Sharon:


This is a photo taken in 2009.


The panels do tilt up all the way so that if you want, you can grab sun from either side of the boat with both panels or position them flat for a more general solar gain.
If you leave them down in the vertical position, they still work on the side pointing toward the sun.
While at anchor, if the wind is steady, you can tilt all the panels so that they all produce.

We don't have a Bimini but do have a sun/rain tarp that zips to the dodger. It is lower then a Bimini and only interferes with the panels when the sun is low in the sky. In Lake Superior, when the sun is low you want the warmth so off comes the tarp. When it is raining there is no solar energy to collect.

Here is a shot with the panels tilted up ward.

[Russell]

John, what are the little wood frames for on the inboard side of each panel?

Oh and I am absolutely not discouraging your setup in my posts, I think its perfect for your boat and what you do, just pointing out downsides that may apply to others.

Panel setup on sailboats in general is tough and each boat has different things to overcome. A small panel to keep batteries charged on a mooring while not in use isnt much of an issue, but an array that can keep you with reliable power for extended periods and high power use is tough.

I wish when I was in Oriental that I had Andy bring out a camera one day, my setup is unique not just to cape dorys but to cruising yachts in general. I get a lot of compliments on it (from cruisers, not so much from traditional boat purists). But it was also a significant investment that I couldnt imagine anyone bothering with who didnt live aboard full time. Cruisers on narrow beam boats though have noted I did a great job putting on an arch that didnt look "funny".

[mike ritenour]

I've always been fond of the idea that "Solarstik" uses, with a rotating shaft and tiltable panels?
They make an awesome price but WAY to expensive.
Seems like one could invent something akin to it and be way less expensive.
Rit

[John Danicic]

John, what are the little wood frames for on the inboard side of each panel?

Oh and I am absolutely not discouraging your setup in my posts, I think its perfect for your boat and what you do, just pointing out downsides that may apply to others.

No discouragement taken. If you remember Russell, you helped me early in this century to set it up and work out my solar problems. I am, however, still waiting to see some photos of your set up.

As to the wood frames? Simply a winter madness exercise to dress up the top of the panels and soften their hard edge aluminum look. Nothing more.

[ckreitlein]

I have three batteries on MISS MARLEY and have never had a dead battery. However, just in case, I decided to install a solar panel as a trickle charger. I bought a 15w .65 amp charger from Defender at their last sale for $136 then constructed a mount for it. I wanted a removable bracket for my stern rail so I could use it only when necessary and stow it below otherwise... I fish off the back end, sometimes crash into pilings, etc ... all of which wreaks havoc on things hanging over the stern railings. I made a bracket from 1/4" plywood and covered it with fiberglass, then painted it silver. It tilts up, flat, back - depending on sun angle, and it folds down for easier stowage. I put a 12v plug on the end for a 12v receptacle on the steering pedestal that is hooked to my port #1 battery. I just finished this project so I can't say how well it works, but my battery meter shows a definite charge when it is hooked up... and I can unplug it and stow it below when it is not being used. I hope to be very satisfied with it as time goes by.

[jamesbuehner]

John, can you detail how and what kind of hinge you use to allow the panels to swivel. I have found stanchion type clamps don't grip well enough in my setup above the dodger.

Jimmy Buehner

[Solmar]

Our panels are mounted on the cabin top.

[John Danicic]

John, can you detail how and what kind of hinge you use to allow the panels to swivel. I have found stanchion type clamps don't grip well enough in my setup above the dodger.

Jimmy Buehner

Jimmy:

I use a plastic clamp hinge that clamps onto a 1 inch rail.


Defender number256923

That works initially but to firmly lock it so that it can tilt up horizontally, I tapped in a bolt on the bracket that puts more pressure on the rail then the clamp can. Don't have a photo of it right now but can get it when next I'm up.

[jamesbuehner]

John:

Thank you for the info. I use the same clamp - or similar - but the screw is a good idea, I'll try it.

Jimmy

[Paul D.]

To the original person with the 33 who posted this thread.

In looking for my solar setup to be used on a mooring I talked with Ham Ferris as suggested by my brother earlier. In the end I took his advice and now have a 60w Kyocera panel mounted on the stern rail run to a solar regulator then to two 6 volt golf car house batteries. I have an Echo Charger between them and the starter battery to keep all charged and safe automatically. All I do is check the level of the water in the Trojan T-105's twice a season. I have needed to fill them sometimes once a year.

I have had this set up for eight seasons and leave the batteries aboard during our hard ass Northern winter, trickle charging with the solar panel through the regulator. This system has worked really well for us now at a dock for two years and was excellent on the mooring for six, but our electrical needs are fairly low. As I slowly replace the onboard lights with sensibulb LED's it works even better. It is simple and effective.

If I was to start doing some extended time away from shore I would probably add one more panel to keep up with the fridge. Now if I could just insulate the crap out of the fridge and make it smaller, I would be doing something!

Hope this helps.