Advice on installing a solar panel

RECESS

RECESS

.
Dec 20, 2003
1,505
Pearson 323 . St. Mary's Georgia
I have a Grape 100w panel. I need to know what I really need to install this to charge batteries. It really is not intended on using for extending cruising. I am moving my boat to a dock without power and will just have the bilge pump turned on. The bilge pump rarely comes on. I will be at the boat once a month, but for the next four months I will sadly not be to my boat often.

Not really looking for a critique of the panel, it is what I have to work with.

Here is the panel itself

http://www.amazon.com/Grape-Solar-GS-STAR-100W-Polycrystalline-100-watt/dp/B00CAVMMMG
 
justsomeguy

justsomeguy

.
Feb 20, 2011
8,010
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
You'll need a secure way and place to mount the panel, a connector of some sort to modularize your installation, and a charge controller.

The rest is just...details. :D
 
G

gettinthere

.
Nov 26, 2008
1,966
Endeavour 42 Cruisin
A lot of cruisers are going with the flip out mounting by sliding a piece of 1" pvc over a lifeline and mounting the panel to the pvc. Then fabricating some sort of prop rod to hold the panel horizontal.

I'm about to do this as soon as my 2 panels come in. I am going to try to insert a smaller dia pvc tube inside the 1" pvc to lessen the slop. I also think I'll add end caps with holes drilled for the lifeline to fit through. Havent decided on a prop rod method yet.

E-marine also sells a nice lightweight backer board for the semiflexible panels.
 
rardiH36

rardiH36

.
Jun 21, 2007
2,108
Hunter Cherubini 36_80-82 Sausalito / San Francisco Bay
So far responses have been about mounting the panel.

You probably already have incorporated another consideration in your plan. But just in case: With a 100w panel (or with any panel say above 5-10w depending on the amp hour size and number of batteries in your bank) you will need a charge controller to prevent putting too much voltage and charge current into the batteries. There have been many threads on the SBO forums about charge controller types and choices ... including many posts from SBO's moderator and boat systems expert, Maine Sail.

You can do a search for information.
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

.
Feb 6, 1998
11,677
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
gettinthere said:
A lot of cruisers are going with the flip out mounting by sliding a piece of 1" pvc over a lifeline and mounting the panel to the pvc. Then fabricating some sort of prop rod to hold the panel horizontal.

I'm about to do this as soon as my 2 panels come in. I am going to try to insert a smaller dia pvc tube inside the 1" pvc to lessen the slop. I also think I'll add end caps with holes drilled for the lifeline to fit through. Havent decided on a prop rod method yet.

E-marine also sells a nice lightweight backer board for the semiflexible panels.
Click to expand
Another approach is to use 1" SS tube connected to the aft push pit and the next stanchion.. This tube can replace the top lifeline for that short section and creates a good spot for flip up/down panels...
 
C

Chief RA

.
Nov 26, 2012
2,315
Catalina 250 Bodega Bay CA
rardih36: Justsomeguy answered him immediately and provided the panel and controller info! Chief
 
caguy

caguy

.
Sep 22, 2006
4,004
Catalina, Luger C-27, Adventure 30 Marina del Rey
I have seen some pretty clean installations, where they hinge mounted the panel on the split back stay and used a single adjustable cable to control the elevation.
 
K

kentobin

.
Jun 9, 2013
28
Rafiki 37 Novato, California
Don't forget the fuse. As a friendly marine surveyor I know likes to say, "fuse it or lose it". Common wisdom is to install it at the battery.
 
G

gettinthere

.
Nov 26, 2008
1,966
Endeavour 42 Cruisin
Maine Sail said:
Another approach is to use 1" SS tube connected to the aft push pit and the next stanchion.. This tube can replace the top lifeline for that short section and creates a good spot for flip up/down panels...
Click to expand
$$$$$
!!!!!!!!!!!
CHEAP SAILOR...

PVC :)

Welcome back to reality
 
Maine Sail

Maine Sail

.
Feb 6, 1998
11,677
Canadian Sailcraft 36T Casco Bay, ME
gettinthere said:
$$$$$
!!!!!!!!!!!
CHEAP SAILOR...

PVC :)

Welcome back to reality
Click to expand
You can still go cheap...

Check the scrap piles at boat yards.. One of the boat yards on Tortola had a massive pile of bent & scrap SS that usable pieces could have been cut from...;)
 
RECESS

RECESS

.
Dec 20, 2003
1,505
Pearson 323 . St. Mary's Georgia
I bought a 30A controller for this. If I did the math right I just needed a 10A, but I plan to expand to 250W soon so a 30A seemed the right thing to do.

Good call?
 
justsomeguy

justsomeguy

.
Feb 20, 2011
8,010
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
RECESS said:
I bought a 30A controller for this. If I did the math right I just needed a 10A, but I plan to expand to 250W soon so a 30A seemed the right thing to do.

Good call?
Click to expand
Yes. MPPT or PWM? (More details!)
 
Bad Obsession

Bad Obsession

.
May 23, 2004
3,319
I'm in the market as were . Colonial Beach
I would go for a MPPT charge controller if you can spring for it.

For a 100 amp panel I think that you need an 8amp controller at the minimum.

If you want to add more power then you probably want to get a bigger controller like you said.
 
trainmanjess

trainmanjess

.
Dec 7, 2012
515
Kittiwake 23, Irwin 43 .. Indianapolis / indianatown, fl
hello all

I installed davits on the transom of my boat (71 Morgan 35ft) ... I added extensions on top of the davits and attached my 3 solar panels to them... my davits and extensions are home made... I have a friend who works in a mechanics shop, and we worked together and built my davits and extensions for the solar panels I have...

sincerely
Jess
 
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