Solar Panel Placement.
- Thread starter jpiombo67
- Start date
Unless the panels are specifically designed to be installed on a deck where they will be stepped on, installing a panel on the deck will lead to the panel's early demise. Although you may believe you will not step on these panels, it's a boat and sooner or later someone will step on it a break it. The issue is the very small wires inside the panel connecting the cells. Flexing the panel will cause some of those wires and connectors to break, even though the frames and glass may be intact.
The panel may only be a ½" high, it is still a trip hazard and a toe stubbing hazard.
Besides the obvious, wanting to charge the battery, what's your intention for the panel?
The panel may only be a ½" high, it is still a trip hazard and a toe stubbing hazard.
Besides the obvious, wanting to charge the battery, what's your intention for the panel?
I like the lensun fiberglass panels. They are not as efficient or long lasting as rigid panels, but they accommodate an occasional walking on and they come in a variety of sizes. There are a couple other brands that make fiberglass panels, NaturePower seems to be the same panel, but much more expensive. BougeRV and AllPower appear to make something similar.
What Dave said. I put a solar panel on my first boat - installed in pretty much the only location where there was sufficient room. We knew that we could avoid stepping there. After a season or two with no problems, I needed to get a guy from the yacht club to crew for me to shuttle the boat 100 miles down the coast. Within the first 15 minutes, he stepped on the panel and cracked it. Interestingly, that boat was a Venture 22. (We put the panel on the pop-top.)
That said, if you want solar panels, there is no perfect place on any boat. Any location is a compromise. If that is the best location, then that is the best location - or the least bad location, anyway.
If the panel sticks up, at all, it will probably snag lines. If it can be stepped on, it probably will be stepped on. You just do what you can.
My preference is having panels that are mounted off the deck and above and/or behind most running rigging, such as off the transom or over a bimini/dodger. But, I think that, in most cases, you just put them in a place you can live with that is as out of the way as you can manage.
Something I think is a good idea, if you have to mount where the panel can be stepped on, is twofold. First, you make sure the panel is really well supported underneath. This minimizes the panel's ability to flex, should it be stepped on. So, there's a chance it won't break. Second, is to build a little plexiglass (or similar) cover that can be easily removed/installed. That way, you can choose to protect it, such as when under sail. The cover will decrease its effectiveness, which is why you would want it easy to install and remove. I haven't seen anyone build/use such a cover, but I've always thought it would be a good idea.
A little "cage" protector would not degrade the panel's effectiveness as much and could be left in place. But, it brings its own little issues, too. That is something I have seen - not over solar panels, but over hatches and ports. (There's a name for this that escapes me, right now.)
That said, if you want solar panels, there is no perfect place on any boat. Any location is a compromise. If that is the best location, then that is the best location - or the least bad location, anyway.
If the panel sticks up, at all, it will probably snag lines. If it can be stepped on, it probably will be stepped on. You just do what you can.
My preference is having panels that are mounted off the deck and above and/or behind most running rigging, such as off the transom or over a bimini/dodger. But, I think that, in most cases, you just put them in a place you can live with that is as out of the way as you can manage.
Something I think is a good idea, if you have to mount where the panel can be stepped on, is twofold. First, you make sure the panel is really well supported underneath. This minimizes the panel's ability to flex, should it be stepped on. So, there's a chance it won't break. Second, is to build a little plexiglass (or similar) cover that can be easily removed/installed. That way, you can choose to protect it, such as when under sail. The cover will decrease its effectiveness, which is why you would want it easy to install and remove. I haven't seen anyone build/use such a cover, but I've always thought it would be a good idea.
A little "cage" protector would not degrade the panel's effectiveness as much and could be left in place. But, it brings its own little issues, too. That is something I have seen - not over solar panels, but over hatches and ports. (There's a name for this that escapes me, right now.)
[
Thank you for the insight. All of this makes so much sense. I just need enough energy to top off batteries when anchored. The transom for me is a bit rough in that I have a "swim ladder" ( we scuba off the boat), and I don't have a push pit. The pop-top is also a bit of a struggle as I step there when stepping the mast. ( maybe a flexible/removable panel) that I can setup when under way.
Thank you. Im going to look into these. I wonder how efficient they would be in topping off my batteries.
Very valid. Thank you. Just topping off the batteries. We trailer around lake Michigan and Lake Superior and most trips are weekend jaunts. We always anchor in coves etc and would like that little piece of mind that batteries are charging. Maybe add a couple more batteries and bypass the solar all together.
You don't need to mount them. Just get some small ones and keep them wired up ( or have them on disconnects) and put them somewhere in the cockpit, cabin top or deck when you are at anchor and then stow them away wnen you are sailing,
Man, do I feel d..b That is an excellent idea. Need to stop watching all these videos with mounted solar panels. Michigan winters...Lots of down time!
I keep one of the suitcase fold up panels. It stores pretty conveniently. I unfold it on top of my Bimini when I want extra power. I still keep one of the flat ones on my foredeck for normal usage.
On my Catalina 22 I've had both a 50W and a 100W (not at the same time) on an angle between the forward hatch and the cabin top. The 50w fits fine with room to spare. The 100W just fits between the forward spreaders in this location, but both have worked great. Never really any need to step there, though depending on the wind and time of day, the panel might not get as much sun. We usually leave it up when sailing, the jib never gets too close to the panel.
We're on a mooring, so just using it to keep the batteries topped up. Switched to a 100w late this last season as we were having some suspected vandalism in the mooring field and I wanted to add a camera and a LTE router for Internet access. Sail still clears everything just fine.
We're on a mooring, so just using it to keep the batteries topped up. Switched to a 100w late this last season as we were having some suspected vandalism in the mooring field and I wanted to add a camera and a LTE router for Internet access. Sail still clears everything just fine.
Thank you for this nugget. I'm doing the Friday Night to Sunday Mid-afternoon trips. Anchor, then dinghy to shore. Did the 50W do a good job keeping the batteries topped off when the sun was co-operating? Also, would you happen to have a picture of your fixed setup?
Unfortunately, I don't have any photos -- we just put it with the "bottom" resting against the forward hatch bulkhead and the "top" leaning back on the cabin top. I ran a small line between the 2 forward spreaders and secured the top of the panel to it with a few zip ties. Mainly thinking in case we got some wind, etc. it wouldn't go anywhere, but I don't think it was really necessary.
Before that, we just left it on one of the cockpit seats when we weren't on the boat. That worked fine, but then we'd have to move it every time we went out for a sail. With it up forward, we just leave it where it is. It doesn't interfere with our jib and if we open the forward hatch the panel just slides back a hair.
The 50w took care of our needs, though it depends on what you have for batteries and how much power you're using. We manly day-sail, so about all we normally run is a depth finder (garmin fish finder / depth plotter) and an auto-pilot from time to time. We have 2 batteries -- not sure what size off hand -- general deep cycle batteries I got from Walmart. One in the normal place, the other up-front under the v-berth.
I did 2 batteries because I've always had a camera and a LTE modem on the boat -- we like to check on it from time to time, and it's nice to see what the weather is out on the lake before deciding if we're going out or not. The only reason I put the 100w on was because I needed to upgrade my LTE modem and the new one drew more power. I didn't want the batteries taking all day to come back up to full once the sun came out. Now if I get out the boat before lunch, the batteries are already pretty much full.
Before that, we just left it on one of the cockpit seats when we weren't on the boat. That worked fine, but then we'd have to move it every time we went out for a sail. With it up forward, we just leave it where it is. It doesn't interfere with our jib and if we open the forward hatch the panel just slides back a hair.
The 50w took care of our needs, though it depends on what you have for batteries and how much power you're using. We manly day-sail, so about all we normally run is a depth finder (garmin fish finder / depth plotter) and an auto-pilot from time to time. We have 2 batteries -- not sure what size off hand -- general deep cycle batteries I got from Walmart. One in the normal place, the other up-front under the v-berth.
I did 2 batteries because I've always had a camera and a LTE modem on the boat -- we like to check on it from time to time, and it's nice to see what the weather is out on the lake before deciding if we're going out or not. The only reason I put the 100w on was because I needed to upgrade my LTE modem and the new one drew more power. I didn't want the batteries taking all day to come back up to full once the sun came out. Now if I get out the boat before lunch, the batteries are already pretty much full.
Got it. That makes sense. Same here (2) deep cycle Batteries from Menards. Run cabin lights, navigation, lowrance fish finder and charge phones. I will copy your set up. Thank you for all your insight.
I think I would go with a folding panel. Dokio makes some on Amazon. I’ve used them for about 7 years, seasonal and have had good luck.