Hi Maine,
I just had a new set of canvas made, and decided to put solar panels on top of the bimini. I ended up with a bare-bones simple installation, and I'd appreciate your take on it.
The panels are 51.5"x 21.5", 120 Watt, Vpmax= 20V, Ipmax = 6.0A. I paralleled them, and got nearly 25 Voc. The most current I've measured (so far, one day) is 9A in the mid afternoon. I'm using a Morningstar SS-20L-12V controller.
I used solar industry MC4 connectors, which are inexpensive, water-tight, and breeze to install. I used 10AWG 'solar" XPLE insulation wire.
Anyway, the mechanical attachment of the panels to the bimini is via the grommets in the panel, using Staput canvas-to-canvas fasteners. The loft reports good feedback from customers using this.
I am toying with the idea of installing some thin battens, longitudinally, along hte edges of the panels, because of the "droop."
I just had a new set of canvas made, and decided to put solar panels on top of the bimini. I ended up with a bare-bones simple installation, and I'd appreciate your take on it.
The panels are 51.5"x 21.5", 120 Watt, Vpmax= 20V, Ipmax = 6.0A. I paralleled them, and got nearly 25 Voc. The most current I've measured (so far, one day) is 9A in the mid afternoon. I'm using a Morningstar SS-20L-12V controller.
I used solar industry MC4 connectors, which are inexpensive, water-tight, and breeze to install. I used 10AWG 'solar" XPLE insulation wire.
Anyway, the mechanical attachment of the panels to the bimini is via the grommets in the panel, using Staput canvas-to-canvas fasteners. The loft reports good feedback from customers using this.
I am toying with the idea of installing some thin battens, longitudinally, along hte edges of the panels, because of the "droop."
