Factory Installed Solar Panel on a 1999 380

tb_gb

.
Jul 26, 2019
20
Hunter 380 Daytona Beach, Fl
Question......My daughter just bought a 1999 Hunter 380. Is the factory installed solar panel on the boat worth replacing? She is the third owner of the boat and I have no idea how long it has not worked. I seems fairly small and is partially shaded by the boom a lot of the time, but a replacement is available through Hunter Owners.

Thanks

TB
 
Oct 19, 2017
7,732
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
TB,
Those panels are more than old enough to require replacing. If they are partially shaded, be sure of what type of panel you replace them with.
Which solar panels work best in the shade?

Whether or not it is worth while to replace them at all is a question much harder to answer without knowing how you use your boat.

-Will (Dragonfly)
 
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Aug 18, 2018
114
Hunter 410 MDR
That small panel was designed to keep only the start battery topped off in case the boat was unattended/unplugged for some time. It was small enough to not need a controller and did exactly what it was intended for.
I upgraded to a small 50 watt panel with a controller. Way overkill for that battery but the controllers USB ports can charge whatever you have that needs charging.
shading in this case has never been an issue.
 
Jan 12, 2011
930
Hunter 410 full time cruiser
That small panel was designed to keep only the start battery topped off in case the boat was unattended/unplugged for some time. It was small enough to not need a controller and did exactly what it was intended for.
I upgraded to a small 50 watt panel with a controller. Way overkill for that battery but the controllers USB ports can charge whatever you have that needs charging.
shading in this case has never been an issue.
Question......My daughter just bought a 1999 Hunter 380. Is the factory installed solar panel on the boat worth replacing? She is the third owner of the boat and I have no idea how long it has not worked. I seems fairly small and is partially shaded by the boom a lot of the time, but a replacement is available through Hunter Owners.

Thanks

TB
I see you took my advise on CF and came here. I don't believe the store has a replacement, but there are threads of people replacing theirs (Personally I wouldn't bother)
 
Nov 21, 2019
40
hunter 380 france
Hello! Sorry for my english...On my 380 the solar panel was not here. When he dead, the first owner pick up the panel but no replace. I want to put a solar panel on this place. But... I search the way for the cable... Nothing, no idea! It's crazy! You have picture, or explanation for reinstall it?
 
Aug 18, 2018
114
Hunter 410 MDR
Hello! Sorry for my english...On my 380 the solar panel was not here. When he dead, the first owner pick up the panel but no replace. I want to put a solar panel on this place. But... I search the way for the cable... Nothing, no idea! It's crazy! You have picture, or explanation for reinstall it?
On my 410 there is big spray cover where my companionway slides into. If you also have this it would need unscrewing to be lifted up for access.
Hopefully you see the wire inside. It was very thin and only good for the somewhere around 10 watt ( my guess) trickle charge panal.
A bigger panal would need better wiring and a controller. Don Lucas on this board is correct, you don't really need it.
I like the redundancy, use some of the excess power at a convieneient USB port, and want to go cruising away from shore power. With shore power your battery will always be fully charged.
 
Nov 21, 2019
40
hunter 380 france
Thnaks a lot, yes, i want to put more power here, and i have a MMPT etc... I Have another solar panel, a bigger one, but here i want to use it. Where are you say i open the cover,but nthing, no hole!! Strange...