Singing Solar Praises

[Kings Gambit]

In the ongoing slow, but inevitable, conversion of the Bavaria 38E from a so-called "Racer/Cruiser" to a "Cruiser/Racer" into finally a "Cruiser" (w/ a lot of stuff aboard) I just acquired my first solar panel; an 85-watt monocrystalline solar battery charger from Nature Power (through West Marine). Just installed the wiring and tested over the past few days in coastal Southern California. Can recharge the battery from the previous night's power usage [which for me is not all that much; a fridge, a few lights, CD, and some water pumping] before noon the next day, and then keep up with daily power usage [at anchor] until sunset. Starts charging the battery at twilight of dawn if pointed toward that horizon. I'm convinced. Maybe now I can think about a water maker! On the sunny days, there's a lot of power being generated that I'm not using! [Of course, I have not tried supplying the autopilot + radar yet!]

 

[Brian D]

My 50 watter powers everything I need while under sail. Radio, two GPS, one autopilot. And it still keeps the battery topped off. It is the single most important investment I have made to date.

 

[Chief RA]

Sounds good but with your total load you will not have enough power. Go conservative and buy another 85. Just total all your max amp hr use for everything plus some reserve daily and thats what you bacically need the panels to produce. Reefer, radars and autohelms suck up the power! Later, Chief

 

[CharlzO]

It's made me wonder what other gadgets I can add to mine, to give my 100w something more to do. I'm thinking jukebox, disco light, maybe a projector to put movies up on the sails at night?

 

[Kings Gambit]

I've belatedly realized that the limitation of solar power has more to do with the storage of it rather than the generation of it. With that one unit operating daily and low use of the power for a few sunny days initially, I could get several batteries fully charged up. Add another panel, even more since I can run everything I have now on the one. I could probably sink the boat with the number of batteries that I could keep charged up. More power, add more stuff? Compare 7 to 10 hr of silent, solar charging to running the diesel for two hours a day and never getting the batteries back up to full charge.

 

[Chief RA]

KG: You are in California like me and our total solar panel need can be less due to so much sun. As an example for you, I have a 160 watt (total) pair of panels on a Catalina 250. I have LED's, TV, Stereo, Autohelm and DC reefer. I have a dual battery bank of 2 ea. size 24's at 220 amp hrs. I have not used this system yet as I am on the hard outfitting her for splash in a couple weeks. Daily amp hr use for reefer is about 20 amp hrs and will not use much for accessories.
With your big rig I would expect more total demand. Solar is great! Chief