Change Solar panel - Old is NAPS 27962 55W flexi

Refueler

Refueler

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The panel just ahead of the mast is apparently not working as well as it should ... when you look at the panel - it has white spotted areas in the PV 's ....

Its a nice flush flexi screwed down - but the cable through deck is right next to the rear edge ...

Its dimensions are 56cm long by 67cm wide ....

Without moving that cable entry - something I am reluctant to change ... I can get a 80cm long by 75cm wide panel there ...

Reason I don't want to mess with a new cable entry is it is far enough fwd to not be a problem when at mast ...

original solar + possible resized.jpg

So game now is to find a panel that has similar terminal block that is on front of the panel and also within the 80 x 75cm size - flexi to screw direct to deck ... and higher output than 55W

All the panels I've found so far have the terminal block on back of panel .....
 
Refueler said:
So far further checking seems to be 50W is about all I can get in there ... 100W is too big.
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My panel 8n that position is 50w for all the same reasons. I have a 100w fwd of that, fills in the gap to the anchor locker. That also means I don’t have to have another cable entry on deck. The cables for the front panel go into the anchor locker, the cable is led beside the holding tank breather into the boat, the battery compartment being conveniently next to the tank. I hope my batteries don’t explode.
 
Another idea is whether two smaller panels can be mounted side by side to give more than 50W .... then the longer rectangle design can be accommodated.

In fact - I could go further aft of the cable entry in length leaving the centre clear ...
 
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Chiara’s slave said:
The dimensions say 80w isn’t out of the question. It’s bigger than my 50 and not as big as my 100, both of which get close to their rated power, in mid summer.
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I have a couple of folding panels as well - which I intend to sort 'folded' over guard rails ... but they are more for when I'm in Swedish Islands away from mains power .. I do not want to use generally ...

I hope it works .... TBH - it cannot be worse than whats there now.
 
Refueler said:
I have a couple of folding panels as well - which I intend to sort 'folded' over guard rails ... but they are more for when I'm in Swedish Islands away from mains power .. I do not want to use generally ...

I hope it works .... TBH - it cannot be worse than whats there now.
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We have 2 fitted panels, 50w and 100w, plus one deployable one, usually put on top of the sprayhood, usually just used to charge the tender outboard. We have no mains power, and just one 120ah battery. The generation side is fine, but we need to go lithium, and double our battery capacity as well.
 
My battery banks :

Engine served by single 75Ah LA
Domestic served by two similar 75AH LA giving 150AH.

Victron Smart dual charger to the banks charging from mains.

55W Solar panel on foredeck via controller to ?? bank ... not quite sure !! I know - after 2 yrs of owning the boat - I should know ... but with all the rest of stuff being sorted - I have not got round to sorting which gets the solars output ... I have a feeling its the domestic - which in my mind would make sense.

When I replace the old 55W on deck - (80W) that will feed to the domestic bank.

I have two folding panels and I think one could be detailed to the engine bank and other for domestic / outboard battery.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/395371214689

I certainly do not expect 100W out of either ... maybe 50 at best ...
 
Refueler said:
My battery banks :

Engine served by single 75Ah LA
Domestic served by two similar 75AH LA giving 150AH.

Victron Smart dual charger to the banks charging from mains.

55W Solar panel on foredeck via controller to ?? bank ... not quite sure !! I know - after 2 yrs of owning the boat - I should know ... but with all the rest of stuff being sorted - I have not got round to sorting which gets the solars output ... I have a feeling its the domestic - which in my mind would make sense.

When I replace the old 55W on deck - (80W) that will feed to the domestic bank.

I have two folding panels and I think one could be detailed to the engine bank and other for domestic / outboard battery.

Pardon our interruption...

I certainly do not expect 100W out of either ... maybe 50 at best ...
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Given the size, you'll be lucky to get 30W
 
PaulRainbow said:
Given the size, you'll be lucky to get 30W
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It’s bigger than my 50w. We have seen nearly that in ideal conditions. That, of course, is a couple of times a year, when the boat is facing the right direction at the right time of day in good weather🤣 at this time of year we only get about 40% of our home panels rated output in good solar weather. So your comment may be valid on an average basis, but I think he’ll do much better in good conditions.
 
Chiara’s slave said:
It’s bigger than my 50w. We have seen nearly that in ideal conditions. That, of course, is a couple of times a year, when the boat is facing the right direction at the right time of day in good weather🤣 at this time of year we only get about 40% of our home panels rated output in good solar weather. So your comment may be valid on an average basis, but I think he’ll do much better in good conditions.
Click to expand...
It's the same size as a decent 20W panel, so i don't see how it'll produce 50W.

12V solar panels charging kits for caravans, motorhomes, boats, yachts, marine
 
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