Flexible Solar Panels - Heat.

[graham460]

HELLO B27 YES YOU ARE PROBABLY CORRECT.. HOWEVER when working outside if you put down a wood saw then 15mins later try to pick it up by the blade vey hot indeed

 

[PaulRainbow]

Hello Dunedin.. I was just going by what the Electrician informed me - Ho Was saying best if you could get 500w to Run / Top up batteries. Run your fridge when sailing - rin Navigation gear (Raymarine) Navigation lights Possible Autopilot. (Runs off Battery - Hydraulic) Etc etc.. I will hope to obyain 340 watts But this will drop down with poor efficiency. I have ordered Victron Charge controllers. I think they are 30amp each (I little over the top) Electrician thought I needed 40amp.. Anyway he is not coming around Probaly not interested any more.

His not coming back is a result !

The panels will not overheat and will not catch fire, that's total rubbish. You should fix them straight on the deck. then it's safer if you want to walk on them.

As for needing 500w in Sardinia....... I lived aboard my previous boat and 200w of solar ran everything you mention during the UK Summer, apart from the odd times when we had a few days of cloudy weather. Cooking and the kettle was gas.

 

[Trident]

I have fitted hundreds of panels on lots of boats and to confirm the above - stick to the deck direct with sika
They will not catch fire - the worst I have ever heard about is brow patches on faulty panels where diodes etc have "burnt out" but this never causes a fire risk just a useless , or these days party useless panel.

More is always better for cruising so if you've ordered more than some think necessary then you'll always have plenty and can use more stuff on board. Two Victron MPPT is great - one for each bank of panels and you always have redundancy.

Make sure to fuse between panels and MPPT and battery and MPPT and use the correct size of wire. 4mm is fine, 6mm better if you can get it. Tinned wire will be fine in the sun and across the deck etc - the only risk is to your bare feet if you stand on the black casing in the full sun - but that applies to anything dark or metal in the Med sun!

Be safe and sensible with fuses and make good connections with the wires but don't over think it - this is very simple technology and will not cause you or the boat any harm if you fit it sensibly

 

[graham460]

His not coming back is a result !

The panels will not overheat and will not catch fire, that's total rubbish. You should fix them straight on the deck. then it's safer if you want to walk on them.

As for needing 500w in Sardinia....... I lived aboard my previous boat and 200w of solar ran everything you mention during the UK Summer, apart from the odd times when we had a few days of cloudy weather. Cooking and the kettle was gas.

 

[graham460]

Hi Paul Thanks for the update on the wattage I am not an electrician But With help of youtube ha ha I hope to manage.. The Company who are selling me the Equiment should provide some support, But they Do not give any advice on Installation Just the Equipment - Hopefull after the installation is done thenit is the CONFIGURATION ON THE VICTRON Equipment.. I HAVE not boutgth the batteries yet My buy Victron Just wondering IF i bought Victron WOULD THE CERBO UNIT BE ABLE TO SEE MORE OF THE SYSTEM, Than if I bought Exide Batteries

 

[vyv_cox]

Some feedback from Greece. We have 125 watts of solar feeding a domestic bank of 3 X 100 Ah batteries and a Red Flash 1100 starter battery. This runs a fridge 24/7 throughout summer months but may need occasional engine charging come late September. Ideally I would like a little more but no easy place to put them. These through an old SunWorks PWM dual bank controller. The panels are rigid on a stern arch.

At present they are delivering 5.5 amps in hot sunshine.

 

[dunedin]

Hello Dunedin.. I was just going by what the Electrician informed me - Ho Was saying best if you could get 500w to Run / Top up batteries. Run your fridge when sailing - rin Navigation gear (Raymarine) Navigation lights Possible Autopilot. (Runs off Battery - Hydraulic) Etc etc.. I will hope to obyain 340 watts But this will drop down with poor efficiency. I have ordered Victron Charge controllers. I think they are 30amp each (I little over the top) Electrician thought I needed 40amp.. Anyway he is not coming around Probaly not interested any more.

So that is for general usage, not just for keeping batteries topped up - makes sense

 

[thinwater]

Solar panels are more efficient oriented vertically as they collect both direct and reflected light, they also run cooler, making them more efficient.

Not quite that simple.

• The studies and testing was done in northern Europe. Higher latitudes, not the med or Caribbean.
• The layout they tested was rows of vertical panel oriented north-south. No application on a boat.

Shade and reflected light are typically about 10x less than direct sun, so not very relevant to capacity in most applications. The only time it really helps is rows of north/south panels on cloudy days.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Hi Paul Thanks for the update on the wattage I am not an electrician But With help of youtube ha ha I hope to manage.. The Company who are selling me the Equiment should provide some support, But they Do not give any advice on Installation Just the Equipment - Hopefull after the installation is done thenit is the CONFIGURATION ON THE VICTRON Equipment.. I HAVE not boutgth the batteries yet My buy Victron Just wondering IF i bought Victron WOULD THE CERBO UNIT BE ABLE TO SEE MORE OF THE SYSTEM, Than if I bought Exide Batteries

I can't see an point in the Cerbo for just a solar installation. The the Smart solar controller, with Bluetooth and fit a decent battery monitor. I would fit a Victron Smart Shunt.

Doesn't matter what make of batteries you fit.