Mounting Solar Panels On Guard Rails

[PaulRainbow]

Well it static loading so more that a dynamic bearings.

Its not the weight but any shock loading due to the movement of the boat.

It fact that the bearing load is on wire rope which does not have a uniform surface that needs to be taken into account

The main point is the free play needs to be limited as with too much bearing gap you can start fretting of the wire rope which would reduce the strength of the wire rope which i of course is undesirable.

If the guard wires cannot withstand a 4kg load, they'll not be much use if the OP falls against them.

What about the millions of boats with rows of fenders tied along the side of the guard wire ?

Talk about making a meal of nothing................

 

[rogerthebodger]

Look back at post #8, how is that "about you" ?

because you and pvb keep on replying to my posts with criticism which in my view are nonsense and not moving the OP's question forward.

The answer to all posts really need to answer the OP's question and any tread drift off topic is not advancing the OP's question forward.

 

[Deleted member 36384]

I have been looking at mounts on the guardrail wire as I am a centre cockpit boat. So stuff like horseshoes and danbuoys are far away from the helm.

A solution that would work for me is to replace the upper and lower wire from the a stanchion to the push pit with tube connected using spray hood fittings. This then introduces various clamping options using U bolts and other fittings. Lots of mounting options for tubes, compared to wire. Early days for my clamping needs so not tried and tested.

 

[rogerthebodger]

If the guard wires cannot withstand a 4kg load, they'll not be much use if the OP falls against them.

What about the millions of boats with rows of fenders tied along the side of the guard wire ?

Talk about making a meal of nothing................

You asked the question and I gave my view if you think it's nonsense that your choice.

So why comment with " Talk about making a meal of nothing" It just my view fro my experience which redoute is difference to yours.

 

[lumphammer]

A couple of small carabiners to clip onto the guard rail, a piece of wood to prop it up and some bungee cord to hold it down. It works for me.
I take them off when entering a marina

 

[rogerthebodger]

I have been looking at mounts on the guardrail wire as I am a centre cockpit boat. So stuff like horseshoes and danbuoys are far away from the helm.

A solution that would work for me is to replace the upper and lower wire from the a stanchion to the push pit with tube connected using spray hood fittings. This then introduces various clamping options using U bolts and other fittings. Lots of mounting options for tubes, compared to wire. Early days for my clamping needs so not tried and tested.

When I built my boat DistantShaws I decided to have tube handrails all along the deck side. My pulpit and pushpit are 38mm dia so I went for 38mm dis handrails all the way along.

The lower rail is 6mm wire rope which holds the lot together Any rail mounting is either on the pushpit or pulpit atr at the stanchions joints. Horseshoes and dan buoys re on my taga in my case as I have an aft cockpit.

 

[Jokani]

Hanging the panels on the guardwires is probably going to be a solution for typical UK berthing, on pontoons or against walls. In the Mediterranean, or even in tight pontoon berths, there is a risk of fouling them on another boat. I

Unfortunately, for this boat, it is a case of utilising the guard rails, or no panels at all, davits & arches are not an option, extending the pushpit would be the next best option, but too expensive, so guard rails it is. Appreciate the risk of third party damage when extended, but I spend more time at anchor than anything else so no problem there, marinas if no shore supply I could opt only to extend the panel on the protected finger side.

I think Paul has the best solution for me, if I use rivnuts, on the rear in combination with wing bolts, removing a panel would take seconds, exactly what I was after. I will stick with the stainless saddle clamps, if for no other reason than I already have them.

I have found a UK supplier that can deliver both rivnuts and bolts on a next-day service, so still a chance I can install them this weekend. I think I will be quite proud of them, so may even post a picture.

Thanks all, really helpful.

 

[PaulRainbow]

because you and pvb keep on replying to my posts with criticism which in my view are nonsense and not moving the OP's question forward.

The answer to all posts really need to answer the OP's question and any tread drift off topic is not advancing the OP's question forward.

I simply told you the OP needed to fold the panels.

You are the one who has been waffling about all sorts of random garbage.

Get a grip man.

 

[mikegunn]

I’ve just checked the weight of my 90 Watt panels. 7.3 kg each, distributed along a length of 1200mm. I’ve also got five fenders randomly distributed along the upper guard wire on one side. Their average weight is 7kg, each subjecting a point loading. It works for me and that’s what matters. However I’ll try and keep an open mind and listen to other opinions, however daft I might think they are at the time, because I recognise that I don’t have a monopoly on lateral thinking. I‘ve even adopted a few daft ideas in the past.
Mike

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

How about a piece of tube (probably ss, and aesthetically it makes sense to have the same od as the pushpit) as long as the span of the guardwire and with the wire threaded through plastic inserts in its ends. You then have a stiff rotating thing to mount the panels onto with whichever clamps you fancy.

 

[Kelpie]

A couple of small carabiners to clip onto the guard rail, a piece of wood to prop it up and some bungee cord to hold it down. It works for me.
I take them off when entering a marina

Don't be daft, from reading the other comments on here you can't possibly have hung solar panels on your guardwires. They would have snapped and your boat would have caught fire and you'd have died in the ensuing catastrophe.

To the OP: just get on and do it. Guardwires are pretty strong, panels are pretty light.

 

[Kelpie]

your advice to use bulldog clamps is flawed, because of possible damage to the guardrail wire

I've had a 100w panel hung on the guardwire for two seasons now, using a bulldog clamp at one end. No sign of any damage. The clamp is a loose fit on the wire, even when done up fully it cannot crush the wire. So at most you might get some sort of chafing, but tbh it's just not an issue. Perhaps if you picked a clamp that was the exact same diameter as the guardwire and you tightened it right up, you could conceivably cause some sort of damage. But then that wouldn't really work because it would make it hard to swing the panel up and down.

 

[dune16]

Can someone post a pic of a bulldog clamp? I'm not familiar and interested to see if this could work for me?

Thanks

 

[Jokani]

Can someone post a pic of a bulldog clamp? I'm not familiar and interested to see if this could work for me?

Thanks

See post #6

 

[dune16]

See post #6

Silly me, thanks

 

[wiggy]

This was my solution last year, the panel is removed when not need or sailing, the panel is hung by 2 carabiner style clips and the legs have notches so they can be adjusted

 

[Jokani]

This was my solution last year, the panel is removed when not need or sailing, the panel is hung by 2 carabiner style clips and the legs have notches so they can be adjusted

That is an elegant solution!

 

[dune16]

This was my solution last year, the panel is removed when not need or sailing, the panel is hung by 2 carabiner style clips and the legs have notches so they can be adjustedView attachment 96594

Really like that, I may copy

 

[geem]

How much weight would you be happy putting on the guard wires? My panels are 150w rigid weighing just under 10kg each, 1 on each side of the boat. Too much for the wires (and a prop to the tow rail holding them horizontal)?

I have a pair of 180w panels on each guardwire and props to the lower guardwires. If they cant take that weight they arent worth having

 

[Pagetslady]

I have extended my push pit with 25 mm stainless tube to the next stanchion and hung two 60 w panels on it supported by gas filled struts i have done this on both sides I have also added one stanchion mid way to support the new 25 mm ss tube I will attempt to attach a picture.