Roving Solar Panel

[Snowgoose-1]

Just 30w to move about as needed. Prob need two places on deck plug on. Any tips on plug type and wirings. Thankyou.

 

[vyv_cox]

I had one years ago. An absolute PITA. Needed six tie-downs when sailing to stop it flapping, all needing time to tie and re-tie each time I moved it. Strongly recommend you find a fixed place for it. Velcro on the hood or bimini works well.
At the time I used a Dri-plug but these no longer made. Bulgin probably best, certainly better than Dri-plug

 

[johnalison]

I have a lighter-type socket in a recess in the cockpit and although my solar panel is fixed I could use the socket for this purpose. I would be inclined to put the socket in the cockpit where it can be more readily protected from wet and rely on a long enough lead for its deployment. Although exposed, my socket is pointing downward and recessed and seems to stay dry, though there are better forms of plug and socket these days, such as the one I use on the autopilot.

 

[johnalison]

I had one years ago. An absolute PITA. Needed six tie-downs when sailing to stop it flapping, all needing time to tie and re-tie each time I moved it. Strongly recommend you find a fixed place for it. Velcro on the hood or bimini works well.

Perhaps he only wants to use it in harbour. My panel is too small for all purposes and I have thought about getting a harbour panel to supplement it.

 

[Pete7]

Agree with Vyv, bit of pita. However, at anchor or in harbour having a roving panel that you can move about a couple of times a day is useful and since you direct it at the sun surprisingly good at generating power. We have a lightweight 100w folding one but always tucked away when at sea. Tie it down even in harbour.

They tend to come with cheap solar controllers, so bin that and buy something better to max the power generated.

Bulgin make some good connectors with an o ring seal.

This sort of thing. Plan on a 5 year life if treated carefully. Always a few on FB Marketplace.

DOKIO 110W 18V Portable Foldable Solar Panel Kit (48 * 66cm, 2.4kg) Monocrystalline(HIGH Efficiency) with Controller 2 USB Output to Charge 12V Batteries (All Types: Vented AGM Gel) RV Camper Boat : Amazon.co.uk: Business, Industry & Science

 

[gregcope]

I had success with a 100W semi-flexible ontop of a sprayhood (in upto a F8!) and hanging in the lazy jack.

the panel broke so next time I plan to leave a 150W semi-flexible ontop of the spray hood and another roving one. For the roving one I will reinforce its base to help it last longer.

i just have a long roving lead to protected socket in the cockpit. This connected to a 75/15 Victron MPPT as I wanted to maximise yeild.

Yes its a pain to move when leaving/arriving. But worth the yeild. Keeps up with the fridge chilling the wine/food.

 

[gregcope]

For wiring go large as you can 4mm or 6mm to reduce voltage drop on longer cable runs.

My MPPT is half way from pannel to batteries. Cabling to the cockpit plug is 6mm. 4mm from there (domestic solar cabling). Its two cores. I am tempted to run it within an hold rope cover to hide, protect and make it easier to handle as the two cables make a rats nest.

 

[geem]

I have a roving solar panel on my engine start batteries. I purchased a pair of 20w framed panels for very little money. I joined them together with some s/s hinges. The wire runs to a socket in my cockpit cubbyhole. We only deploy it at anchor. When I have finished with it, I unplug it, roll up the wire and it lives between the hinged panels. A simple clip keeps the panels in the closed position. I effectively get 40w from the space of a 20w panel when stowed below.
If you wire the two panels in series you will only need 1/4 of the cross section of wire for the same volt drop compared to what you would need if you wired in parallel but you would need an MPPT solar reg to deal with the 40v. This is what I have. I use a Victron Mppt smart solar reg thst gives me 30 days historic information on battery state as well as a whole lot more info on my phone

 

[dunedin]

We have a roving panel 50W as well as two similar panels on the sprayhood.

Think the fitter used Bulgin deck connectors, but check voltage and current ratings.

Get a semi flexible panel with GRP backing. Generally space to drill holes in each corners for retaining strings.
The aluminium framed ones are a real pain, with sharp edges to damage things. Our “roving” panel generally lives in the dinghy on the davits, but previously only pulled out when on anchor. The soft edges of the semi flexible save so many cuts and scratches.

May only last 5-6 years if used regularly and seriously abused, but probably 10+ if treated moderately well (20 if generally left below decks)

 

[geem]

We have a roving panel 50W as well as two similar panels on the sprayhood.

Think the fitter used Bulgin deck connectors, but check voltage and current ratings.

Get a semi flexible panel with GRP backing. Generally space to drill holes in each corners for retaining strings.
The aluminium framed ones are a real pain, with sharp edges to damage things. Our “roving” panel generally lives in the dinghy on the davits, but previously only pulled out when on anchor. The soft edges of the semi flexible save so many cuts and scratches.

May only last 5-6 years if used regularly and seriously abused, but probably 10+ if treated moderately well (20 if generally left below decks)

Never had a problem with sharp edges of fixed frame panel. That may be because folded up a pair of 20w panels are so small. I just measured it. 530x360mm. It's tiny. I can imagine that a large roving panel would be a pain.
One advantage of the fixed panel is that it doesn't blow away at anchor. Ours has happily sat there with 35kts blowing. I didn't even think about it blowing away. Our panels are over 10 years old and still going strong. I have had flexible panels in the past. Never again. Poor output, delamination, short life

 

[BabaYaga]

I have a couple of foldable 50W panels (12,5Wx4) that come out to lay on the coach roof when at anchor. Folds up to a canvas briefcase the size of an LP record when not used. Similar in style, but not identical, to this:
FLY WEIGHT PREMIUM Solar Panel Kit / 3 x 45 W / 135 W only 499,95 € | SVB
I would recommend folding rigid panels over flexible for this specific use, because they are heavier and less prone to fluttering and less dependent of being tied down if it is windy.

 

[mattonthesea]

We have a permanent flexible panel velcro'd to the sprayhood wired through glands under the hood. We also have a 50W one in a rubber frame. This is our roving one which plugs in to MC4 Y connectors, also under the spray hood. The five metre extension cables enable it to be placed almost anywhere and we generally leave out. For storage it lives behind a salon squab and the cables are coiled up.

Works well