Solar arch or pole mounts?

[dolabriform]

Hi all
I've been contemplating getting a solar arch made, but the cost is quite a big investment. However I've also seen some boats with panels mounted on poles like this:

NOA - Turning Solar Panel Mounts


The cost difference for a pair of these vs an arch is substantial. Here's a pic with them mounted on a same model of boat we have:



What are your thoughts?

 

[Buck Turgidson]

Hi all
I've been contemplating getting a solar arch made, but the cost is quite a big investment. However I've also seen some boats with panels mounted on poles like this:

NOA - Turning Solar Panel Mounts
View attachment 105562

The cost difference for a pair of these vs an arch is substantial. Here's a pic with them mounted on a same model of boat we have:

View attachment 105563

What are your thoughts?

What wind speeds are you expecting? In a gale I would be wondering which one flies first!

 

[Caladh]

Have got the smaller NOA pole with an 80w panel. The big advantages of these poles is that they can follow the sun.

 

[dolabriform]

Have got the smaller NOA pole with an 80w panel. The big advantages of these poles is that they can follow the sun.

Thanks, I was thinking of a pair of 80 watt panels, one per side as in the boat pic.

Have you had any issues with strong winds?

 

[Caladh]

No I haven’t. Had the smaller pole with a 60w on previous boat in Greece with no issues in some pretty strong winds. TBH the big NOA pole is very ugly! If I want a bigger solar array I’d bite the bullet and have an arch made.

 

[Caladh]

PS you won’t get a panel bigger than 80w to fit the smaller pole - I know cos I tried!

 

[PaulRainbow]

It would be an arch for me Dave. You could have one made that incorporated the pushpit and would easily support 400w of solar. I had one made last year for a Moody 376 that we fitted with 400w, all built into the boat so it looked really nice and it had a pair of stainless davits too. Not cheap, but as a long term investment, definitely the way to go.

Not quite finished here:

This is the finished article, just waiting for me to connect the panels. We also fitted a GPS antenna and an emergency VHF antenna. The swing out davits would have been perfectly suited for MOB recovery. Hard to see in the pictures, but there is also a set of fixings on the front tube that could be used for fitting a bimini :

 

[dolabriform]

It would be an arch for me Dave. You could have one made that incorporated the pushpit and would easily support 400w of solar. I had one made last year for a Moody 376 that we fitted with 400w, all built into the boat so it looked really nice and it had a pair of stainless davits too. Not cheap, but as a long term investment, definitely the way to go.

Hi Paul

I hear what you're saying, and yes they do look good. But an arch is going to cost in the region of £5k, whereas a pair of poles will be £600.

I've already got a pair of 80w Victron panels and controller from another project, so it's obviously going to be a cheap way to get them on the boat. With all the uncertainty in the world right now, I'd prefer to save the 4.5k if I can!

 

[Clancy Moped]

A well made arch can also act as davits, support a decent gang plank, and a whole host of other extra kit.

 

[rogerthebodger]

I agree with Paul get an arch buch better at support and could be incorporated into a tampary sun/rain cockpit cover.

davits built in will help not only lifting dingy but also outboards on the dinghys and any other heavy items onto your boat.

 

[dolabriform]

Another question would be how much does an arch with loads of stuff on it interfere with a windvane?

 

[Graham376]

I also went the arch/gantry route but separate to the pushpit as it can cause leaks around the deck mounts with the extra load. Sloped it aft so also acts a davits.

 

[dolabriform]

I agree with Paul get an arch buch better at support and could be incorporated into a tampary sun/rain cockpit cover.

davits built in will help not only lifting dingy but also outboards on the dinghys and any other heavy items onto your boat.

We have a Torqeedo, and lift the dinghy on and off with a block and tackle attached to spinnaker halyard.

However, the dinghy is going to be replaced in the future with a nestable sailing one, which will be even easier to launch and retrieve. I'm not a fan of Davits, and the gangplank can tie onto the pushpit.

 

[PaulRainbow]

Hi Paul

I hear what you're saying, and yes they do look good. But an arch is going to cost in the region of £5k, whereas a pair of poles will be £600.

I've already got a pair of 80w Victron panels and controller from another project, so it's obviously going to be a cheap way to get them on the boat. With all the uncertainty in the world right now, I'd prefer to save the 4.5k if I can!

You did ask "What are your thoughts? "

When i purchased Rainbow, she was fitted with a home made pole, clamped to the pushpit with some u-bolts, with an old 60w panel (so old, that my new 100w panels are the same physical size). It had been there for decades. So, if you don't want to spend what an arch costs, go for pole mounts. Maybe save some more money by making them yourself ?

 

[dolabriform]

I also went the arch/gantry route but separate to the pushpit as it can cause leaks around the deck mounts with the extra load. Sloped it aft so also acts a davits.

Thanks Graham, the loading is something I had wondered about.

 

[dolabriform]

You did ask "What are your thoughts? "

I know

 

[dolabriform]

You did ask "What are your thoughts? "

When i purchased Rainbow, she was fitted with a home made pole, clamped to the pushpit with some u-bolts, with an old 60w panel (so old, that my new 100w panels are the same physical size). It had been there for decades. So, if you don't want to spend what an arch costs, go for pole mounts. Maybe save some more money by making them yourself ?

In all seriousness I don't have a problem with spending what an arch will cost, however if there is a viable alternative then I want to explore it.

I've seen some home made arches, some great and some , and whilst I don't have a problem with turning my hand to a lot of things, welding an arch together that also looks good is not something I have the skill to do.

 

[julianmingham]

I have a solar arch so maybe I'm biased, but they are definitely the best solution. But I suppose the choice depends on a number of factors including:
a) Do you want the solar power to maintain the batteries indefinitely whilst living on board at anchor ? in which case 2 x 80W is probably not enough and that's the max. you can get with a pole.
b) How important is not spending £5K ?. Only the OP can answer that.
c) How long do you plan to keep the boat ?. Would need to be more than a few years to justify spending £5K

 

[Clancy Moped]

Our old set-up with 2x 90w and 2x120w

 

[rogerthebodger]

I've seen some home made arches, some great and some , and whilst I don't have a problem with turning my hand to a lot of things, welding an arch together that also looks good is not something I have the skill to do.

2 things to consider

1) design it with al little welding as possible and bent from stainless pipe.

Custom Exhaust manufacturers can bend the pipes to your requirement. I used 50 mm pipe and if the Custom Exhaust manufacturers has the dies then CNC benders would do it in no time.

If you do ned joints have a look at fittings like this

Stainless Steel Insert Adjustable Tube Connector product-1-04-0067-1-50204

as used by Architectural stainless steel manufacturers.

You could also do most of the cutting and basic assembly work then get a local TIG welder to weld it together then polish it as required.

Polishing is a nasty job and this is why fabricators tend to charge for polished stainless. It's not difficult it's just very dirty work.