Solar Charge Panels

[m1taylor]

The downside of sailing more, using the outboard less is that my battery is now struggling. I was thinking about the merits of a small solar panel to give a trickle charge on all these sunny days (today excepted!). So, any recommendations for these?

 

[LORDNELSON]

Try www.cpssolar.co.uk/ I purchased one of their chinese 10 watt panels plus the necessary controller two years ago and have used it for keeping my engine starter battery charged and meeting losses whilst the boat has not been used and all has worked well. It does not meet domestic demand whilst one is on the boat of course.

 

[Talbot]

Barden batteries sell good quality panels and provide a good back up. Their range encompasses the three types of panel available today rigid, semi-flixible, and fully flexible. Really recommend them

http://www.barden-uk.com/solar.html

 

[jimbouy]

I am afraid they no longer stock the fully flex jobs.

Pity as I was after one.


Jim

 

[Talbot]

I was just reading off their web site. I have a 180 watt rigid panel, and dont have any problem with my batteries!

 

[William_H]

It depends on how much money and how much space you have as to size you buy. I assume you don't have access to shore power as that is the most practical recharge way.
A small panel (up to 10watt) and reasonable sized battery does not need a regulator/controller. I found the most practical mounnt for the small solar panel is attached by 2 bungees to the top of the boom cover. I remove it when sailing. I run wires to a socket inside the cabin. I found fixed panels get damaged if they are on deck. olewill

 

[davidpbo]

Saw this ad in PBO.

www.selectsolar.co.uk
Apologies if it has already been mentioned.

David

 

[Guest]

Re: Solar Charge Panels... trickle charge panels

I have gone through 2 trickle charge panels ... less than 10w ... probably about 5w each.
They worked fine initially but both eventually gave up. One with crazed cells, other just stopped even though LED in plug still lights up.
I think they were not designed for continuous placement outside ... probably only really made for sticking on car dash ...

 

[m1taylor]

Thanks for the help everyone. I found http://www.cpssolar.co.uk/ a really good website, so have made a choice. It's perhaps not unsurprising that prices are much better from suppliers who deal in solar panels rather than those quoted by chandleries.

 

[Richard10002]

[ QUOTE ]
Thanks for the help everyone. I found http://www.cpssolar.co.uk/ a really good website, so have made a choice.

[/ QUOTE ]

Which one have you bought? How much?

 

[m1taylor]

As it was for light use, for £56 including VAT:

MONOCRYSTALLINE 12V CHARGING 5.2WATT which reads as :compact 12v charging solar panels with an output of approx 5.2 watts,ideal for use with caravans, boats, cars etc, no charge controller required,these panels are supplied with approx 1 metre of cabling that can be easily extended if required and are diode protected so they cant discharge your battery at night,unbelievably these amazing little panels weigh less than 650grams each and measure approx 275mm x 190mm (approx 11 x 7.5 inches) they are suitable for all 12v trickle charging requirements and being so small makes them ideal for portable applications also such as camping,fishing,boating etc,these are 36 cell panels so they will continue to emit a charge in cloudy weather and really pump in the current in sunny weather,they are constructed using toughened glass and aluminium framing with rubber sealing making them very resilient,fully waterproof and ready for all scenarios,a top notch solar panel for keeping t hat 12v car or leisure battery topped up year round and currently our most popular trickle charger panel, price includes vat and delivery

 

[VicS]

With a similar small boat and negligible charging from the o/b I rate my permanently mounted 5 watt solar panel among the most useful bits of kit I have bought (that and the Autohelm). I have a small leisure battery (48 ah, I think).