Solar panels as Side Screens

[vas]

We fitted them in the Balearics and have been mostly in the Canaries since apart from the last few months in the Caribbean.


They are the gold standard ones, designed specifically for biminis so as to never touch the frame and too narrow to be bent. We have two of the quadruples - one on the port side for the bimini, one on the starboard, plus the side panels mentioned in this thread.

Sunware Textile Solar Panel Quadruple

ouch! not exactly cheap though couldn't find in the link what wattage these are.
and final Q for me (as I'd be interested in getting a couple of oblong ones for the coachroof) are they in the bimini 24/7 356days a year, or only when onboard?
I mean you keep the bimini up even when not onboard?

 

[geem]

ouch! not exactly cheap though couldn't find in the link what wattage these are.
and final Q for me (as I'd be interested in getting a couple of oblong ones for the coachroof) are they in the bimini 24/7 356days a year, or only when onboard?
I mean you keep the bimini up even when not onboard?

Wow! My 720w of solar cost me £400. Delivered 1500kw in 4 years of use. Still perfect

 

[Kelpie]

Do I get a prize for cheapest solar setup?
Secondhand panels from a slightly strange guy who lived off grid in a shipping container, in a quarry, in a forest, on an island. He was selling up because for some reason his wife didn't want to come and share his dream.
Two 265w panels, four 100w ones, total cost £120

 

[RupertW]

ouch! not exactly cheap though couldn't find in the link what wattage these are.
and final Q for me (as I'd be interested in getting a couple of oblong ones for the coachroof) are they in the bimini 24/7 356days a year, or only when onboard?
I mean you keep the bimini up even when not onboard?

That’s another advantage of flexis - a wipe down of salt and they go down below. They are probably on a total of 3-5 months a year but the longevity that matters is how often they will need replacing and I suspect by the time I do there will be a new more efficient generation.

Panels are multiples of 50W, so I have 2 quadruples giving 400W. The maximum I got this season was 412W with a heavy load and midday ish.

Yes they are expensive

 

[vas]

ah, so by the time they've spent a total of 3yrs under the sun they'll be 10yrs onboard. OK, wont work for what I want.

 

[RupertW]

ah, so by the time they've spent a total of 3yrs under the sun they'll be 10yrs onboard. OK, wont work for what I want.

 

[RupertW]

Yes so could last 30years before replacement. Our neighbour in the marine where we fitted them has the same panels permanently up and were going strong after 8 years.

Rigid panels have enormous amount of fans I suspect due tic buying first generation cheap flexis and/or mounting them in daft ways, eg to walk on.

 

[geem]

Yes so could last 30years before replacement. Our neighbour in the marine where we fitted them has the same panels permanently up and were going strong after 8 years.

Rigid panels have enormous amount of fans I suspect due tic buying first generation cheap flexis and/or mounting them in daft ways, eg to walk on.

We never walked on ours but they couldn't handle salt spray on hard bests to windward. They corroded and delamination really quickly. Two different types from different manufacturers. I wasn't impressed.
Your are the other end of the spectrum in terms of cost. You could buy about 1500w in rigid panels and have lots of spare change. You wouldn't need to store them below but you might have a problem finding space for them
What did you do for charging on the Atlantic crossing?

 

[Kelpie]

How many watts do you get for your £1500 from Force4? Are they 100w each?

FWIW my entire system cost less than that- admittedly with some secondhand panels as I already mentioned.

 

[RupertW]

We never walked on ours but they couldn't handle salt spray on hard bests to windward. They corroded and delamination really quickly. Two different types from different manufacturers. I wasn't impressed.
Your are the other end of the spectrum in terms of cost. You could buy about 1500w in rigid panels and have lots of spare change. You wouldn't need to store them below but you might have a problem finding space for them
What did you do for charging on the Atlantic crossing?

We used the Sunware flexis on the bimini and one of the 120W panels hung vertically as a dodger - that was just as a top-up as the autohelm was hungry as was the fridge and the skies were windy and cloudy. The bimini was covered hundreds of times with spray on that trip alone never mind the previous 6 years.

No problems we’ve seen in our beat up the Caribbean with either type. Alas as we turn South the winds have moved that way so it’s been wet beat all day today. Again no problems with solar but the dodger panels (Victron) are pretty much sacrificial extras.

 

[geem]

We used the Sunware flexis on the bimini and one of the 120W panels hung vertically as a dodger - that was just as a top-up as the autohelm was hungry as was the fridge and the skies were windy and cloudy. The bimini was covered hundreds of times with spray on that trip alone never mind the previous 6 years.

No problems we’ve seen in our beat up the Caribbean with either type. Alas as we turn South the winds have moved that way so it’s been wet beat all day today. Again no problems with solar but the dodger panels (Victron) are pretty much sacrificial extras.

Where are you? We are in Antigua kitesurfing in all this lovely breeze.

 

[RupertW]

Where are you? We are in Antigua kitesurfing in all this lovely breeze.

Fantastic - we were in Dashais yesterday but decided not to go to Antigua and have turned back round towards our hurricane base in Grenada - so in Portsmouth now.

 

[geem]

Fantastic - we were in Dashais yesterday but decided not to go to Antigua and have turned back round towards our hurricane base in Grenada - so in Portsmouth now.

Are you lifting out and flying home or staying onboard for the summer? We plan to stay onboard and will be down in Grenada at some point. We need a trip up to St Martin for some shopping next week. Probably down in Grenada in June, maybe

 

[RupertW]

Are you lifting out and flying home or staying onboard for the summer? We plan to stay onboard and will be down in Grenada at some point. We need a trip up to St Martin for some shopping next week. Probably down in Grenada in June, maybe

Alas we are flying home at the end of April hence the turnaround. St Martin great for shopping but we didn’t get there this time. My fake Rolex lasted nearly 18 months.

 

[Kelpie]

Fantastic - we were in Dashais yesterday but decided not to go to Antigua and have turned back round towards our hurricane base in Grenada - so in Portsmouth now.

Deshaies is nice. And so is Portsmouth. It's all good really!
We're down in St Anne, Martinique, give us a shout when you're passing.

 

[RupertW]

Deshaies is nice. And so is Portsmouth. It's all good really!
We're down in St Anne, Martinique, give us a shout when you're passing.

Will do - hope to be in Marina Marin in a couple of days after a short stopover in St Pierre.

 

[Kelpie]

Will do - hope to be in Marina Marin in a couple of days after a short stopover in St Pierre.

St Pierre is the first, and so far only, place we've swum with turtles. Hoping to repeat that as we head further south

 

[davethedog]

St Pierre is the first, and so far only, place we've swum with turtles. Hoping to repeat that as we head further south

We have just spent 2 days swimming with turtles in Anse Dufour.

 

[onesea]

Well we did it, ridged panels due to how we wanted to mount (no top support, minted on middle guard rail).

Will see how they last.