Solar Panels

Looks a really good installation, well done. Neat and professional, and also good (maximum) use of otherwise wasted space.
I think you'll get a lot of benefit from this and will surely be pleased with the results, especially with med sun.

If you get a bit bored whilst sunbathing on the flybridge you can always spray some clean water over the panels to keep them working at optimum temperature...

So what did you use in the end to bond them to the roof?
 
Trundlebug said:
Looks a really good installation, well done. Neat and professional, and also good (maximum) use of otherwise wasted space.
I think you'll get a lot of benefit from this and will surely be pleased with the results, especially with med sun.

If you get a bit bored whilst sunbathing on the flybridge you can always spray some clean water over the panels to keep them working at optimum temperature...

So what did you use in the end to bond them to the roof?
Click to expand...

These are the panels that I used.
https://www.photonicuniverse.com/en...th-self-adhesive-backing-made-in-Austria.html
They are "self adhesive"
Once the backing has been removed and a panel is placed down, it is impossible to remove it without destroying the panel.

BTW
It was quite difficult to align them.
In the end, we chose to align the centre ones to the centre of the boat and then make the outboard panels parallel to the inboard ones.
The roof curves in all directions so the drone photo from above gives an optical illusion of the panels not properly aligned.
In fact, they were aligned to an accuracy of a mm.
 
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nice and clean installation Mike, well done !!!
I'm not sure if I will get there this summer, (SP's on BA)
but looking with intererst to your reports after you've got experience with your install.
good luck with it!
 
Hurricane said:
With some help from friends, I have managed to get all the wires down into the engine room.
The Victron MPPT controller is all connected but there wasn't time to do the final connections/isolators etc to the batteries.

That will have to wait until early next month when we go back.

.
Click to expand...

Note that the installation instructions say connect the battery first then the solar array !
 
Mike, I suspected that they would end up looking like solar panels. Nothing wrong with that but have you considered putting a black panel behind them that better matches the outline of that part of the coach roof?
 
Interesting, Mike, look forward to reading how they perform and the difference it makes to your genny use.

I've used Photonics universe in the past, they provide a good service and great quality products, I hope you got a hefty discount as they often have price reductions of approx 50% at various times of the year. What are the cable glands you used for the through deck connections? And are the panels then connected to an MPPT controller(s) or direct to the Victrons? And lastly what size wiring did you use?

I've not come across self adhesive panels before, I guess they will be a pig to remove if you ever need to do so, but better that than have them blow away, please don't ask me how I know that:(.

PS you've left just as the weather has become much hotter, hardly dropped below 20C last night here in Altea. Spent all yesterday on out 4.7 Cap Camarat, a great day out exploring almost as far as Alicante.
 
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longjohnsilver said:
Interesting, Mike, look forward to reading how they perform and the difference it makes to your genny use.

I've used Photonics universe in the past, they provide a good service and great quality products, I hope you got a hefty discount as they often have price reductions of approx 50% at various times of the year. What are the cable glands you used for the through deck connections? And are the panels then connected to an MPPT controller(s) or direct to the Victrons? And lastly what size wiring did you use?

I've not come across self adhesive panels before, I guess they will be a pig to remove if you ever need to do so, but better that than have them blow away, please don't ask me how I know that:(.

PS you've left just as the weather has become much hotter, hardly dropped below 20C last night here in Altea. Spent all yesterday on out 4.7 Cap Camarat, a great day out exploring almost as far as Alicante.
Click to expand...

I got a discount but not as much as you suggested.

I searched for a while to find cable glands that I liked.
In the end, the cable glands were supplied by Photonic Universe. although I bought them from their Ebay shop - see here:-
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Waterproo...744058?hash=item1a21e40fba:g:PlsAAOSwcUBYUmoU

I bought a Victron MPPT controller which has a Bluetooth interface for monitoring using a smart phone.
The panels are joined in series under the "eyebrow".
10mm cable feeds to the Victron MPPT which is located behind the seats in the dinette.
Then 16mm cable feeds from the Victron MPPT to the batteries.
IMO these sizes are easily large enough - from memory my design criteria was to have less than 1% loss in the cables
Cable runs have turned out to be 3m from the panels to the MPPT controller and 4m from the MPPT controller to the batteries.
The open circuit voltage of the panels was measured at just over 80 volts.

I've installed MCB circuit breakers in the ceiling before the run to the MPPT controller.
Then MCB circuit breakers either side of the MPPT controller.
And finally (yet to be installed) MCB circuit breakers next to the batteries.
The idea being to protect the wires in the event of any overload.
Remember solar panels are "always on" so need to be carefully controlled.

I will do some tests when we are out at the beginning of May after I finish the final connection to the batteries.
Probably switch off the battery charger overnight - and see how they cope after an overnight discharge.
Then, if I get time, (the boat is due for a lift into the boatyard so we will have other work to do) I will charge the batteries for an hour or so to mimic a typical morning at anchor - then see if the panels can cope with the ship's background load and finish off charging the batteries by the end of the day.
Thats the objective anyway.
I will report my findings back in this thread.
 
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Finished off the wiring this morning.
Finally powered up the solar panels at about 3:30 pm and gave them a bit of a test.
Early May and late sun - also a lot of cloud.
I deliberately ran the batteries down from about 11:00.
In the sunny periods, the Victron MPPT controller (via its Bluetooth app) was reporting 400 watts being input onto the batteries.
During the cloud it only showed about 200 watts.
The boat is moored facing north and the sun was about south west at the time of testing.

The above figures correlated with our battery monitor.
I noted the current flow into and out of the batteries.
During the sunny periods, I was getting a net 2 amps (at 24 volts) into the batteries after taking off the ship's background running load (about 12 amps at 24 volts).
During the cloudy periods there was a net drain from the batteries of about 4 amps.

The above figures should improve if the boat faces into the sun rather than (almost) away from the sun.
And when the sun is higher in the sky (earlier in the day and later in the season than the test).
Time will tell, but it is working much as I expected.

So, all in all a bit of a success.

I will wait until I get a good sunny day and post some screen images from the Bluetooth app showing the performance.
 
Hurricane said:
after taking off the ship's background running load (about 12 amps at 24 volts)
Click to expand...
Blimey M, that's some background load, during the day!
You must reduce the number of onboard technological gadgets, I reckon... :D

Very interesting project anyway, congratulations.
I'm busy with other priorities ATM, but I've got some space on the new to me boat which would be perfect for the panels...
I will follow your developments for a potential installation next year! :encouragement:
 
Goog going Mike,
it seems all be working according plan, well done.

what model MPPT controller dit you install ?
80V open cirquit is within specs for your panels,
I assume that voltage doesn't go much higher with stronger sunlight ?
 
BartW said:
Goog going Mike,
it seems all be working according plan, well done.

what model MPPT controller dit you install ?
80V open cirquit is within specs for your panels,
I assume that voltage doesn't go much higher with stronger sunlight ?
Click to expand...


Played safe and fitted the Victron 150/35
The open circuit voltage is about 85 volts - Victron do a 100 volt range but I thought I'd play safe with the 150 volt MPPT range
The 35 amp one because I could get 25 amps at full power.
All over rated - just in case.
 
MapisM said:
Blimey M, that's some background load, during the day!
You must reduce the number of onboard technological gadgets, I reckon... :D

Very interesting project anyway, congratulations.
I'm busy with other priorities ATM, but I've got some space on the new to me boat which would be perfect for the panels...
I will follow your developments for a potential installation next year! :encouragement:
Click to expand...

The big load is out full height galley fridge freezer.
We are thinking of replacing it next year so I'm looking at domestic fridges and a dedicated inverter.
I'm confident that I can find an integrated fridge freezer replacement that fits the galley woodwork - just got to find an inverter that will take the starting load.
I think a domestic unit might be more efficient - our current one runs most of the time so I don't think there is much insulation in it.
Made by Dometic and I'n not sure I want another one - the cost of the Dometic replacement is £1800 anyway.
So, a project for next year - maybe.
 
The cost of 24v fridges is shocking. I am looking now and an under counter that would be £200 for 240v is some £700 on 24v. There are plenty of forum posts on the web re running them on inverters but that seems to not get a good write up ( currentcdraw and efficiency )
 
Shoreline are quite good, they are effectivley marinised Lec domestic fridges I think and have quite a good reputation for energy efficiency and reliability. (No connection etc)
http://www.shoreline-marine.co.uk/

I bought Webasto Isotherm, expensive but they are the only ones who do the Smart energy control which includes a soft start on the motor. helps with load and also noise.
 
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