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Post by Mr Stabby on Aug 23, 2020 16:37:06 GMT
I'm thinking of getting some solar panels fitted, how much power output should I be looking for? The main consumer of electricity is the refrigerator which is a 240v fridge converted somehow to run on 12v. I know I won't get much from them over the Winter, but say for this time of year how much panel cover would I be needing?
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Post by Telemachus on Aug 23, 2020 17:54:58 GMT
A fridge uses about 35 Ah a day. Let’s say the sun is shining adequately for 6 hrs at this time of year (we are 2 months beyond longest day and 1 month before equinox) so you need about 6A, which at 12v is 72W. But you will never get 72w out of a 72w panel! 100W would cover it on a good day with lots of sunshine, but I suggest at least 200W to cater for an average day.
There is no right answer, the more solar you have the more likely it will cover your needs in bad weather / shorter days / shady areas etc. It often boils down to the space available rather than the ideal number of panels. Just get as much as you can afford and have room for on the roof, remembering you will still need to walk on the roof to get to lock ladders etc. If you don’t get much, consider over-rating the controller so you can add more later if necessary.
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Post by Clinton Cool on Aug 23, 2020 18:38:09 GMT
Panels are that cheap you might as well get 500w if you have room for them, will see you OK apart from in the depths of winter.
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Post by kris on Aug 23, 2020 18:52:02 GMT
As much as you can fit. Two 300w panels is what I’ve fitted to a couple of narrow boats this year. But you might not have room, so one 300w if that’s all the space you have. About £109 plus p&p is the best I can find at the min for a 300w panel.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2020 19:37:44 GMT
How about just mounting on the mooring next to the car, from what you have posted in here when you go on a jolly you cruise most days plenty enough to power the fridge.
Save drilling and shit on your boat roof, can just connect when moored.
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Post by Mr Stabby on Aug 23, 2020 19:46:44 GMT
How about just mounting on the mooring next to the car, from what you have posted in here when you go on a jolly you cruise most days plenty enough to power the fridge. Save drilling and shit on your boat roof, can just connect when moored. I have thought about doing that.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2020 19:54:08 GMT
Maybe a couple of lay flat flexi ones on the boat and a dirty big 300w on the mooring
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2020 20:56:16 GMT
I was an early adopter of solar back in the 90s when it was £350 for a 75w panel. They do work.
I find overly large solar on narrow boats a bit displeasing from an aesthetic point of view and also because of the situation about blocking up the cabin top space which can be a useful area for jumping on and off the boat.
Plus of course the toughened glass thing where one broken panel out of two is better than one out of one.
It does come down to cost at the end of the day but I reckon going for smaller panels like 80w or 100w and having several is a better approach for a narrow boat which is used for boating.
If you rarely go anywhere then not so important but those big panels really arrr quite big.
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Post by kris on Aug 23, 2020 21:34:53 GMT
but those big panels really arrr quite big. Just under 1m wide by 1m 62cm for a 320w, so not so big. But you right about glass.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2020 21:38:18 GMT
1m wide mounted flat on a narrow boat cabin top does not leave much each side for walking.
It's a tumblehome thing and width of side decks. I'm moored in front of my friend's narrow boat at the moment. He has 4 X 260w panels mounted flat and there is no useable free space for cabin top walking.
He is not a cabin top walker anyway but some people quite like a spot of light cabin top walking. I do.
Of course you can actually walk on the panels themselves but it is not advisable as they are slippery when wet.
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Post by kris on Aug 23, 2020 21:42:20 GMT
Lots of people I know don’t want to walk on their cabin tops, they’d rather have the electrical power generation capability.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2020 21:51:08 GMT
Lots of people I know don’t want to walk on their cabin tops, they’d rather have the electrical power generation capability. I understand that but I like walking on cabin tops. Obviously as I am completely self centred nobody else's opinions or behaviour choices are relevant. Cabin top walking is something a lot of people could quite enjoy if they were not insisting so much on having all these mod cons on their boats. And using the boats as floating apartments. And squatting popular moorings. And still running their engines to charge up despite having 2kW of solar. And using Facebook. It's terrible.
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Post by Clinton Cool on Aug 23, 2020 22:12:38 GMT
I have 3 x 125w panels on my 35ft boat. They take up the front half of the roof. It's not a problem, single handed through locks, just line the rear half of the boat up with the lock ladders.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 23, 2020 22:42:36 GMT
Save drilling and shit on your boat roof. Ir would certainly streamline the composting process.
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Post by JohnV on Aug 24, 2020 6:46:53 GMT
Vince, concur with most of the previous comments.
Something that I have been considering is two different mountings for my panels. One (as at present) low profile to keep airdraft to minimum (and to stop the sodding overgrown trees smashing them) and a higher type to change to for winter. If you can orientate the panels to the best position when on your homee mooring it will make a huge difference to the power you can get in the winter.
As much as you can fit that doesn't interfere with navigation (and get a decent MPPT controller)
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