Solar panels on MF755

[pezlin]

Is there anyone who has fitted solar panels on the MF755/795?

[dbostrom]

Crossing over from "the other side," but if you're planning on being on the hook or a ball and just hanging around off the dock for more than a single day with a return and shore power later the same day, solar panels are a no-brainer. For cruising with a motor yacht all of the same electrical supply problems pertaining to sailboats still apply, except that if you don't have a genny charging will be even more expensive and inefficient as the thing turning the alternator will be even more ridiculously oversized.

The options that have become available in the past few years (particularly the rugged, semi-flexible yet still reasonably efficient panel styles) make this a very easy choice. 

We have a single 100W panel on our boat (and I'll be adding another when it comes dodger refit time) and it's made a startling difference, itsy-bitsy though it is. Even this little panel extends our time between engine charging considerably; when loafing it more or less handles the refrigerator and other domestic stuff, keeping slightly less than even, and when sailing we get into harbor with batteries in way better shape even though we've been using all the navigation gizmos all day long. We might do better if we bothered to point the panel when stationary but it turns out not really worth the bother. 

If you don't have permanent real estate available on the deck it's not hard to arrange temporary fixings. Ours was intended to be easily removable, lives on the hatch garage and is stuck down w/industrial Velcro where it's done fine in 100km/h winds. 

Just do it. You won't be sorry. 

[rene460]

Hi pezlin,

I am another from the other side who supports "just do it".  If you have any sort of permanent roof area over the helm and further aft, you have plenty of room, and easy to work out some way of fixing.  A fixed panel always roughly horizontal usually beats an adjustable one that is often facing the wrong way and in any case is not easy to install neatly unless perhaps you have a bracket hanging off the stern.

We only have a 55 watt panel, but that is a long story, and I would recommend 100 watts or more depending on the size and shape of the available panels.  And install a good MPPT controller.  Ours also stay in all winds without problem, though looking at the recent/current Queensland cyclone, in a cyclone area you would definitely need to be able to remove it as part of your preparation.

I would also suggest increasing your house battery capacity if you plan on many overnights on the beach or on the hook or mooring.  Around 200 amp hour will keep the fridge running overnight plus your day useage of power for radio, lights, instruments, TV, and charging devices, but more is better for longer cruises, and you may need more if you must have a coffee machine, hair dryer or other power hungry accessories.  It should not be necessary and is not a good idea to run your main engine simply for battery charging.

In addition to not running your main engine for battery charging, a big advantage of having solar is that your batteries are kept charged when you are not on the boat without the problems associated with leaving shore power plugged in.  Your batteries will always be near enough to fully charged when you return, and your motor will soon top it off on the way to your destination.

rene460

[MickeyB]

Sorry to disagree - but pointing panels makes a HUGE difference.  If you have long sunny days and don't deplete your batteries that much, then the extra you get is maybe not worth it.

On a normal day (after a night on the hook), with normal usage and NOT moving my panels, I am back at full charge by 1300-1400 typically.

If I move my panels early in the morning, and readjust every now and then (max every hour - negligible swinging) - then I am full up again way before lunch, rarely after 1100.  To me this is huge - as I can charge all the heavy items like laptops, drone and cameras easily by mid-afternoon.

Naturally it all depends on the amount of power you use, have used and expect to use - but for me the simple pivoting of panels is a real bonus.

2*100 w panels, 2*105ampH batts, standard charger (will buy MPPT this year)

Mike

[rene460]

Hi Mike,

I have no argument with what you say at all.  I could not have persisted with my baby panel for so long if for many years I had not pedantically pointed it at the sun, even as part of each tack when the wind was on the nose.  Apart from one time in the Whitsundays which is another story.  But the panel was never left mounted when I left the boat.

I was trying to make a different point but obviously not clearly enough.  Best is to be able to point the panel, but on a power boat (the subject of this thread,) the motion is much more extreme than we have on our sail boats.  A mixture of fashion, convention and practicality make the arches and poles we accept for aerials, wind gen, dingy davits and solar panels are much more difficult to accomodate on a power boat.  In addition, unless the crew is prepared to make a hobby of getting the most out of the panel, it may often be left facing the wrong way.  In this case a permanently flat panel, carefully placed to avoid any shadowing, can be a better compromise.  I know I was a bit pedantic about it, but I am embarrassed by the number of times I woke in the morning with the panel still facing west, having missed the best of the morning.

Now on my SO30i, the panel is fixed for easier year round installation, it is barely adequate but extends the life of my batteries enough for the number of overnights we do, and will do until I buy a larger panel with today's much lower costs.  It is excellent for keeping our batteries charged while we are away.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to clarify this.

rene460

[MickeyB]

I should have put a smiley face in my post :-)

Just my humble input on it.  

I have no experience at all on motor boats, and for some stupid reason always thought they they tend to leave engines nearly always on idle as is the case here in Malta.  It really annoys me - the low level hum to power their air-con and TVs.

My biggest issue with my solar setup is the lack of MPPT, but since I now don't run out of power even after charging everything the MPPT charger is very well down my list of things to install...until I install the electric water maker that is!

[pezlin]

Thanks for your replies! I am definitely planning on installing solar panels, was more wondering if anyone had installed them on the Merry Fisher 755/795.

[rene460]

No worries about omitting the smiley Mike, I am not really on top of what they all mean anyway.

I am also with you on the MPPT controller, not really necessary if you have plenty of panel capacity and sunlight.  They come into their own however in borderline conditions.  If your panel is a bit small for whatever reason, or if, like us, you sail all through the winter, a few grey days can test your battery capacity, and the MPPT controller can be expected to give you a bit more than the alternatives.  Pointing the panel at the sun is also even more beneficial when it is low in the sky.

rene460

[paulmcc]

Pezlin.  I've fitted two 30W flexible panels to the sun canopy of my 795.  Been on for 6 months now no problems.  Wiring runs down nicely inside the canopy poles and then into lazarette.   Gives about 4 amps charge.   Keeps the batteries healthy and allows fridge use etc at anchor.   I considered the roof but decided not to drill any more holes there.   Anyway all seems to be going well with this system. 

[pezlin]

Mar 31, 2017 14:04:29 GMT paulmcc said:

Pezlin.  I've fitted two 30W flexible panels to the sun canopy of my 795.  Been on for 6 months now no problems.  Wiring runs down nicely inside the canopy poles and then into lazarette.   Gives about 4 amps charge.   Keeps the batteries healthy and allows fridge use etc at anchor.   I considered the roof but decided not to drill any more holes there.   Anyway all seems to be going well with this system. 

Thanks! I don't have a sun canopy and living in Sweden I am probably not going to invest in one. Most likely putting them on the roof, wondering if the wires can run through where the wire for the lanterna goes.

[pezlin]

Mar 31, 2017 14:04:29 GMT paulmcc said:

Pezlin.  I've fitted two 30W flexible panels to the sun canopy of my 795.  Been on for 6 months now no problems.  Wiring runs down nicely inside the canopy poles and then into lazarette.   Gives about 4 amps charge.   Keeps the batteries healthy and allows fridge use etc at anchor.   I considered the roof but decided not to drill any more holes there.   Anyway all seems to be going well with this system. 

Thanks! I don't have a sun canopy and living in Sweden I am probably not going to invest in one. Most likely putting them on the roof, wondering if the wires can run through where the wire for the lanterna goes.

[paulmcc]

OK fair enough then. All I can add then is that my cable for my VHF antenna came down from the roof via the starboard staunchion with the wires for the anchor light (?lanterna).  They then drop into the lazarette.

[paulmcc]

I'll put these photos on anyway in case anyone else is considering this option...

[pezlin]

Mar 31, 2017 20:08:43 GMT paulmcc said:

OK fair enough then. All I can add then is that my cable for my VHF antenna came down from the roof via the starboard staunchion with the wires for the anchor light (?lanterna).  They then drop into the lazarette.

Perfect, thank you!

[pezlin]

Today I spent some time at the boat thinking about how to run the wires down from the roof to the battery bank. I believe the best solution would be to drill two holes from the roof down to starboard and port staunchion. Having the wires come down via the anchor lighting is probably hard to manage and the wiring on the roof would not be very nice. With quality bushings I think it would be ok. Any thoughts on this solution?

[vasko]

I have good experience with black flexible panels from :

www.lensunsolar.com

They are available from ebay with liocal store e.g no customs issues...

[pezlin]

Apr 15, 2017 6:37:56 GMT vasko said:

I have good experience with black flexible panels from :

www.lensunsolar.com

They are available from ebay with liocal store e.g no customs issues...

Looks really nice but they don't seem to have bigger long and narrow ones, only one with 20W.

[vasko]

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lensun-20W-30W-50W-60W-80W-100W-12V-Fiberglass-Semi-Flexible-Black-Solar-Panel-/301276302157?var=&hash=item4625778b4d:m:mBtfp4srGH_v1xsPenGV4nw

I have 2x60W with MPPT - if you go with expensive MPP model get one with remote or Bluetooth

pictures here :


jeanneau.proboards.com/thread/5157/additional-2x60w-lesun-spray-hood

[Deleted]

How are solar panels connected to the electrical system ?
My 605 has standard a power distributor (under the sink): can this remain when installing solar panels with an MPPT ??

Thanks.
V.

[sitara]

Solar panels are connected through an MPPT (ideally) controller directly to the battery bank. This way they will charge the battery at all times sunlight is available.You can connect multiple panels to one controller or ideally use one controller per panel. You can find plenty of useful information on solar installations at www.solar4rvs.com.au.

[Deleted]

Thanks. The role of the MPPT is clear to me, but there's also the alternator of the outboard motor that charges the batteries.
Currently, this alternator is connected to a power distributor that in turn feeds both batteries independently.

So how/where is the MPPT added to all this ??


Sole purpose of the panel will be to top-off & maintain both 110Ah batteries (service & motor) when I'm away during the workweek:
what kind of solar panel would be needed for this ?


THANKS,
V. 
The Netherlands

[sitara]

Still connect the solar panel directly to the house battery via a controller. On my boat the alternator feeds a battery isolator/combiner delivering power to each battery bank, and there is also a shore power battery charger that operates when shore power is on. Output from my solar regulator is connected directly to the positive and negative battery posts of my house bank. The solar regulator I have (Votronic) also has a low voltage trickle charge output for the start battery.

I strongly recommend getting a marine  electrician to look at your situation and advise you on how best to do the connections.

Also make sure the solar cells are not exposed to light while connection or disconnecting the panels.

[Deleted]

I'm familar with that Votronic duo controller.
Is this perhaps the Blue Sea battery combiner thats on your boat, it is on mine?

www.westmarine.com/buy/blue-sea-systems--starting-isolation-dual-sensing-automatic-charging-relay--8646283?recordNum=4