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Post by alenka on May 25, 2014 7:59:04 GMT
Hoppy, Was your solar fit done by Metronix? When they came aboard to look at my plotters they suggested a very similar setup. Well I think it was something similar, difficult to tell from the sketch on the back of a beer mat. Pricing was also a little open ended as well! Do you have any other photos you can post of your arch and where it is attached? yes they are from Metronix There are a few photos on this page www.jessabbe.com/page/3If all you want is the solar then maybe my arch is overkill. Mine is designed to allow me to add on a wind gen and originally I planned to mount the radar there which I canned and mounted up the mast. You could just add a single loop and use solar mounts from NOA (Metronix sells) which will allow you to tilt them Yes it is a bit of overkill for me. Dieter, at Metronix, suggested a single 30mm tube arch with his attachments for two 100watt panels (I really wanted 300 watts but his panels are a tad larger than most). This was coming out at around €950 plus the cost of the arch. Not cheap and I need to be convinced that a single tube will be robust enough.
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Post by vasko on May 25, 2014 10:30:44 GMT
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Post by vasko on May 25, 2014 11:15:32 GMT
2x120 = 240WATT total cost - <£300, MPTT controller, panels, cables, brackets Attachment Deleted
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Post by dbostrom on Aug 3, 2017 5:10:57 GMT
We're probably going to redo our dodger this winter and take the opportunity to rig it for semi-flexible panels but in the meantime I started with the hatch garage, a low-no traffic area that gets OK sun exposure (depending on tack, heading etc.).
This little panel is advertised as 100W but after stripping away manufacturer optimism and adding a 3mm protective cover (panel is made to handle light traffic but...) it produces ~80W in perpendicular full sunlight (in other words never, on a boat at 48N).
The panel went on the boat about 11 months ago and has added ~4100AH to the batteries since then. Definitely enough to help after sailing all day with instruments on and the refrigerator running, obviously not enough to replace periodic engine charging.
The panel is mounted with industrial Velcro and so far has stayed stuck down in 57kt winds. Connection is via coach roof and gland, leading to space above liner.
I'm really looking forward to another few dozen watts. These should move us from "quite helpful" to "ahhh."
And dang it, I can't upload a picture right now. Will update later.
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Post by saxofon on Aug 5, 2017 15:29:23 GMT
Oh... I thought you'd never ask.. :-D Previously had 2x33W ontop of roof. Was enough for instruments, fridge, charging of phones etc. But when upgrading to a newer plotter it was a tad too little. What to do? well... better take some margin into account so a targa was made (replacing the old pushpit), 2x155W panels bought in as well as some aluminium profiles to support them, 3D printed some support for the whole shabang (didn't want aluminium profiles to sit directly ontop of targa). It looks like : The stern half part of the old pushpit were welded back to the targa, so all in all it looks like I just replaced the vertical pipes with larger ones The pipes also extends further ahead on boat which gives me two things, possibility to add more solar panels hanging on the side (easier to fix on pipes than wire) and since I added "pelican hooks" to the end of wire I now have openings on the side too! At the stern end of panels (well the profile frame actually) I have the stern nav light mounted. So now the stern light is visible even when I have the dingy covering most of the stern hull. A close up of the solar panel fixture and a cable port (there are three cable ports, one in middle and two in either ends like this one) : I intend to add radar above that cable port later on, perhaps next spring. Another benefit is that I can mount a hammock on the targa, also possble to relax in it while sailing singlehanded (ok ok, don't reach the winches... gotta be a nice calm sailing :-D )
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Post by ianpowolny on Aug 6, 2017 8:22:55 GMT
saxofan,
I'm interested in knowing where you bought the arch to solar panel clamps. They look like they are insulated? What diameter are the arch tubes? Did you drill additional fixing holes in to the solar panels?
Thanks Ian
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Post by saxofon on Aug 6, 2017 9:06:35 GMT
Hello Ian, The larger pipes are 40 mm and the smaller standard 25 mm (same as normal Jeanneau pushpit, at least on my SO37.1) If I would redesign it again today with all the learning along the way, I would use 38 mm instead of 40 mm. This because just this spring the usual boatshops has also started to sell standard mountings for 38 mm as well as for 25 mm as before (like antenna mounts, anchor holders, "winter cover frames" etc etc) oh if I only had known... The clamps I've made myself with a 3D printer. And yes, the intention is to isolate aluminium and stainless steel from each other. Also to be able to have a simple arch and add mounts/fasteners/clamps as needed for different things, I expect these things to change more often than to redo the arch... ;-) Here is a early version : www.thingiverse.com/thing:2037447with source at : github.com/saxofon/pipe-mount/blob/master/pipe-mount.scadThat one is a complete 3D printer part, only needs some bolts to it. Then I got bit worried about the plastic strengths, there are some really strong plastic but I use a standard variant here, lot cheaper and easier to start with (this was my first 3D printing thing). So in the end I made a simplier version (also prints "faster" although this means around 5 hours per mount...) which have a stainless steel hold on other side so any higher forces would be taken up by these. Not sure it is needed but better safe than sorry!
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Post by j24sailor on Oct 10, 2017 0:15:31 GMT
We just had solar panels installed on our bimini, they are flexible and came with the option of zippers. We had the people who originally built our bimini sew another cover with the zippers which then zips onto our original bimini. Working well so far. James
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Post by j24sailor on Oct 10, 2017 0:41:34 GMT
There are two 125w and one 100w with room to add another 100w panel once the budget allows or if the need be.
James
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Post by Bora on Oct 12, 2017 12:02:57 GMT
Hi,
I'm getting a new spray hood made up over the winter and i'd like to integrate the flexible solar panels into the construction (removable) and hide the cables, can anyone recommend a flexible panel? I saw some chat on eBay panels but with there being so many i'm a bit stumped.
I have a Rutland 914i to install and I bought the HRDi controller which can take 160W of solar input. If this is too small for the solar on the spray hood would i need a new unit that can take the load from both the solar and the wind? or can they be connected in parallel?
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Post by vasko on Oct 12, 2017 19:53:22 GMT
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Post by vasko on Oct 12, 2017 19:55:51 GMT
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Post by Bora on Oct 12, 2017 20:09:18 GMT
Thanks for the pointers again! I think i may have to bite the bullet and go for an arch for the solar panels
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Post by hoppy on Oct 12, 2017 21:03:14 GMT
Thanks for the pointers again! I think i may have to bite the bullet and go for an arch for the solar panels If all you want it for is solar then DON'T get an arch....... Big, heavy and overkill.... Mount a single 25mm U bar on the pushpits and support it by the bimini. Mount the solar with NOA adjustable solar mounts, then you can angle the panels. noa.se/webshop/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/10606-1024x822.jpg
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Post by Bora on Oct 12, 2017 21:10:09 GMT
How solid is that in a breeze? I'd be worried that the panels would be caught by the wind.
I'm going to get in touch with the local fabricators when i get home in November, see what they recommend. May just go the whole hog and get davits on it as well for the dinghy.
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Post by hoppy on Oct 12, 2017 21:11:56 GMT
just noticed you have a windgen to install...
Mount the windgen on a pole and add a 25mm L shaped tube from the pole to the pushpit.
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Post by alenka on Oct 12, 2017 21:37:36 GMT
Our arch is very similar to that posed by Hoppy. Light weight and you hardly know it is there - unlike the arch on our last Hunter Legend which was like a set of goal posts.
Bottom line... No problem in winds at all.
Our current one that is.
Being able to adjust the angle to catch the last rays of sun at night and the first in the morning is a big bonus. You can see the difference on the output gauge.
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Post by Bora on Oct 12, 2017 21:43:20 GMT
What size of panels were up there? I’m looking at a couple of 260W panels, just waiting to hear from manufacturers if they are suitable for marine use. They’re 1665 x 991 x 35
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Post by MalcolmP on Oct 12, 2017 22:14:16 GMT
Found this review on the EPEVER Tracker MPPT, overall looks a good, esp price but conclusion seems to show some limitations at low power input - what's you view? (no pun intended..)
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Post by hoppy on Oct 13, 2017 1:04:06 GMT
What size of panels were up there? I’m looking at a couple of 260W panels, just waiting to hear from manufacturers if they are suitable for marine use. They’re 1665 x 991 x 35 That sounds like a severe case of overkill unless you are Vasko power hungry, especially when you will have windgen as well. The size of them sound massive and too big for a 37.
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Post by vasko on Oct 13, 2017 6:00:43 GMT
Re arch : it all depends on the price for me... arch is amazing tool - I have on mine: bimini, solars, 240 w, davits and windgen (airbreeze type 400w) mounted with carbon fibre pole . And I ‘m unbelivay happy with it - but if the cost for a arch is more then 2K , I will manage without it to be honest. Re solar power : I cirrently have 2x 120 on the arch, 2x60 on bimini and in proces on installing another 160w inder the boom. and I do not consider myself power hungry I just like my watermaker (about 120l a day is the need of the boat) I love my bean to cup coffe machine, need power to charge all phones, tablets, drone , laptops etc. and also want to have ice in my whisky - thats all My boat is a small rubbish 34 feet crab pod
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Post by Bora on Oct 13, 2017 6:53:48 GMT
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Post by ianpowolny on Oct 13, 2017 8:13:00 GMT
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Post by Bora on Oct 13, 2017 8:57:13 GMT
315W each and pretty much the same size as the others i was looking at.....would the MPPT you suggested be large enough? am i right in thinking 315W/12v=26.25A and obviously one MPPT for each panel. For connecting the output from the MPPT, would i just stack each connection on one battery (all house batteries are in parallel) or would I connect them to different ones?
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Post by ianpowolny on Oct 13, 2017 9:04:47 GMT
Findhorn,
I think you'd need 2 MPPT but not sure.
We don't have solar as yet but fitting this winter. We think we can get away with 1 x 315w panel for all our needs. When at anchor (5 to 7 days at a time) we'll use the engine every 2nd day for hot water so boost the batteries that way as well.
Ian
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