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Post by Maravilla on Jul 6, 2019 19:50:36 GMT
has anyone put flexible solar on your canvas? Have a 44DS and curious what people would suggest for panels, controllers, and monitors.
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Post by Zanshin on Jul 6, 2019 21:16:50 GMT
I have a total of 6 Solbian CPS125 flexible panels on Zanshin. 2 of them are glued to the deck forward, 2 of them on the dodger and 2 more on the bimini with plans for a further 2 panels on the bimini.   I used Genasun controllers, one for each panel and have also wired some shunts so I can measure each panel separately  |
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Post by Maravilla on Jul 6, 2019 22:10:31 GMT
Does this meet your daily needs or do you have to run a genset?
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Post by Zanshin on Jul 6, 2019 23:17:07 GMT
It is 750W of energy. If I could finally figure out how to tame the energy use of my fridge (which uses far more energy than the freezer), then this would suffice. And I have an electric galley and an inverter which is used for the Nespresso machine...
What I will do when I need more energy, like when running the watermaker or other high-energy load (washer, compressor, etc.) is that I will use the generator while carrying this load and try to get the batteries to 90% in the early morning hours. Then I'll let the solar panels take the rest of the day to get the battery bank to 100%.
All in all I'm very happy with the panels. Right now I'm trying to get the boat repaired and am moored in Newport, RI. the 2 solar panel with 250Watts of power are enough for me to keep ahead of the freezer (running as a fridge) and a couple of hours of inverter use per day.
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Post by moonshadow on Jul 7, 2019 2:13:45 GMT
Are your canvas mounted flexible panels backed with something to stiffen them? Anything to keep them from flapping in a breeze?
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Post by windward54 on Jul 7, 2019 14:39:24 GMT
We also have two Solbien panels (156 watt) mounted to our bimini. The panels were zippered in, with Velcro covers to protect the zippers, as outlined in the manufacturer’s brochure. There was no backing and this works fine. The only time you need a backing is if the panel crosses over a metal support. The stainless tubing can cause an unusual bend in the panels and the panels could crack.
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Post by Zanshin on Jul 7, 2019 18:38:22 GMT
My bimini and dodger canvas is tight and none of the panels have backing. They've been through lots of 20-30 knot sustained winds and I never saw the move about. If I were to redo it, I would get some thin backing, just to reduce the stress on the canvas.
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Post by moonshadow on Jul 7, 2019 19:47:34 GMT
Thanks. I’ll see about tightening up my canvas. As it is now I’m not sure how well the panels would be supported. I have read about using the corrugated plastic “Sign Material” as a lightweight backing but I have no experience with this. My current panels are glued to deck.
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Post by Zanshin on Jul 7, 2019 20:37:04 GMT
That corrugated stuff may be perfect. Combined as a sandwich with the panel it will be a structurally sound composite and the corrugations would allow airflow between the panels and the Sunbrella material and significantly reduce the thermal load on the fabric.
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Post by windward54 on Jul 7, 2019 23:21:55 GMT
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Post by jdl01 on Jul 12, 2019 0:39:09 GMT
As noted in some old post, we use corrugated plastic sheets -1/4" cut to size as backing for our flexible panels on the dodger. cheap, no mold, no degradation, and attached with two sided tape. Good for 7 years so far.
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Post by freeflow on Jul 15, 2019 15:27:52 GMT
I have a total of 6 Solbian CPS125 flexible panels on Zanshin. 2 of them are glued to the deck forward, 2 of them on the dodger and 2 more on the bimini with plans for a further 2 panels on the bimini. I used Genasun controllers, one for each panel and have also wired some shunts so I can measure each panel separately How are those solar panels on the fore deck working out and is that space now off limits to use? |
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Post by Zanshin on Jul 15, 2019 16:03:00 GMT
The ones on the foredeck are working perfectly, although getting a bit cloudy. I need to use some rubbing compound on them to bring the surface back to a gloss. I am always barefoot aboard, so I can walk on the panels if I need to, but that area was generally unused so I don't miss it. Even when I bring the dinghy aboard it gets stowed between the mast and the panels so they continue working well as long as the sun is behind them.
I've been on the hook here in Newport for a while and have only those two panels installed. I run the generator for an hour in the morning (which covers my coffee requirements and electric cooking) and then the panels put in enough during the day to bring the batteries to full or almost full by the time the sun sets. I've only got one of the fridges turned on (the smaller, more efficient keel-cooled freezer switched to fridge temperatures) and run the inverter parts of the day to power the computer monitor but those panels are keeping up with demand.
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Post by NZL50505 on Jul 17, 2019 0:52:47 GMT
has anyone put flexible solar on your canvas? Have a 44DS and curious what people would suggest for panels, controllers, and monitors.
My experience is don't do it!
Regardless of the price and quality you buy any flexible panel will have a vastly shorter lifespan than a solid panel.
If bimini is your preferred location (which I agree with) then I'd suggest you mount a frame onto the top of the bimin and then the panels on top of that. See pic below of my setup on a previous boat (not Jeanneau).
Last point, the holes in the frame that I mounted were slightly oversized (oval) so I could losen and retention the bimini canvass if necessary. Otherwise a rigid frame with no adjustment could cause a saggy bimini if you can't retention the bimini bars from time to time.  |
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Post by vasko on Jul 18, 2019 9:10:30 GMT
According to my experience semi-flex panel on canvas do not last much ( some time a week some time 2-3 months) also when buying panels make sure they are build with SunPower cells... I now have 3 semi flex under the boom, 2 semi flex with alu frame on the spray hood and 2 x fixed on top of the bimini - and all is OK before installing the frame for the one on top of the sprayhood I had to change them multiple time and got fed-up .. now all is god 3rd year in a row... in brief: do not install flexible panels on top of the bimini - expensive waste of money howto recognize SunPower cells : take a look on my semi-flex panels - do you the dotted lines on the forward ? if it is there then they are sunpower cells    |
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Post by vasko on Jul 18, 2019 9:15:35 GMT
Also important - do not buy PWM controller is FAR FAR worse them MPPT - also MPPT do not need to be crazy overpriced - EPEVER has nice and good working once for around 100-150 EUR/GBP/USD - 20, 30, 40 amps - available amazon, ebay, aliexpress - for penls I will suggest LENSUN - but ASK ESPECIALLY for SunPower cells !
connecting - if there is any chance for shade over part of the panel or a panel - DON NOT CONNECT connect in parallel
in series ONLY if all panels are in the same exposure to the sun 100% of the time
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Post by Syrah on Jul 19, 2019 8:58:21 GMT
If I had written this yesterday, I would have said that the two Solbian flexible panels mounted on our Bimini had been performing brilliantly. We visited our boat today at its North-South facing pen. There were gale force Westerlies there last weekend. One panel completely gone, and one torn off and badly (terminally) damaged.    |
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Post by sitara on Jul 19, 2019 22:21:17 GMT
Bad news about the panels Syrah, I checked mine on Thursday and they were still there. I have used Tenax snap fasteners to hold the panels down although I think I had better check the stitching. On your panel in the cockpit it looks like the top layer is peeling, I an getting the same on my cheap chinese panels, or is it a light effect? Rob
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Post by Syrah on Jul 19, 2019 23:13:54 GMT
Thanks Rob,
The damage on the remaining panel is from being slammed around by the wind while still being held by the wire. It was perfectly OK beforehand.
I’m still looking at putting flexible solar back on the Bimini. The message here is to think about protecting the open ends on a zipper mount. One of the downsides of being in a pen is that the boat can’t turn to face the wind. Last weekend that meant that the gale force winds were side on to our boat and directly in line with the open ends of the solar panels.
Regards
Wayne
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Post by Mistroma on Jul 26, 2019 20:25:37 GMT
Also important - do not buy PWM controller is FAR FAR worse them MPPT - also MPPT do not need to be crazy overpriced - EPEVER has nice and good working once for around 100-150 EUR/GBP/USD - 20, 30, 40 amps - available amazon, ebay, aliexpress - for penls I will suggest LENSUN - but ASK ESPECIALLY for SunPower cells ! connecting - if there is any chance for shade over part of the panel or a panel - DON NOT CONNECT connect in parallel in series ONLY if all panels are in the same exposure to the sun 100% of the time I agree with Vaslo (mostly). I had a Lensun flexible go after 5 weeks and the warranty replacement only lasted a few months. They altered their instructions the following year to say that panels should never be concave (i.e. sag in middle) as the compression causes micro-fractures and output drops to almost zero. You also risk hotspots melting the Sunbrella and I melted a plastic support when testing a failed panel. I have 3 panels in parallel under the boom via a PWM controller. Usually only one in shade, sometimes 2 or even 3 (if I leave the boom on wring side  ). Output compares very well with the aft MPPT unit and difference hasn't prompted me to upgrade. However, med. sunshine means that panel voltage is almost always high enough for charging. My PWM regulator was expensive, also handles the wind-gen and is very configurable. Not an eBay cheapie. I bought an ePEVER unit after Vasko said they were worth a look and have to agree it is a good unit. I have the 2 aft panels in series but probably only get about 7% more than PWM (if that). I actually switched them to parallel today for the first time in ages. We sat all afternoon with the mast shading one or other of the aft panels. Switching to parallel gave full output on at least one panel, sometimes both. |
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Post by Syrah on Sept 6, 2019 9:00:02 GMT
We have just put new canvas on our Bimini, 4 x RAD 115W solar panels and a Victron Smart Solar 100/30 controller, after losing our Solbian Panels to gale force winds recently. Zips are now black, as the canvas guy said these were more UV tolerant. Very happy with performance so far. The Victron controller is Bluetooth enabled and keeps records of daily performance. Logging min and max battery voltages, Max power, max solar Voltage. For the first six days of Spring we have generated over 6kWhrs.  |
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Post by Bora on Sept 6, 2019 9:18:41 GMT
4x bimble solar sun power 150W semi flexible mounted on a lightweight extension of the bimini. Working a treat (when the suns out) left the boat off shore power with the fridge, freezer and nav electrics on for almost 2 weeks.  My fridge also seems to drain more than it’s fair share of the battery, even when it’s full.  |
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). Output compares very well with the aft MPPT unit and difference hasn't prompted me to upgrade. However, med. sunshine means that panel voltage is almost always high enough for charging. My PWM regulator was expensive, also handles the wind-gen and is very configurable. Not an eBay cheapie.