Our solar panel experience
- Thread starter BRAZO
- Start date
Hi Cosmic C
I mounted mine on the cabin top. To be clear this boat is a Duffy 35; not a C Dory. I used to own a 22 C Dory. But the nice thing about these panels is they do bend to an certain extent.
I would say they would easily mount on the top of the C Dory.
They have been working great, I have not had to run the engines as all in the one week I was on the boat.
The downside maybe the price. You certainly can buy less expensive panels. However these offer flexibility and low profile at 3/16 inch thick.
I mounted mine on the cabin top. To be clear this boat is a Duffy 35; not a C Dory. I used to own a 22 C Dory. But the nice thing about these panels is they do bend to an certain extent.
I would say they would easily mount on the top of the C Dory.
They have been working great, I have not had to run the engines as all in the one week I was on the boat.
The downside maybe the price. You certainly can buy less expensive panels. However these offer flexibility and low profile at 3/16 inch thick.
Islander: The 100 watt panels I found on the linked site were:
48" long 21" wide @104 W at a cost of $899! About twice what the "Sun Force" rigid panels are at West Marine. I suspect that they are considerably better quality.
I would be more interested in flexible panels. Deploy when needed, roll up when not. My RV panel is 180 watts, and about 30" x 48"--very rigid and would be difficult to mount on a C Dory. I note that a 45 watt charger for Torqeedo outboard is also $900--twice as expensive as the panels Islander mentioned!
48" long 21" wide @104 W at a cost of $899! About twice what the "Sun Force" rigid panels are at West Marine. I suspect that they are considerably better quality.
I would be more interested in flexible panels. Deploy when needed, roll up when not. My RV panel is 180 watts, and about 30" x 48"--very rigid and would be difficult to mount on a C Dory. I note that a 45 watt charger for Torqeedo outboard is also $900--twice as expensive as the panels Islander mentioned!
Pat Anderson
New member
Cost is a major issue! Prices are pretty low for a lot of stuff, remain high for a few brands! Time will tell whether our $379 kit of two 100 watt panels and a 30A controller will work well on the C-Dory or not, but if not, I am sure they will work fine on the Fox Mountain fiver!
Pat Anderson
New member
OK, our Renogy 200 watt solar kit arrived yesterday, two 100 watt panels and a 30A charge controller all for a sizzling $379 with free shipping! Looks to be very high quality, too. Labor Day I will get it all installed on Daydream. I already have the cables to the battery installed from when I was using the little 15 watt panel to run the Airhead fan at Lake Powell, and now I just need to get an MC4 Y adapter and some MC4 extension cables! We will be giving it a workout the week after Labor Day, and it should be on display at Sidney!
haakebecks
New member
Look forward to the review Pat.
Pat Anderson
New member
No, but that is probably a very worthwhile addition down the road!
thataway":2fo6alwf said:
We have the Victron 600 battery monitor on both our CD22 and motorhome. Easy install and certainly makes it nice knowing exactly what is happening with the batteries.
http://www.victronenergy.com/battery-monitors/bmv-600s and bmv-602s/
http://www.victronenergy.com/battery-monitors/bmv-600s and bmv-602s/
To Brazo and others who installed the Renogy solar systems,
I am looking at the 100 watt kit and am wondering where you installed the charge controller? Do you need to monitor the controller while its operating and have it easily visible? I'm told by Renogy that it should not be in a "damp" place, that it must be installed vertically and the wiring runs should be as short as possible. My lazarettos are full and, of course, damp.
My calls to their tech help are so far unanswered.
Any details and/or photos would help me decide if I want this.
Thanks,
Bruce Cassal
Carpy
I am looking at the 100 watt kit and am wondering where you installed the charge controller? Do you need to monitor the controller while its operating and have it easily visible? I'm told by Renogy that it should not be in a "damp" place, that it must be installed vertically and the wiring runs should be as short as possible. My lazarettos are full and, of course, damp.
My calls to their tech help are so far unanswered.
Any details and/or photos would help me decide if I want this.
Thanks,
Bruce Cassal
Carpy
bcassal":136elogj said:
We installed our charge controller under the sink in the cabin. You don't need to monitor the controller at all. From time to time I'll look at the lights to see what it is doing, but I use the Victron Battery Monitor to see if the solar is adding amps to the batteries. I'd definitely recommend a battery monitor.
We have 300w on our Winnebago View and even though our charge controller (Blue Sky 2512ix) is visible, it doesn't give much information.
Our CD22 is in outside storage in Blaine, WA with the 100w solar panel on top of the cover (bolted to the bimini) - so our batteries should be good to go when we come back. We also stored our View in Albuquerque this winter (and made a few visits/trips from there) and when we would fly down, the batteries were all in float at 13.2v.
Love the sun...
Thanks for the reply.
I did get throughout to renogy tech this afternoon. They answered most of my questions. I am now favoring the 100 watt "Bendable" panel. It is only 1/4 inch thick and weighs just 3 lbs. vs 22 for the glass panel. I will mount it on top of a hinged lid to a roof rack. The thin panel is unbreakable and light and should be much better for that location. Tomorrow I will look for a place to put the controller and how to run the wiring. There is not much available real-estate on Carpy. I have cabinetry, the wallas, the autopilot computer and its compass under the sink. The controller is only 5" x 3". There must be a spot somewhere. They are saying I should have no more than 10, maybe 12 ft of 10 ga. wire from the controller to the batteries. We run an Engle refer and power is my main anxiety when cruising. We spent 2 separate days on our last trip with out running the motors and the batteries got pretty low. I have a victron so I know what's going on.
Carpy
I did get throughout to renogy tech this afternoon. They answered most of my questions. I am now favoring the 100 watt "Bendable" panel. It is only 1/4 inch thick and weighs just 3 lbs. vs 22 for the glass panel. I will mount it on top of a hinged lid to a roof rack. The thin panel is unbreakable and light and should be much better for that location. Tomorrow I will look for a place to put the controller and how to run the wiring. There is not much available real-estate on Carpy. I have cabinetry, the wallas, the autopilot computer and its compass under the sink. The controller is only 5" x 3". There must be a spot somewhere. They are saying I should have no more than 10, maybe 12 ft of 10 ga. wire from the controller to the batteries. We run an Engle refer and power is my main anxiety when cruising. We spent 2 separate days on our last trip with out running the motors and the batteries got pretty low. I have a victron so I know what's going on.
Carpy
maryvmcclain
New member
We had Wefings install a 100W Solar Panel in February and have found that it keeps the frig running with no issues, even when sitting on the trailer for several days. We also added a third battery so that is probably helping. We have a small portable solar panel that we bought at REI that we use for charging devices while underway or at anchor so that the solar and main batteries aren't drained for our "toys" (tablets, phones, laptop). It sits on the "dash".
I WISH all this would power the window airconditioner that we are bringing for July in NY, but I doubt it, so we'll have to bring the generator just for that.
I WISH all this would power the window airconditioner that we are bringing for July in NY, but I doubt it, so we'll have to bring the generator just for that.
Pat Anderson
New member
I took my two 100 watt Renogy solar panels off just before having Daydream detailed a little while ago. I put them back on the weekend before last. Still no Victron, but just watching volatages while the boat was sitting outside, they are really kicking it out! May have to wait a little on the Victron, just bought the ARB 50 quart freezer, a pricey little puppy, but think we need it for Lake Powell, abd we only have so much dough to spread around on the toys!
I purchased the Renogy 100 watt "bendable" solar panel for Carpy. It is mounted on the top on the latest version of my roof rack. It is about 1/4 inch thick and weighs less than 3 lbs. The controller is very small and easily fit in the galley cabinet. The whole system cost less than $250. It is a wonderful addition to the boat, everyone should have one!
We took a two week trip to Lake Champlain in May and we did not plug to shore power at all. The first two days on the road were rainy and gloomy and the batteries were fully charged by noon. We run an Engel cooler all the time, lights, the Wallas and some electronics at night. On our last trip to Florida we spent a day and a half at anchor and ran the batteries down to low for my comfort.
Pictures in my album
We took a two week trip to Lake Champlain in May and we did not plug to shore power at all. The first two days on the road were rainy and gloomy and the batteries were fully charged by noon. We run an Engel cooler all the time, lights, the Wallas and some electronics at night. On our last trip to Florida we spent a day and a half at anchor and ran the batteries down to low for my comfort.
Pictures in my album
Completed the install of the 100 watt Renogy flexible solar panel and two bank battery controller. The batteries instantly went to 13.5v on my meter.
I turned on the fridge- no drop noted on the meter. I will leave the fridge on over night and check in the morning.
Don't know why I didn't do this a long time ago
I turned on the fridge- no drop noted on the meter. I will leave the fridge on over night and check in the morning.
Don't know why I didn't do this a long time ago
It sounds like some real advantages to these solar panels. Is anyone using the MPPT controller? (up to 30% more power available, charges on the higher voltage part of the curve, allows some power directly to the load [freezer] and then the rest to charge battery). Includes a timer on the load--for example you can turn the load (freezer) off 4 hours after sunset, and leave it off until 2 hours before sun rise--thus have minimal freezer run time during the cooler night--and less battery drain. Then make up the "cold" during a higher production time of the solar panel--more efficient.
Is it necessary to have the MC4 connectors? Is the "T" kit necessary if you have two solar panels; It seems as if one could solder a "Y" there as easily.
I am thinking of ordering one 100 watt flexible panel, the MPPT 20 amp controller, (and then if this is not enough to keep the freezer up, add a second 100 watt pane)l. The 100 watt panels are on "sale" currently at $199. My Dometic WAECO freezer may not be quite as efficient as some of the other freezers (?).
The only negative I read in the reviews is the attachment of the wires from the panel form the diode on the panel. How have others made this better to avoid separation of the diode box?
How are the panels stored when on the road? I read on one person who was going to put them under the bunks. I would not want these lashed on the roof, when driving--do they appear as if they can handle 60 mph winds if lashed properly in place?
Is it necessary to have the MC4 connectors? Is the "T" kit necessary if you have two solar panels; It seems as if one could solder a "Y" there as easily.
I am thinking of ordering one 100 watt flexible panel, the MPPT 20 amp controller, (and then if this is not enough to keep the freezer up, add a second 100 watt pane)l. The 100 watt panels are on "sale" currently at $199. My Dometic WAECO freezer may not be quite as efficient as some of the other freezers (?).
The only negative I read in the reviews is the attachment of the wires from the panel form the diode on the panel. How have others made this better to avoid separation of the diode box?
How are the panels stored when on the road? I read on one person who was going to put them under the bunks. I would not want these lashed on the roof, when driving--do they appear as if they can handle 60 mph winds if lashed properly in place?
Pat Anderson
New member
We do not currently have a MPPT controller, that is on my wish list. The MC4 connectors and cables are really slick for connecting the panels, especially to connect two in parallel, and that is what the Renogy panels come set up to use. The MC4 connectors and cables are dirt cheap on Amazon, so no reason I can see not to use them. We now have the Victron Battery Monitor installed, and I can highly recommend it, without it, you are only seeing voltage, not amps in/out of your battery and AHs used, which is what you really want to know.
I believe PWM is "pulse width modulation," but at any rate it's the more "analog" style controller vs. the more sophisticated MPPT. That said, for certain situations you don't gain as much with MPPT as you do with others, so it's not always a "wrong" choice to go PWM.
Some full time RV-ers and bloggers who are tech heads are just starting a comparative test of a few different flexible panels prior to setting up a solar system on their rig. They would like to use flexible panels because they have a vintage bus and the roof is rounded. I'll be following along with interest. They usually do a thorough job with things and are good communicators. If anyone else wants to "watch," the URL is as follows:
http://www.technomadia.com/solar/
Currently my plan is to use a "proven" rigid panel, but if they finish their testing before I get around to buying - and have favorable results - I can certainly see the advantages to the form factor of the flexible panels and would probably change my mind on what to buy.
Some full time RV-ers and bloggers who are tech heads are just starting a comparative test of a few different flexible panels prior to setting up a solar system on their rig. They would like to use flexible panels because they have a vintage bus and the roof is rounded. I'll be following along with interest. They usually do a thorough job with things and are good communicators. If anyone else wants to "watch," the URL is as follows:
http://www.technomadia.com/solar/
Currently my plan is to use a "proven" rigid panel, but if they finish their testing before I get around to buying - and have favorable results - I can certainly see the advantages to the form factor of the flexible panels and would probably change my mind on what to buy.