Tuesday 10 July 2018

Solar Panels

I am sure this is something we should have done ages ago, but we are now giving them very serious consideration.

So if anyone has any recommendations for the quantity, make, suppliers and fitters we would be very grateful.  We know the pros, but are there any cons?

With thanks in advance. 

7 comments:

stevefree said...

Tim at Onboard Solar is your man. They have fitted over a thousand boats. He comes to you anywhere in the country and did it all in just a couple of hours. We have 2 x 165 watt panels and have moored up for days on end without running the engine. The best purchase we have made for the boat in my view. Onboardsolar.co.uk

Adam said...

It depends how big your battery bank is and how much power you use! However, when we took the plunge a couple of years ago, we had one 250 watt fixed panel put on the roof. The flexible ones get water underneath them and the roof rusts -- and you can't see it happening. I also didn't want the height of the brackets that angle the panel. I can't remember the make of it. As important as the panel is the controller. Go for an MPPT because they're much more efficient; Victron make a good one. We find that our one 250w panel is big enough to keep our four 130Ah batteries topped up when the boat is sitting in the marina, so we no longer plug in the shore power March-October. When we're out, with fridge, loo fan,tv etc, we can moor up at lunchtime and the batteries can still be at 100 per cent by dusk. I can't think of any cons. We had ours fitted by Boating Leisure Services at Heyford Fields, who did a very neat job of bringing the cable through the roof into a cupboard, and along to the engine room.

Tom and Jan said...

For what its worth I wrote about Waiouru's solar panel system in these two posts
http://www.narrowboat-waiouru.co.uk/2014/05/solar-panels.html
http://www.narrowboat-waiouru.co.uk/2012/10/solar.html

Caroline and Martin said...

I'd recommend joining the 12v boating group on facebook if you can, there is a lot of information about solar. but first know what your battery bank is and do a power needs/usage audit.Caroline

Jennie said...

Thank you Steve, Adam, Tom and Caroline for your replies. We will do the research as suggested. It is unlikely to happen before the end of this cruising season for us (October), so plenty of time to digest all the information. Thank you again.

Mrs. Jaqueline Biggs said...

After researching all the available companies installing solar panel systems on boats, I went with Onboard Solar. tim is a lovely bloke and a former boat builder. His brackets are perfect because he can install a panel over a mushroom vent the panel will clear it just fine without impeding it. He is incredibly organized, uses a very high grade marine caulking around all outside bits and he cleaned up after himself briliantly. He will install a complete system with a quality MPPT controller. I purchased two 165 watt panels from him which I should think would give you enough power for Tentatrice. I have 430 watts as I also had the small 100 watt panel Les bought. Tim winters in India each year so bear this in mind if you go with Onboard solar. It cost me a thousand and seventy eight pounds for part and installation. It was money well spent.

Love Jaq xx

Jennie said...

Thanks for that Jaq and my apologies for not publishing your comment sooner - I am still not getting notifications despite trying the fix Tom suggested. I will try again sometime. I have been busy having fun at the Festival and therefore had not checked for several days. Jennie x