All
This topic does not appear to have been discussed in any detail on the site although there are some references to it abeit brief.
I am interested in how people use solar panels to charge their batteries and keep everything on board 'live'.
My setup is a 10w panel charging a 60A deep charge battery. All my lights are LED. In normal sailing days my power consumption is modest, confined to radios ( 1xVHF and 1x27 MHz), 1xGPS, 1xDepth-sounder.
I have the Solar panel connected to the battery through a regulator. Solar panel in full sun gives 20V; charging power from regulator to battery is ~ 15V and I read the battery voltage under normal usage as ~ 13.1V. I also use the Auto-helm at times although do not really know is power consumption rate although i think its relatively low.
Interested in other set-up or comments.
Best
Mark
Solar Panels and Energy Supply
Re: Solar Panels and Energy Supply
Mark,
Even if your solar panel was 100% efficient, it would only generate 0.8 amps. Radios, sounders, autohelm etc chew up a lot more than that. So the solar is really only there to top up your battery over a long period of time. I have one that is 4.5 W, but I dont bother using. Much easier to connect a smart mains charger at home, and in 24 hours (usually muich less), the battery is full and ready to go.
The Autohelm is probably the highest power draw, but than can be minimised upwind by making sure the sails are well balanced. Downwind it can work continuously, and really chew the power.
Check the manuals for your equipment and they usually list the power draw in amps. Your 60 ampHr battery is good for say 50 ampHrs.
Even if your solar panel was 100% efficient, it would only generate 0.8 amps. Radios, sounders, autohelm etc chew up a lot more than that. So the solar is really only there to top up your battery over a long period of time. I have one that is 4.5 W, but I dont bother using. Much easier to connect a smart mains charger at home, and in 24 hours (usually muich less), the battery is full and ready to go.
The Autohelm is probably the highest power draw, but than can be minimised upwind by making sure the sails are well balanced. Downwind it can work continuously, and really chew the power.
Check the manuals for your equipment and they usually list the power draw in amps. Your 60 ampHr battery is good for say 50 ampHrs.
Ian B
Ex Investigator 563 #50 Yara
Ex Investigator 563 #50 Yara
Re: Solar Panels and Energy Supply
Ian
Thanks for the comments -useful. Yes I need to do a better energy Audit.
Despite the modest set up I have its seems to work for me. My Yacht is not stored at home but at a facility 300m from the launch ramp. There is no electricity supply. Basically the solar panel trickle charges the battery when it is in this facility.
To date I have had no issues with the battery not coping with my demands but it was the recent addition of the auto-helm which made me rethink this and if I should get a bigger panel and another battery and link up in parallel.
Thus if I was off-shore sailing during the day and also overnighting with lots of demands on energy then this may better suit. These are my thoughts at present.
Mark
Thanks for the comments -useful. Yes I need to do a better energy Audit.
Despite the modest set up I have its seems to work for me. My Yacht is not stored at home but at a facility 300m from the launch ramp. There is no electricity supply. Basically the solar panel trickle charges the battery when it is in this facility.
To date I have had no issues with the battery not coping with my demands but it was the recent addition of the auto-helm which made me rethink this and if I should get a bigger panel and another battery and link up in parallel.
Thus if I was off-shore sailing during the day and also overnighting with lots of demands on energy then this may better suit. These are my thoughts at present.
Mark
Re: Solar Panels and Energy Supply
Mark,
I only have a 20w solar panel to charge 2 batteries. I have removed the panel because I only use the boat as a day sailer, If I need to charge batteries I can do that with the motor or at home.
If you find the auto pilot is draining to much power,,,,, I like your tiller/sheet steering and with your abilities, I'm sure you could devise a system for your autopilot to operate a servo or the like to control the rudder and that could well and truly reduce current draw from the auto pilot.
For example, I have a Navic windvane and I can remove the wind vane sail and hook up my auto pilot to it to operate the rudder on the servo oar, the oar then does the heavy work on the tiller. Very little current loading is placed on the auto pilot.
In the case of sheet to tiller steering, it may be possible to use the auto pilot to change the tension on a bungee, to allow the sheet to do the hard work.... Maybe?
Steve
I only have a 20w solar panel to charge 2 batteries. I have removed the panel because I only use the boat as a day sailer, If I need to charge batteries I can do that with the motor or at home.
If you find the auto pilot is draining to much power,,,,, I like your tiller/sheet steering and with your abilities, I'm sure you could devise a system for your autopilot to operate a servo or the like to control the rudder and that could well and truly reduce current draw from the auto pilot.
For example, I have a Navic windvane and I can remove the wind vane sail and hook up my auto pilot to it to operate the rudder on the servo oar, the oar then does the heavy work on the tiller. Very little current loading is placed on the auto pilot.
In the case of sheet to tiller steering, it may be possible to use the auto pilot to change the tension on a bungee, to allow the sheet to do the hard work.... Maybe?
Steve
Re: Solar Panels and Energy Supply
I have two 40a/h AGM batteries side by side in the forward locker connected to a regulator between the hatch and v-berth stbd window wired through the hatch to a 40W solar panel on a temp mounting forward of the mast. I have a cheap Jaycar cig-lighter volt meter in the aft switch panel socket to monitor battery usage. While one battery is used the other is connected to the regulator and solar panel.
In descending order my main battery drain would be:-
my cd player driving two treble and two bass speakers (I take my music seriously)
The auto pilot which I also use a lot.
Depth sounder
A cpap machine at night.
Cabin lights (all LED)
12v pump for inflating dinghy.
Mobile phone/handheld VHF chargers
I have an efficient icebox which lasts 4-5 days so no power there.
That's about it Mark - X fingers I have not run out of power yet - even for 7 days up at the Myalls although the boat is always parked in the sun so that helps a lot. In sunlight it takes approx two days to charge from full discharge approx 11.8 v to full charge 12.7v .
Cheers
In descending order my main battery drain would be:-
my cd player driving two treble and two bass speakers (I take my music seriously)
The auto pilot which I also use a lot.
Depth sounder
A cpap machine at night.
Cabin lights (all LED)
12v pump for inflating dinghy.
Mobile phone/handheld VHF chargers
I have an efficient icebox which lasts 4-5 days so no power there.
That's about it Mark - X fingers I have not run out of power yet - even for 7 days up at the Myalls although the boat is always parked in the sun so that helps a lot. In sunlight it takes approx two days to charge from full discharge approx 11.8 v to full charge 12.7v .
Cheers
Fair winds and following seas
Emrys
Investigator #166 'Current Affair'
Emrys
Investigator #166 'Current Affair'
Re: Solar Panels and Energy Supply
All
Thanks for your comments. I thought I would close this out with a record of my recent changes. Note this was based in part by comments provided so thanks.
Last week I upgraded my battery to an AGM deep charge 100 AH battery and suited to marine environment.
I charged this up using a multistage charger and full charge is about 13.8V.
I upgraded my solar panel to a 20W panel which will recharge the battery with up to 1A charge. All of this runs through a regulator.
Last week I went on a day coastal sail and used the Auto-helm for about 3 hrs in pretty calm seas sailing at about 4 kts.
2x radios and depth sounder were also on.
I noted at the end of the day the battery was delivering 12.9 V which is much better than my old battery and that by the next day (24hrs later ) it was showing 13.2 V which seems to be the level it reaches after solar panel recharging. (I checked the battery today and still showing 13.2 V).
I think I have reached a happy medium that suits my current use pattern.
Best
Mark
Thanks for your comments. I thought I would close this out with a record of my recent changes. Note this was based in part by comments provided so thanks.
Last week I upgraded my battery to an AGM deep charge 100 AH battery and suited to marine environment.
I charged this up using a multistage charger and full charge is about 13.8V.
I upgraded my solar panel to a 20W panel which will recharge the battery with up to 1A charge. All of this runs through a regulator.
Last week I went on a day coastal sail and used the Auto-helm for about 3 hrs in pretty calm seas sailing at about 4 kts.
2x radios and depth sounder were also on.
I noted at the end of the day the battery was delivering 12.9 V which is much better than my old battery and that by the next day (24hrs later ) it was showing 13.2 V which seems to be the level it reaches after solar panel recharging. (I checked the battery today and still showing 13.2 V).
I think I have reached a happy medium that suits my current use pattern.
Best
Mark