[Public-list] Solar Panel

[Gordon Laco]

Now there is an interesting subject - here is a thought to clutter the
discussion up.

Back in the 90's I ran a sail training establishment that delivered
programmes aboard a pair of 50 ton brigantines.  When we came to do a major
refit to one of them, the engine supplier made the comment that if we set up
our charging system so that the main engine had to be run for an hour each
day (instead of the traditional diesel gen set) we would cut our machinery
maintenance costs to a fraction.  It turned out that they were correct.

We built a tidy workshop in the space once occupied by the heavy gen set.

We put two high capacity alternators on the main engine, and on long
passages running it for an hour kept it lubricated and healthy while
supplying all the power we needed.  At the same time we also installed two
large solar collectors, but found that the amount of power they contributed
was not worth the space they took up, so they were later sold.

Ok - let fly folks - I expect mine will not be a popular opinion!

Gord #426 Surprise





> Any of you have solar panels on your A30?  What size?
> Where did you mount them?  How well did they work out?
> 
> I expect that the motor often will only be run long
> enough to get out of the marina.  Some other form of
> charging is likely to be needed if I don't want to run
> the diesel just to charge the batteries.  Solar seems
> like the most inexpensive alternative if I want to
> charge while on trips (being a cheapskate I pretty
> much always anchor out).
> 
> Comments on how you manage electrical consumption and
> replenishment would be interesting to hear.
> 
> Pete Staehling
> #554
> Aurora
> 
> 
> 
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