[Public-List] Solar

[Amy & David Swanson via Public-List]

I doubt you are going to get 50 amp hours/day into a battery out of a 
solar rig unless you have a lot of panel area, unblocked & properly 
oriented.  A 60 watt panel will peak at about 5.2 amps.  Even a very low 
battery will not take much more than half of those.  If the panel is 
partially blocked, you will get nothing.  If the sun is at a low angle 
or if it is overcast, you won't get much either.

That being said, modern controllers and lower prices make solar a lot 
more viable than just a few years ago.  Spend some time researching 
controllers.  My boat slip faces due south, I put a 40 watt panel on the 
fore deck angled up about 25 degrees (less than optimal), and it 
recharges my group 24 over the week consistently.  I only have plug into 
shore power to do maintenance or such.


On 6/18/2016 12:47 PM, via Public-List wrote:
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> I am not sure about your 50 amp hour requirement but i have a 60 watt panel in a stationary position on my pushpit and it keeps me powered 24/7. I never plug in to shore power.
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> The panel goes to a charge controller and feeds 2, 105 amp hour deep cycle batteries.
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> I don't have much draw though. I have a 800gpm bilge pump which rarely runs, vhs, gps, and led lights. Toilet is a lavac.
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> We never use our inverter.
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> I have a few fans and charge my phone and tablet (and so does my wife) and we've lived aboard for up to 9 days with no problem.
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> We have a small outboard mounted in the lazarette.
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> Our boat is in south Georgia so your mileage may vary.
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> The solar panel is the best thing I ever put on my boat.
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> - George, #439, St. Simons Island, Ga.
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> Get Outlook for Android
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> On Sat, Jun 18, 2016 at 12:06 PM -0400, "tmthypk at gmail.com via Public-List" <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
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> I am doing a little research on solar panels, there is a lot out there! I think, if I figured this our correctly, I want to anticipate at most 50amp/h a day when I am out. What is people experience with this who have gone this route and how big of a panel should I look at, where have you found the best placement, and where or what did you buy? I'll offer a few beers over a conversation, as I much rather prefer talking to people than reclusively searching the Internet from my couch!
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> Timothy Peek
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