[Public-List] Solar panels

Tue Jul 30 05:41:00 PDT 2019

I am also interested in what folks have done for solar.  Our only charging
is off the engine and shore power.

I was thinking about mounting (4) 100W panels above the lazarette supported
by the bimini frame and stanchions down to the stern pulpit about 6 feet
off the deck. Two panels would be fixed mounted and two mounted on drawer
slides above the fixed panels allowing them to slide out revealing the
fixed panel below.   The idea is while sailing, motoring upwind or in the
slip, the drawer mounted panels will be retracted to reduce windage and
overall width.  When anchored or on a mooring the extra panels can be
extended to maximize output.  I have a cabin top mounted mainsheet so it
opens that area up quite a bit.

On Tue, Jul 30, 2019 at 5:43 AM Gordon Laco via Public-List <
public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:

> Good morning
>
> We charge using the engine… and plug in to use the shore powered charger
> once or twice a season before week long trips.  We don’t have refrigeration
> and have switched out electric lighting to LED, so power usage is low.  We
> use the boat Wednesdays for racing and cruise most weekends, with the
> occasional longer trip.
>
> We carry one deep cycle marine battery and one ‘regular’ starter battery.
>   When running the engine we have the selector to ‘both’  so they’re
> getting the benefit of the alternator’s output.  When at anchor we use the
> deep cycle for our lights.
>
> Every few years I think refrigeration might be nice… but have never taken
> the plunge to install it because of the dramatic change in electrical
> capacity it would require.  One can buy a lot of ice for the cost of a
> refrigeration plant, unsightly solar panels etc.  I’ve considered a
> portable fridge ‘cooler’… even considering using it to make my own ice; but
> then I’d have to run the engine just to run the fridge; and I don’t really
> want to change the boat to a situation where we’d need to do that.
>
> Gord
> 426 Surprise
>
>
>
> > On Jul 30, 2019, at 4:54 AM, Jeffrey Randall via Public-List <
> public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
> >
> > Thanks all,  I am still researching but a trickle charging solar setup
> > seems to be in the future.
> >
> > Gordon,  Is the shore power the only way you recharged? and how often did
> > you need to do it.  I am looking to see if I am leaking more power than
> the
> > standard flow rate that any battery might drop over time.
> >
> > BTW for all,  I am still on chapter one of boat electrics for dummies
> after
> > many starts.  But getting there.  12 V or electricity in general seems to
> > have baffled me for years.  I am on a quest for electrics competency if
> not
> > expert status.
> >
> > On Mon, Jul 29, 2019 at 8:22 PM Gordon Laco via Public-List <
> > public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
> >
> >> We have electricity at our slip but only very rarely use it to recharge
> >> batteries or any other purpose… there’s no need.
> >>
> >> Gordon Laco
> >> #426 Surprise
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>> On Jul 29, 2019, at 5:43 PM, R Kirk via Public-List <
> >> public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Jeff... Not to worry. Isobar (181) swung at a mooring (NAVSTA
> Annapolis)
> >> all the years I had her, so no shore power. I never used much
> electricity
> >> underway so the batteries never got too low. I used a cheap solar cell,
> not
> >> much larger than a tablet. Before I left the boat I put it on top of the
> >> companionway slide and ran its wire to alligator clips at the house
> >> battery. Always kept the charge up. I used a mechanical, wave generated,
> >> bilge pump at the mooring so no electric use there. (It was/is an
> exposed
> >> bumpy mooring field, so plenty of piston action.)… Bob
> >>>
> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: Jeffrey Randall via Public-List <public-list at lists.alberg30.org>
> >>> To: Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all <
> public-list at lists.alberg30.org
> >>>
> >>> Cc: Jeffrey Randall <jcrandall1956 at gmail.com>
> >>> Sent: Mon, Jul 29, 2019 5:00 pm
> >>> Subject: [Public-List] Solar panels
> >>>
> >>> My slip has lost it's electrical power for reasons related to Navy
> >>> regulations, so I need to charge batteries.  Who has added solar panels
> >> to
> >>> their A-30 and what were the pluses and minuses?
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> Sincerely,
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Jeff Randall
> >>> JCMedical
> >>> 603-498-5574
> >>> _______________________________________________
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> >>
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> >
> >
> > --
> > Sincerely,
> >
> >
> > Jeff Randall
> > JCMedical
> > 603-498-5574
> > _______________________________________________
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