Solar panels in winter

[b0atman]

Although I am in a marina I often switch the charger off in the daytime usually 09;00 to 15:00 and let the 300 watts of solar panel run the system some days they cope with the load Fridge and freezer and put absorption charge into batteries.

Other days they do not cope.

My question is how do you CCers cope if moored up for a number of days.

Run engine or run generator how many hours ? or got a lot more solar wattage ?

 

[matty40s]

the last few days has been miserable, grey and nothing, the sun finally came out at 2pm today and i was getting almost 3 amps from 400w of flat panels.

I cruised monday, and ran the engine for an hour last night, bank sitting at 81% now, normal usage, fridge lights laptop etc.

[Colin North]

I must admit that on days like today I get very little from the solar. It is very dull and grey here today.

 

I usually run the engine for a couple of hours to top up the batteries (I do not run a fridge, just a few LED lights) and get hot water as a by-product.

 

As I am usually working at some time in the day with power tools I use that opportunity to charge the batteries too.

Colin

[Loafer]

300 W panels (plus MPPT) won't keep us going at this time of year. I've seen 7-9A on a good day near the middle.

 

On top of that we need about 1.5 hours of summink running. Engine on shower day, portable 1kW the other day. We use about 50Ah per day, including fridge. My observation of my Batt management panel points to the 3 panels providing our fridge's requirements, on average.

 

What I think IS good though, is that 3-400W solar panels go a LONG way towards keeping your batteries healthier. Even a dull day will see battery voltage above 12.2, whereas last year without panels we'd see 11.8 and be charging by 8am.

[GoodGurl]

we have been getting around 6-9 amps from 1 kilowatt this week so we generally run the genny for a couple of hours when its grey dark and miserable.

[Loafer]

we have been getting around 6-9 amps from 1 kilowatt this week so we generally run the genny for a couple of hours when its grey dark and miserable.

Is yours a 12V system, or a 24? 6-9A seems low for 1,000W!

[GoodGurl]

24v system with 2 MPPT controllers.

[Loafer]

24v system with 2 MPPT controllers.

Ah see. That'd be 12-18A at 12V which sounds GOOD. 3 times what I'm getting!

[GoodGurl]

Ah see. That'd be 12-18A at 12V which sounds GOOD. 3 times what I'm getting!

[peterboat]

we have been getting around 6-9 amps from 1 kilowatt this week so we generally run the genny for a couple of hours when its grey dark and miserable.

Ditto just want the sun to shine again

 

Peter

[Mrs Trackman]

This is definitely the lowest amount of solar we get. The combination of short days and mildish,dull weather means little chance for solar. We turn the fridge off at night but need to run the engine at some point most days.

[Ricco1]

My 375w of panels give around an amp or a bit less on dull days between 9 and 2. On sunny days at this time of the year might squeeze 4-5 amps for 3 or 4 hours. Not a lot really. On windy days my wind generator produces an amp or two. Lots of engine running required.

[Wanderer Vagabond]

I find the discussion of solar very interesting although at the moment it doesn't apply to me since all I have for power is the engine. My query however is that, since I am a CCer, would it actually worth it for me to get solar? During the summer period I am usually travelling around so the batteries will get charged anyway (plus the hot water). During the winter when there are more occasions when I might want to stay put (rain, ice etc) then it sounds like I wouldn't be generating enough from the panels without running the engine as well so, given the cost of installing solar, what would be the return on investment period? IS it actually worth it? Those I've spoken to with panels all enthuse about them and I'm normally keen on them, having fitted them on my land based property but then I get the FIT payment for that which is a sort of income. Given how little you seem to be generating during the period when I would actually need the most I'm still not decided whether it is worth it. I'd still have to run the engine for hot water.

[GoodGurl]

I find the discussion of solar very interesting although at the moment it doesn't apply to me since all I have for power is the engine. My query however is that, since I am a CCer, would it actually worth it for me to get solar? During the summer period I am usually travelling around so the batteries will get charged anyway (plus the hot water). During the winter when there are more occasions when I might want to stay put (rain, ice etc) then it sounds like I wouldn't be generating enough from the panels without running the engine as well so, given the cost of installing solar, what would be the return on investment period? IS it actually worth it? Those I've spoken to with panels all enthuse about them and I'm normally keen on them, having fitted them on my land based property but then I get the FIT payment for that which is a sort of income. Given how little you seem to be generating during the period when I would actually need the most I'm still not decided whether it is worth it. I'd still have to run the engine for hot water.

To be fair if you move alot in summer (as i do) then no i wouldn't invest if you move daily and as you say there's not a lot of sun in winter when you most need it, however there are some pretty bright (not sunny) days in winter when we don't have to run the genny.

[Mrs Trackman]

I find the discussion of solar very interesting although at the moment it doesn't apply to me since all I have for power is the engine. My query however is that, since I am a CCer, would it actually worth it for me to get solar? During the summer period I am usually travelling around so the batteries will get charged anyway (plus the hot water). During the winter when there are more occasions when I might want to stay put (rain, ice etc) then it sounds like I wouldn't be generating enough from the panels without running the engine as well so, given the cost of installing solar, what would be the return on investment period? IS it actually worth it? Those I've spoken to with panels all enthuse about them and I'm normally keen on them, having fitted them on my land based property but then I get the FIT payment for that which is a sort of income. Given how little you seem to be generating during the period when I would actually need the most I'm still not decided whether it is worth it. I'd still have to run the engine for hot water.

Mr Trackman convinced me we needed solar one summer when we ended up stuck for two weeks one July due to a lock failure. It was the sunniest weather we had that year and so our fridge needed to keep running. The boat just got so hot and engine running made the boat even hotter. In the end we had to give up on the fridge. OK that maynot happen often but it convinced me. I guess it's the same as a lot to do with boats, it's good to have an alternative in case there's a problem.

[bassplayer]

My question is how do you CCers cope if moored up for a number of days.

 

 

The answer is to continually cruise of course. I don't tend to use much electricity. Heating is from stove with back boiler. Fridge and cooker are gas. We only switch lights on where we are sitting/standing. We use a small 150w inverter for the flat screen TV and satellite receiver (which is ample)...and my better half washes our clothes at her house.......Ok that is cheating I know...

 

I still recon we need to do about 3 hours cruising to give us enough battery power for an average day. Of course we have lights on for longer in the winter. When we don't cruise and stay on the boat, I'll run the engine for 3 hours which also gives us hot water. It's an expensive way to generate electricity though!

[kris88]

I think that solar is so cheap now, why not fit it .

Regards kris

[bassplayer]

I think that solar is so cheap now, why not fit it .

Regards kris

Again I suppose it depends on how much cruising you are doing. There is an initial outlay and more to go wrong. They could also get nicked of course. If I didn't cruise much I'd definitely consider fitting solar panels.

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Hi Gang,

I have got a relatively small And arguably badly orientated Solar installation of 4x30watt Amorphous panels, permanently mounted at approximately 10 / 15° at a guess, and between them AND my Rutland WG I can get anything around the 30 / 40 A/Hr mark on average over a 24hr period put back into my battery bank should they require it,

Now granted this isn't a huge amount, but it goes a long way to covering Water pumps, Fridge, Lights, Toilet Flush and Macerator, TV,

Satellite, etc etc and means I'm just that little bit

more self sufficient and makes life more

comfortable aboard, and as I've always believed having as many ways of making power as possible just can't be bad,,,Can it ?.

If you can afford them and you have a suitable space for them, Get them !.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/1xeqkv52lba3hyf/2014-04-10%2011.10.57.jpg?dl=0

Edited November 27, 2014 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[Phil Ambrose]

Exactly as Paul says (have a greenie)

Phil

[Detling]

Solar excels at the small things, It is great for keeping the batteries topped up in winter when you are out/away. It is great in summer doing the polishing off charging during the day. iI you cruise / run engine early in the day getting to 80% SOC or more before midday the solar will merrily top the batteries up in the afternoon whilst you sleep off your lunch, do you actually cruise every day or for 5 days our of 7 maybe. That last 20% and especially the last 10% of charge is very much current limited by the battery bank (my 550 A/hr will often only take 2-3 amps even with a 135 Amp alternator (@14.7 V ) so a lot of fuel burnt for very few Amp hours. If you recon it can save between 1 and 2 hours worth of fuel a day in summer that is a few hundred pounds each year, in winter as a live aboard it will only save a few minutes of fuel a day but every little helps, as a non live aboard the top up for the battery is worth a lot, no hook up required, so no earth lead to cause galvanic issues / worries, no standing charge / expensive units just to charge the batteries, no worries about flat batteries for the auto bilge pump etc. My 300 watts with mttp controller cost under £500 (I fitted) and in the last two years have probably saved me £300 at least, next year I should start earning.