ALAN DENMAN Posted August 22, 2017 Report Share Posted August 22, 2017 Hi everyone, we are preparing to spend our first winter as liveaboards and will be constant cruising. We have researched On Board Solar tilting panels and Photonic (FLPRO textured flexible panels). which one is better or are they equally effective? Thanks for your advice. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsmelly Posted August 22, 2017 Report Share Posted August 22, 2017 4 minutes ago, ALAN DENMAN said: Hi everyone, we are preparing to spend our first winter as liveaboards and will be constant cruising. We have researched On Board Solar tilting panels and Photonic (FLPRO textured flexible panels). which one is better or are they equally effective? Thanks for your advice. Alan Hi Alan All kinds of solar is worth having however they will be next to useless in the winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted August 22, 2017 Report Share Posted August 22, 2017 6 minutes ago, ALAN DENMAN said: Hi everyone, we are preparing to spend our first winter as liveaboards and will be constant cruising. We have researched On Board Solar tilting panels and Photonic (FLPRO textured flexible panels). which one is better or are they equally effective? Thanks for your advice. Alan The tilting ones are likely to be more effective, but neither much use in winter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterboat Posted August 22, 2017 Report Share Posted August 22, 2017 Having had both For ease of use and the fact that they dont get in the way I have flexible solar panels stuck down with sicoflex works well and i can walk on them if needed [but dont if I can help it]. As Tim says on poor days they produce 10% of a good day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALAN DENMAN Posted August 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2017 It seems solar is good for summer use. I'll have to weigh up investment costs. Thanks all for your replies. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusty69 Posted August 22, 2017 Report Share Posted August 22, 2017 Just now, ALAN DENMAN said: It seems solar is good for summer use. I'll have to weigh up investment costs. Thanks all for your replies. Alan Also works in spring and Autumn. From Mar to October is ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chubby Posted August 22, 2017 Report Share Posted August 22, 2017 I find solar to be worthwhile all year round . In summer i can " rely " on it . In winter less so . Even so , id prefer to have it than not have it . In my estimation it is good / very good for most of the year and unreliable for some of the year . Question is - how much power do you need ? I have different patterns of power usage ( off grid 365 days of year ) in summer than winter according to the power my solar generates . I own no genny as i hate them . If u CC in winter do you expect to cruise regularly , alot , or barely ? How you intend to use your boat , its charging capabilities , your power requirements etc will all be part of assessing how you intend to keep batteries maintained . Solar can be a big part of the answer , mostly in summer but also ( i find ) in winter - its just less reliable . There is no way i d be witnout it , it makes complete sense to have as much you can all year round . cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lily Rose Posted August 22, 2017 Report Share Posted August 22, 2017 4 hours ago, mrsmelly said: Hi Alan All kinds of solar is worth having however they will be next to useless in the winter. I would agree with that for when I´m on the boat in winter, which is usually 4 or 5 days per month. The rest of the time, when the boat just sits in the marina, the solar is enough to keep the batteries topped without the need to leave the mains charger switched on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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