[C320-list] Solar panels and shading

[Michael McCretton]

Hi Graeme
I could really say the same but I rarely post anything, as good advice is usually available here.
My boat is in the yard having some work done and comes back about Wed/Thurs so I can take some photos then.
I have had the boat on swinging moorings and on marina pontoons and have never noticed shading being a problem. Even low light levels in winter have been sufficient.
I only use the fridge with the engine on or at a marina with shore power. It is such a greedy beast. A solar panel will make no difference unless you have a large  array.I looked into this some time ago and soon realised that  If you want to run fridge on a long trip without engine the only thing that will cope would be one of those small suitcase generators you can get for about £500. As they are petrol driven and have to go outside  I gave up.
The panel is a flexible one and I believe was a 36 W Sunware panel which is still available from Force4 for just over £300.  I just screwed it onto the cover over the sliding hatch.( no need to caulk).  Quality is excellent and has stood up to all sorts of foot traffic etc. I know it is expensive but it has worked and lasted well. However i recollect that once you get over a certain wattage then a regulator may be necessary. If you can afford it I would get a higher wattage although mine has kept the batteries fully topped up. The only improvement I can think of would be that  a higher wattage one offers is reduced charging time. In may case that has never been a problem but it would be “nice to have”.
The only problem I had was routing the wiring as explained before. In the end I ran it through the slot in the hatch to a bulging waterproof connector and ran loose wiring to the battery compartment. Pure laziness but I had better things to do and it worked. It can be unplugged easily and put out of sight if needs be. If you find an answer i would like to know.
My heater is becoming difficult to start even with shore power or engine running and it has been steadily deteriorating.  I have been told this is  common and that one needs to check that voltage getting to it  is within certain limits which can happen with batteries which have seen better days. Mine is a Mikuni so I don’t know what the Eberspacher limits are. The next most common problem apparently is a mucky glow plug which is easy enough to clean with a bit of care. Make sure all washers etc go back in the same order. All received wisdom which I have not yet got around to doing.
I got the controller shown on this link
https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/162447816421?chn=ps&adgroupid=50138193029&rlsatarget=pla-398785778060&abcId=1130076&adtype=pla&merchantid=115032169&poi=&googleloc=1007238&device=c&campaignid=1030309342&crdt=0
Cheap and cheerful and came highly recommended by a now forgotten person but it has performed faultlessly so far.
Will send photos later in the week.
Really good upgrade to do.
Michael

Sent from Mail<https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for Windows 10

From: Graeme Clark<mailto:cg at skyflyer.co.uk>
Sent: 29 January 2018 11:32
To: Catalina list<mailto:C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Solar panels and shading

Michael

I’m beginning to think I should just email you, before I post anything on the list - it would save time! :-)

So where do you fit it and is it a hard or flexile type. What controller do you have?

Our normal usage pattern means that we never run short of power due to use of lights etc as we run the engine enough just motoring into harbour or on and off the moorings to replensih that. What ‘kills’ us is the fridge! Also my eberspacher can be tempremental about starting if battery voltage isnt high, although it runs quite happily on a much lower voltage, once started.
So my thinking is to fit the largest I can in that space in front of the traveller and somehow thread the wires down to the battery bank.
Cheers
Graeme


> On 29 Jan 2018, at 11:26, Michael McCretton <michaelmccretton at hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> Graeme
> I have had a 30 watt flexible panel for about 4 years and it has been brilliant. Keeps the battery nicely topped up to about 13-13.5 volts. Shading even in the UK is not a problem. I never managed to trace the wiring that according to the manual is there for a solar panel.
> Michael
> Silvan II 1994 #302
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On 29 Jan 2018, at 10:22, Graeme Clark <cg at skyflyer.co.uk<mailto:cg at skyflyer.co.uk>> wrote:
>
> I’m about to buy a solar panel to mount on the hatch garage cover, forward of the traveller. ( I don't have a bimini nor an arch so no other choice really).
>
> I think it has to be the flexible type as I have noticed that occasionally the mainsheet block can drop forward onto this space, if the mainsheet goes slack, and I suspect that would soon crack a ‘hard’ panel.
>
> At first glance the ‘garage’ has a large area but of course the forward corners of it are encroached by the halyards and other control lines and the rear by the traveller control lines.
>
> I have read that even a small amount of shading can hugely reduce the amount of power from  panel - in other words 10% shading will give a 50-60% reduction in power, not a 10% reduction in power.
>
> So I am considering a smaller panel that is completely unobstructed.
>
> BUT someone else has said that the flexible panels are more tolerant to the shading problem, more like a 10% shading giving  a 20% reduction in power.
>
> I’m confused -  do i go for the biggest panel I can fit or the biggest I can fit into an unshaded area?
>
> Lots of conflicting advice about this on the internet, so i thought I’d ask if anyone on the list has this particular configuration and if so what your experience has been
>
> Thanks
>
> Graeme
>
> #366, 1996, England
>