[C320-list] Solar panels on bimini

[Bruce Stanley]

Scott
I have sent you (surprise at thompson87.com <mailto:surprise at thompson.com>) 5 detailed jpg photos showing my 2x80watt Solar Panels on my Bimini.
I searched the C36 Owners site and was sent this design.

Regards
Bruce Stanley / Sydney Australia
2006 C36 (previous C320 #1084)

> On 6 Mar 2019, at 9:55 am, Stephen Cox <scox at timmin.com> wrote:
> 
>> 
>> However, I've been warned that I shouldn't put different 
>> sized panels in series -- that the power will be limited by 
>> the smallest panel if I do
>> -- and that it's not a good idea to wire panels in series in 
>> any case because a shadow on one panel reduces the output of 
>> the other two as well. 
> 
> Putting them in series will in deed only pass as much current as the smallest
> can provide at any given time and shadow on any panel will effect the total
> throughput in the same manner.
> 
>> These same sources suggest that a 
>> better way to do it is to wire a separate charging circuit 
>> for each panel, meaning three MPPT controllers and three 
>> cables running up the backstay to the bimini. I'd rather keep 
>> it simpler. Does anyone have any thoughts about the best 
>> approach here? 
> 
> There is a possibility that three controllers would trip over each other when
> trying to work out if the battery is charged and hence you not get as good a
> charge rate as you might expect.  Others may care to comment on that.
> 
> Certainly I would go for three equal sized panels and just the one controller
> to keep it simple if I was doing it.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Stephen Cox
> Tegwen #1141 
>