How Many Solar Panels For A Sailboat

The number of solar panels you ll need for your boat not only depends on the type and size of your boat but also the quality of the equipment you choose how many sun hours the boat sees and the amount of electricity you require.

How many solar panels for a sailboat.

A safety factor of 2 would be a nice start and then see if you can make those panels fit your boat. July 2016 i just took an informal poll from my boater and rv camper friends. In sizing a solar pv system the first two factors we work from are the sunlight levels or insolation values from your area and the daily power consumption of your electrical loads. In the charging system the solar panels convert sunlight into electrical current and deliver it to the batteries via a solar charge controller.

How much space do you have on deck. If you need 200w a day then you could have three 90w solar panels on different parts of the boat and be covered power wise even on different tacks. Insolation one hour of maximum or 100 sunshine received by a module equals one equivalent sun hour. An experienced california solar installer may also be able to either build a new structure on your boat to support the solar panels or hire a subcontractor that specializes in this type of work.

If you think you will need twice the power of the above energy budget then install 2 separate 100 watt panels. Some boats can get by with one 100 watt solar panel or even smaller while others require a multi panel setup. For more details on choosing and installing a solar panel see the march 2018 issue of practical sailor online. Some values are from experience and others are accepted rules of thumb.

You can t have too much solar or too many batteries. For solar i would not be shy. A licensed solar installer can help you determine which type of solar panel would be ideal for your boat and would hold up best on the open water. Adding a solar trickle charger to your car rv or boat.

8 out of 10. Obviously the number of panels you would need depends on energy usage and vessel size but solar is a much better option than common fossil fuels when powering your boat. 1 out of 10 adding a flexible panel to charge while underway. A solar power installation on a sailboat is made up of two independent systems.

Your required power output can be divided among them as well. 6 out of 10 adding two panels to a dodger or radar arch. In summary if the devices and hours used in the above list seem to be in line with your energy budget then go with a single 100 watt solar panel. 2 out of 10 adding a permanent panel to the stern railing.

We present here a simple analysis based on the test boat used for our recent report on choosing and installing a solar panel. The benefits of adding solar panels to a boat or yacht when it comes to adding solar panels to your boat the benefits are endless. Here are just a few for you to consider. One system to charge the batteries and another system to provide 120 volt ac power for household appliances.