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Solar Panels
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- CYO Supporter
- Posts: 5819
- Joined: July 10th, 2015, 9:58 pm
- Vessel Info: 1989 Carver 3807 Aft Cabin
- Location: Ontario, Canada
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Re: Solar Panels
One of the biggest problems with DYI solar charging system kits is that they rarely come with decent sized wiring. They may be fine for an RV but when you have long runs encountered from a hardtop mount in a flybridge application to the engine compartment, the wire size is crucial to maintaining efficiency at that distance and is usually where these kits fall short. The charge controller included with your kit is a good one but I have heard that the biggest complaints are the terminals being too small to accommodate larger wire sizes needed for longer distances. This is typical though of a lot of charge controllers, even the more expensive ones like some Victron models. You just have to keep this in mind when planning your installation if you want to utilize as much output as those panels can provide. Don't fall into the trap of sticking with a certain size charge wire because it's the biggest size that will fit in the controller's terminals. Go with the biggest you can get in there and install it as I mentioned above to get around this problem if the run requires larger wire.
Looks like your kit comes with a the BT-1 module. If you experience any issues with it, contact Renogy and see if they can do anything for you with upgrading to the BT-2 module. I'm pretty sure they made some connectivity upgrades. If you can use the app with no issues then you're golden, otherwise look into the BT-2, they're not expensive in the States.
- tonyiiiafl
- CYO Supporter
- Posts: 890
- Joined: November 19th, 2015, 4:00 am
- Vessel Info: 1994 Carver 39 Cockpit Motor Yacht
- Location: Cape Cod, MA
- Has thanked: 593 times
- Been thanked: 175 times
Re: Solar Panels
-
- CYO Supporter
- Posts: 5819
- Joined: July 10th, 2015, 9:58 pm
- Vessel Info: 1989 Carver 3807 Aft Cabin
- Location: Ontario, Canada
- Has thanked: 432 times
- Been thanked: 1599 times
Re: Solar Panels
Looking forward to your pics.
- tonyiiiafl
- CYO Supporter
- Posts: 890
- Joined: November 19th, 2015, 4:00 am
- Vessel Info: 1994 Carver 39 Cockpit Motor Yacht
- Location: Cape Cod, MA
- Has thanked: 593 times
- Been thanked: 175 times
Re: Solar Panels
Out the panels on the floor and see if I can fit 1 or 2 more panels in to make it a 500 or 600 watt system. Since I have a 40 amp co troller it states that it could handle 800 watts of panels. As Trump said about the second stimulus check “GO LARGE!”
- tonyiiiafl
- CYO Supporter
- Posts: 890
- Joined: November 19th, 2015, 4:00 am
- Vessel Info: 1994 Carver 39 Cockpit Motor Yacht
- Location: Cape Cod, MA
- Has thanked: 593 times
- Been thanked: 175 times
Re: Solar Panels
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- CYO Supporter
- Posts: 2292
- Joined: March 28th, 2016, 10:52 pm
- Vessel Info: 1998 Carver 355
Suspicious Fishes !
2022 Kawasaki 310X - Location: upper chesapeake bay
- Has thanked: 314 times
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Re: Solar Panels
When you are looking at these, have you checked out the charge controllers? We all have smart chargers on the boats. Do these controllers have the same intelligence so they don't cook the batteries? I would hope so.
As far as bigger is better, again, you would need to look at the operation of the charge controller to see if there is actually any benefit to increased wattage of the panels. If your bank doesn't need more than a 30 amp charger, I would think it doesn't need more than a 30 amp solar setup, and any more would be wasted without having the storage available to meet the panel and controller output.
- tonyiiiafl
- CYO Supporter
- Posts: 890
- Joined: November 19th, 2015, 4:00 am
- Vessel Info: 1994 Carver 39 Cockpit Motor Yacht
- Location: Cape Cod, MA
- Has thanked: 593 times
- Been thanked: 175 times
Re: Solar Panels
- Midnightsun
- CYO Supporter
- Posts: 2856
- Joined: March 27th, 2016, 2:27 pm
- Vessel Info: The Midnight Sun
2007 41CMY
Volvo D6-370's - Location: Montreal, Canada
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Re: Solar Panels
IMHO one should get a 40a controller at minimum as you may want to add more panels in the future. I have a 50a unit which controls 4 170w panels. A bank of 2 in parallel and the other bank in series because I have a shade issue with radar and sat dome depending on the sun location at the hard top location. How do you hook up the panels? Series or Parallel? Both have their advantages and disadvantages and will either increase voltage to the controller or amperage. My system will never put out 30a and I could not get by with a 30a controller.
https://www.renogy.com/learn-series-and-parallel/
- tonyiiiafl
- CYO Supporter
- Posts: 890
- Joined: November 19th, 2015, 4:00 am
- Vessel Info: 1994 Carver 39 Cockpit Motor Yacht
- Location: Cape Cod, MA
- Has thanked: 593 times
- Been thanked: 175 times
Re: Solar Panels
- Midnightsun
- CYO Supporter
- Posts: 2856
- Joined: March 27th, 2016, 2:27 pm
- Vessel Info: The Midnight Sun
2007 41CMY
Volvo D6-370's - Location: Montreal, Canada
- Has thanked: 257 times
- Been thanked: 1104 times
Re: Solar Panels
This explains how shading will render an entire panel inoperative even if the just 1 cell of the panel is shaded. Hooking them up panels in parallel will at least allow the non shaded panels to output their full potential. https://www.pveducation.org/pvcdrom/mod ... ded%20cell.
Most controllers handle 48v +. The controllers job is to regulate voltage and output to the battery bank. There are many units out there but I went with an Epever 50a unit and the bluetooth module which lets me set and monitor the unit through my phone as access to the unit is usually limited and the controls/screens are really crap/small. This guy will accept up to 150v.
Controller, https://www.epsolarpv.com/product/44.html
Blue tooth adapter,
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