What are the best solar panels available? I've been sailing for the last
several years and haven't kept up with the technology.


Hanz

for sailboats? For use while moored? for trickeling your battery
or for heavy charging to replace power from appliances? Sunsei has a
nice line for light charging to mid level boats but more data is needed.



Bill Speary wrote:

What are the best solar panels available? I've been sailing for the last
several years and haven't kept up with the technology.


Hanz

Ed wrote:
for sailboats? For use while moored? for trickeling your battery
or for heavy charging to replace power from appliances? Sunsei has a
nice line for light charging to mid level boats but more data is needed.



For sailboat. Moored. I need heavy charging. I have w ind generator but
would like solar.For use in the caribbean.


Hanz

West has the larger Sunsei panels with mounting hardware. No follow the
sun capability so you set them up for the prevailing afternoon winds.
That can be put in parrallel for more capabilities. For multiple
batteries it is usually cheaper to have multiple panels than to get an
isolator. Tiny ones for dingy go for $30 +- larger ones for $80 to
300 depending on the power needed. nice mounts for another 30-50.
Figure out your load (if any...) assume about 5-6 hours per day in the
caribean. so a 10 watt panel will give you 50 watt-hours per day
which is about 4 amp-hours on a 12V battery. Pretty much enough to
remove the internal drain from the battery resistance. If you run a
fridge you will need a LOT MORE. A small deep freeze will take about 3
sq meters of panels. just batteries internal drainage about 2
sqft/battery

Hanz wrote:

Ed wrote:

for sailboats? For use while moored? for trickeling your battery
or for heavy charging to replace power from appliances? Sunsei has a
nice line for light charging to mid level boats but more data is needed.



For sailboat. Moored. I need heavy charging. I have w ind generator but
would like solar.For use in the caribbean.


Hanz

West has the larger Sunsei panels with mounting hardware. No follow the
sun capability so you set them up for the prevailing afternoon winds.
That can be put in parrallel for more capabilities. For multiple
batteries it is usually cheaper to have multiple panels than to get an
isolator. Tiny ones for dingy go for $30 +- larger ones for $80 to
300 depending on the power needed. nice mounts for another 30-50.
Figure out your load (if any...) assume about 5-6 hours per day in the
caribean. so a 10 watt panel will give you 50 watt-hours per day
which is about 4 amp-hours on a 12V battery. Pretty much enough to
remove the internal drain from the battery resistance. If you run a
fridge you will need a LOT MORE. A small deep freeze will take about 3
sq meters of panels. just batteries internal drainage about 2
sqft/battery

Hanz wrote:

Ed wrote:

for sailboats? For use while moored? for trickeling your battery
or for heavy charging to replace power from appliances? Sunsei has a
nice line for light charging to mid level boats but more data is needed.



For sailboat. Moored. I need heavy charging. I have w ind generator but
would like solar.For use in the caribbean.


Hanz

Hi,
I am very pleased with the flexible (German) Solara panels on my boat, but
you should read this first:
http://www.geoffschultz.org/Solara/s...nty_woes.shtml
If I had read this earlier, I probably would not have bought them.
However, there was no way back for me and I am very satisfied with the
performance of the product. The panels are thin but tough, are slightly
flexible and can be walked on.
http://www.solara.de/Inselsysteme/Module_M-Serie.htm

Cheers,
Wout




"Bill Speary" wrote in message
...
| What are the best solar panels available? I've been sailing for the last
| several years and haven't kept up with the technology.
|
|
| Hanz
|

"WBH" wrote in
:

Hi,
I am very pleased with the flexible (German) Solara panels on my boat,
but you should read this first:
http://www.geoffschultz.org/Solara/s...nty_woes.shtml
If I had read this earlier, I probably would not have bought them.
However, there was no way back for me and I am very satisfied with
the performance of the product. The panels are thin but tough, are
slightly flexible and can be walked on.
http://www.solara.de/Inselsysteme/Module_M-Serie.htm

Cheers,
Wout

The sad/bad thing is that I get 1-2 e-mails a week from people who are
having similiar problems with their Solara panels. Solara doesn't seem to
have learned anything. Here's an excerpt from an e-mail from yesterday:

****
Hi, My name is Joe Ruggiero from Wallingford Ct.

I don't mean to bring up an old bad subject.
I recently read about your exploits with Solara AG and your defective Solar
panels. I to have been trying to resolve a similar issue with Solara. It
seems that Mr Heise has not changed.
****

-- Geoff
www.GeoffSchultz.org

"Geoff Schultz" wrote in message
.. .
| "WBH" wrote in
| :
|
| Hi,
| I am very pleased with the flexible (German) Solara panels on my boat,
| but you should read this first:
| http://www.geoffschultz.org/Solara/s...nty_woes.shtml
| If I had read this earlier, I probably would not have bought them.
| However, there was no way back for me and I am very satisfied with
| the performance of the product. The panels are thin but tough, are
| slightly flexible and can be walked on.
| http://www.solara.de/Inselsysteme/Module_M-Serie.htm
|
| Cheers,
| Wout
|
| The sad/bad thing is that I get 1-2 e-mails a week from people who are
| having similiar problems with their Solara panels. Solara doesn't seem to
| have learned anything. Here's an excerpt from an e-mail from yesterday:
|
| ****
| Hi, My name is Joe Ruggiero from Wallingford Ct.
|
| I don't mean to bring up an old bad subject.
| I recently read about your exploits with Solara AG and your defective
Solar
| panels. I to have been trying to resolve a similar issue with Solara. It
| seems that Mr Heise has not changed.
| ****
|
| -- Geoff
| www.GeoffSchultz.org

I read on your website that your panels were finally replaced, after a lot
of trouble. Have you had any further technical issues with the new panels?
Have you glued them to the deck, do you walk on them? How do they perform?
Would you buy them again if the after sales service would be better?
Wout

"WBH" wrote in
:


"Geoff Schultz" wrote in message
.. .
| "WBH" wrote in
| :
|
| Hi,
| I am very pleased with the flexible (German) Solara panels on my
| boat, but you should read this first:
| http://www.geoffschultz.org/Solara/s...nty_woes.shtml
| If I had read this earlier, I probably would not have bought them.
| However, there was no way back for me and I am very satisfied with
| the performance of the product. The panels are thin but tough, are
| slightly flexible and can be walked on.
| http://www.solara.de/Inselsysteme/Module_M-Serie.htm
|
| Cheers,
| Wout
|
| The sad/bad thing is that I get 1-2 e-mails a week from people who
| are having similiar problems with their Solara panels. Solara
| doesn't seem to have learned anything. Here's an excerpt from an
| e-mail from yesterday:
|
| ****
| Hi, My name is Joe Ruggiero from Wallingford Ct.
|
| I don't mean to bring up an old bad subject.
| I recently read about your exploits with Solara AG and your defective
Solar
| panels. I to have been trying to resolve a similar issue with
| Solara. It seems that Mr Heise has not changed.
| ****
|
| -- Geoff
| www.GeoffSchultz.org

I read on your website that your panels were finally replaced, after a
lot of trouble. Have you had any further technical issues with the new
panels? Have you glued them to the deck, do you walk on them? How do
they perform? Would you buy them again if the after sales service
would be better? Wout

The panels have less than a year on them and were still working when we
left the boat. Now I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping that they'll
keep working.

The panels are glued and screwed to the hard dodger, and I don't walk on
them. You can see pictures of them at:

http://www.geoffschultz.org/BlueJack...121_095647.htm

Overall, I'm happy with their performance, but I wouldn't recommend them
to anyone based upon their customer service. I won't deal with any
company who won't stand behind their product.

-- Geoff
www.GeoffSchultz.org

Geoff Schultz wrote in
:

http://www.geoffschultz.org/BlueJack...ical/20061121_
095647.htm

Nice looking electrical installation, Geoffrey. I do have one
suggestion for the battery installation, though......to be taken
as constructive, I hope.

Let's flip the boat upside down and watch the battery box cover.

I don't see any locks on the deck that will hold it in place
against 500 pounds of batteries coming loose. I can't see any
battery hold downs, straps or otherwise in the picture, but maybe
you can enlighten me.

This battery compartment is somewhat similar to the one in Joe's
Jenneau 40DS under the deck at the bottom of the main ladder.
His came with at least an internal latching cover that had two
deadbolt latches, that weren't going to hold back three Group
31s, much less the monster batteries than you have. So, here's
what I did...

Turn the blocks in your installation from horizontal to vertical
to center the battery in the hole, that's great. Now, in between
rows of cells, tight over the labels on both ends fore/aft, add a
two hold down 2x4s across those labels, between the caps. The
long side blocks in the picture would be in the way of them is
why I want them vertically. Make the length of the 2X4 1" longer
than the battery compartment's narrow width so the 2x4s must go
through matching holes in the plastic...er, ah,
fiberglass...boxes. This will prevent the 2x4 from being pushed
out of the box when the boat pitchpoles...or broaches. Right
near the point where the board enters the holes in the box, screw
in a sheet metal screw, leaving the head sticking up an inch to
lock the boards centered into their positions, keeping them from
moving sideways so they can escape the holes in the box. The
wide side of the board is against the battery top...distributing
the weight of the battery pounding around upside down in the surf
against a large surface 4" wide the full width of the battery top
so it doesn't crack the plastic case. The batteries can no
longer move vertically in those boxes because the 2X4 is hard
against the top of them when installed. They can no longer fall
out of the hole, break apart when those battery cables jerk the
posts out of them suspended upside down, causing the cells to
short adding a battery explosion, or three, to your pitchpoling
problem.

You can still check the cell water without touching the 2X4s in
all cells. To replace the battery, simply remove one of the
sheet metal holding screws, slide the 2x4 sideways further into
its hole until the other end of it is free of the hole and remove
the 2x4 allowing you to easily take out the battery.

Cheap...costs almost nothing to do...scrap lumber. Stain it to
look like expensive teak or mahogany...(c; Haze Grey to match
the batteries would be nice, too. Engrave HOUSE and ENGINE into
the wood holders to replace those tacky magic marker labels.

There, now I'd be glad to sail with them in these holes....in
heavy weather. One less thing to worry over while you're hanging
on for dear life!

Thanks!

Larry
--
Everyone else whos huge house batteries cannot survive
pitchpoling stand up and slap yourself in the face!

IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU!....