| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Knighty |
Posted - 14 Mar 2012 : 17:04:12
I have the chance of acquiring a new panel same as in the link below for a very cheap/free price, would this be any use on my boat and would it need a diode to stop reverse charging?
http://www.solarelectricsupply.com/Solar_Panels/BP-Solar/BP_SX310.html |
| 15 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Knighty |
Posted - 28 Mar 2012 : 22:51:14
 oops think i'm loosing a few marbles  cheers Deano, just ordered one. |
| Deano |
Posted - 28 Mar 2012 : 22:10:17
quote:
Originally posted by Deano
I think at 10W you probably should have a regulator or you stand a high chance of toasting your batteries. With a bit of digging on ebay you should be able to find one for less than £20 ish.
That will probably sort out the diode problem too.....
Dean - Boating on the Great Ouse.
Freeman 30 "Silver Gem"
See the photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/54758027@N00/
Doh!!!
Dean - Boating on the Great Ouse.
Freeman 30 "Silver Gem"
See the photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/54758027@N00/ |
| Knighty |
Posted - 28 Mar 2012 : 21:07:42
Still tempted to drop a small charge controller in, had a good internet scan some "experts" say it's a must for a 10 watt panel some say not required, and some say not required if battery is 100ah or over, mines 85ah. For the sake of £12 might just drop one in. |
| Deano |
Posted - 27 Mar 2012 : 21:41:12
That sounds fine. The open circuit voltage is not significant on a solar panel.
Dean - Boating on the Great Ouse.
Freeman 30 "Silver Gem"
See the photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/54758027@N00/ |
| Knighty |
Posted - 27 Mar 2012 : 15:06:57
Well managed to get cable to stern battery, found a convienient tiny gap at the lower centre of the windscreen just big enough for the cable.
Next question  10 watt solar panel with a diode fitted and open circuit in direct sunlight is producing around 21 volts, when connected to battery it's around 12.8 volt at moment. Assume this is ok as i then tested my small 4 watt Maplins folding panel and that also showed 20 volts open circuit and never harmed the battery. Assume this voltage won't wreck my 85ah battery will it ? as coming more from a car background an alternator connected usually throws 14-15 volts. |
| Knighty |
Posted - 26 Mar 2012 : 21:44:30
That sounds a good idea, was actually thinking about it today and wondered if i could get it around there somehow, don't really want to drill te roof and the panel will be nearly up to the screen.
Mates making me up some alloy angle to strips to screw the framed solar panel to and was thinking of either some ultra strength double sided tape or sikaflex to attatch the alloy to the roof. |
| chris.s |
Posted - 25 Mar 2012 : 21:19:09
Knighty Hi,
I have put my panels just in front of the screen aswell, but not wanting to drill holes run the cables just underneath the screen where the rubber seal runs and glued it on, then run it behind th paneling in the rear cockpit area.
Chris |
| Knighty |
Posted - 24 Mar 2012 : 15:14:54
Anyone put any cabling in the cabin roof of a 20 ? don't want to drill holes and find it's sandwiching wood or foam. |
| Knighty |
Posted - 20 Mar 2012 : 18:56:12
Thanks for replies just going with a diode and an in line fuse.
One further question, i am going to put this panel on the cabin roof just in front of the windscreen, looks like it is twinned walled, is it an empty void does anyone know ? just thinking of routing the wiring as don't particuly want a cable in the cabin showing. |
| df |
Posted - 17 Mar 2012 : 10:54:06
Put a multimeter across the panel wires both directions and see if it has a diode built in, if it has another one will drop the output by about 0.7v and make it less efficient, any rectifier diode over 1 amp should do it as it'll only give 0.8A on a good day, I wouldn't fit a regulator at that rate.
NBAS--The communal colostomy bag of the boating community.
Visit leomagill.co.uk |
| Knighty |
Posted - 17 Mar 2012 : 10:18:37
Boat is only used as a day boat and put on a new 85ah battery last year. I have been using a 4w Maplins type solar panel which i just clip to the battery and hold it to the panel at the stern with a bungee after a day out and had no problems at all, even after the odd overnight trip there was plenty of power to start the outboard . Just thought these 10w panels which come in a nice frame would be more permanent prob on the cabin roof layed flat.
So wil get a diode and presume a fuse in line as well.
See there are different size diodes, smallest on ebay seem to be 6 amp so assume they all do the same thing?
Or would i be better playing safe and fitting something like below
?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Big-Deal-Solar-Regulator-Charge-Controller-10A-12V-UK-/250750952670?pt=UK_Gadgets&hash=item3a61ebe4de |
| chris.s |
Posted - 17 Mar 2012 : 08:20:45
Knighty hi,
Definitely a diode needed, consider the size of your batteries, rule of thumb if the panel is delivering less than 10% of the total amperage, you shoul be fine, also if you are mounting it flat it will only be running at around 80%, also great British weather you will get 4 or 5 full sun a day to provide maximum benefit.
You should be ok without a regulator if your batterie is around 90 - 110 a/h.
Cheers
Chris |
| stevewildcat1 |
Posted - 16 Mar 2012 : 12:58:13
10 watts is not a lot of amp power, is just over half an amp max. would only keep your battery topped up. would definatly not charge it. look at an average of 1 amp to 20 watts of panel charge.
Steve
Little Lottie, Thorne |
| Knighty |
Posted - 14 Mar 2012 : 23:21:01
Thanks, i will have a dig around at work, these are used to power remote telemetory units and inside the units i believe there is some kind of regulator as the battery it powers is only about the size of two ciggy packets. |
| Deano |
Posted - 14 Mar 2012 : 21:44:24
I think at 10W you probably should have a regulator or you stand a high chance of toasting your batteries. With a bit of digging on ebay you should be able to find one for less than £20 ish.
That will probably sort out the diode problem too.....
Dean - Boating on the Great Ouse.
Freeman 30 "Silver Gem"
See the photos http://www.flickr.com/photos/54758027@N00/ |
