Getting ready for some serious long distance sailing, I decided to build an electrical/solar system for my cat. I goal is to be able to charge my tablet, VHF and run navigation lights. To do this I incorporated a 3.2Ah battery, volt meter, solar controller, usb charger and vhf charger in a water proof box mounted to the forward cross beam.

Here it is mid build


The box is done


Mounted on the boat with the 20W panel also mounted


All that is left to do is add the navigation lights start testing

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Phil W
Nacra 570
Victoria BC
www.mausails.com
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I've always wondered about solar charging systems on a small sail boat .
It seems like a nice idea , but my gut feeling is that they could only be efficient at anchor -
As you sail along, tack, jibe, change heeling angle, etc, the panel's orientation to the sun would keep changing, wouldn't it ?

Maybe if you have enough panel area, it would still work well enough ?
I'd be curious to see how it worked out.
Tom

Hi,

What a wonderful project, make sure you keep us posted!
Especially about 20 watt solar-panel, wether it's efficient enough
to charge all the apparatus mentioned .

Grtz, André



Edited by catmodding on Apr 24, 2015 - 06:41 PM.

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Tornado (80's Reg White)
Prindle 18-2 (sold)
Dart 16 (hired and hooked)
13 mtr steel cutter (sold)
Etap 22, unsinkable sailing pocket cruiser.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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I had it out this weekend on my longest sail to date (70nm). The system worked well. It kept up with my demands, although I did not need to put much charge in the VHF. I did a few things to try and mitigate the inconsistency of direct sunlight on the panel. First I mounted the panel so it can rotate port to starboard to try and catch morning and evening sun. Second I used an amorphous solar panel, although this will not produce as much peak power for similar size panels, it will decrease power proportionality with the amount of shade, and it will create power in very low light situations. More testing to come!

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Phil W
Nacra 570
Victoria BC
www.mausails.com
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That panel location looks a bit risky to me. I would be concerned about it being damaged or knocked off in rough conditions or getting snagged on the jib/spin sheets. What if you had two smaller panels mounted on each deck right in front of the crossbar? I would think that's a much safer location and it would probably allow at least one panel to always have some sun exposure.

sm