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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Solar Panel

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mfasis
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114 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/03/2006 : 14:45:56

This is the year that I plan on installing a solar panel. I am buying two new batteries and I want to make sure that they are properly maintained. As I keep my boat moored, solar is the way to go. I have done some reading and I have searched the archives here and I feel that I am ready to move forward. I wanted to know if anyone here has had any experience with Catalina Direct's kit. http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display& Product_ID=747

I like it because it seems to include all I need to install.

Mark Britton
Huntington, NY
'82 C25 FK/SR #3202
"Good News"

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3502 Posts

Response Posted - 04/04/2006 : 06:13:35

Mark,

Check out my bwebsite. I did not install the Catalina Direct kit but did install a 20 watt solar panel for 2 batteries, made my own mounts and used a more sophisticated controller that also provides a digital readout of the amps generated by the panel and the battery voltage. the voltage readings on the controller can read either battery and also at all times not just for when the solar panel is charging.

Mounting the panel is an important consideration. The drawbacks to many panel mounting systems is that the mounting may not allow the panel to be tilted to a favorable direction (produce more charging amps) when boat is dockside (most of the time) and/or the mounts cause the panel to be in a position that interferes either with some maintenance (ie. taking off the motor, etc) or leaning one's back on the stern rail when just sailing with the wind coming from the stern.

The mounting I made from aluminum plate material allows tilting in all directions, is high enough off the stern rail to allow the motor to be removed without diassembling the panel from the mount and does not in anyway effect favorite sitting positions on the boat (ie. sitting with back against the stern rail).

Anyway something for you to consider ! Trivia: panel max amps is 1.2 amps and it can produce that when panel is exactly perpendicular to full sun. however, I normally leave it in a semi-tilted position for dockside charging and leave it that way all the time - In that position, it produces max of about .8 amps. if panel was left completely horizontal, then max amps would be more like .4-.6 amps at full sun.

I see you come from Huntington, LI. I used to live there. moved to Virginia in 1985. I used to live in Elwood section of Huntington. First in a farm apartment at a chicken farm located there (think it was off of Cuba Hill rd) and then in a new house we bought close to Jericho Turnpike and the turn off to the Dix Hills area...think that was Wolf Hill rd or something like that. had an ODay 23 in Huntington Harbor from 1980-1985. Sold the boat and the house in same week. loved that area ! Job switch brought me down to Virginia. (Grew up in the bronx till i was 10, family moved to Levittown and I was there till I moved to Huntington a few years after college/working. before I had the ODay, I sailed on the south shore on various sailboats. Then when we moved to Virginia, no sailboat for 20 years till this past fall w/purchase of '89 Catalina 25)