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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Solar panels & charge controllers on Woot.com $99

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delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/01/2010 : 08:20:58

[url="http://sellout.woot.com/?ts=1265015707&sig=d135b0af9798299f"] Sunsei solar panel & controller[/url]

In case you're not familiar with Woot, this deal is only good for one day, so don't dawdle. This one may last longer since it's on sellout.woot.com, I don't really know. In any case this seems like a pretty good deal, the controller alone cost me $45 if I remember correctly at WM.

David
C-250 Mainsheet Editor

Sirius Lepak
1997 C-250 WK TR #271 --Seattle area Port Captain --

Edited by - on

PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2010 : 09:38:22

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by delliottg
 [url="http://sellout.woot.com/?ts=1265015707&sig=d135b0af9798299f"] Sunsei solar panel & controller[/url]

In case you're not familiar with Woot, this deal is only good for one day, so don't dawdle. This one may last longer since it's on sellout.woot.com, I don't really know. In any case this seems like a pretty good deal, the controller alone cost me $45 if I remember correctly at WM.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

I love woot.com, buy stuff from there all the time. I currently have a solar panel that's supposed to charge my battery, but it doesn't seem to do a good job of it. I wonder if I should replace it with this. I wonder how I'd mount this on the aft rail.

Edited by - on

PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2010 : 12:14:35

Ha, I bought one.

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2010 : 12:51:05

I've been away from boating for a while . . . what happended to the flexible solar panels that many here would bungy on top of their sliding hatches?

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2010 : 12:58:41

If I didn't already have a panel, I'd buy this, plus I already have the charge controller as well, so it's not such a good deal for me.

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2010 : 15:21:10

Steve, Yes it depends where you are going to mount them. Some mount on stern rail and solid panel would work better.
Steve A
PS David, nice find, thanks. Keep us posted if you see anything else. I got last last nite an email from Marine Part Depot who has great prices on stainless steal hardware with free shipping but it expires at midnight, tonite. So I suggest anyone interested to sign up for emails. Their site is: http://store.marinepartdepot.com/.
Steve A

Edited by - piseas on 02/01/2010 15:30:10

PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2010 : 15:59:27

You know, I wonder where I can mount this. It's 40 inches long.

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5368 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2010 : 16:58:17

Sounds like a great deal, but I'd recommend you get two panels.

The ad reports that one 18W panel will handle the following battery sizes given 50% discharge:

Approximate Battery Charging Times:
Hours in full sunlight for batteries 50% discharged

U1 (40AH): 17 Hours
Group 24 (80AH): 33 Hours
Group 27 (100AH): 42 Hours
Group 31 (120AH): 50 Hours
4-D (180AH): 75 Hours

I've got two 15W panels, so during the summer with > 12 hours of sunshine, my single group 24 battery takes about 2-3 full days to recharge my battery from 50% discharge.

These panels use amorphous silicon, which is a relatively low efficiency technology.

Or you could go with polycrystalline silicon at a higher price point per panel, but much higher power density. For example, you can get 80W units for around $400 on Amazon, 120 W units for about $600.

Prices are coming down.

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2010 : 17:13:55

Here is a [url="http://catalina25.homestead.com/IMG_2084SPMotora.jpg"]pic[/url] how one member mounted it.
Steve A

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5368 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2010 : 20:24:01

The solar panel pictured in Steve's post is a polycrystalline silicon, higher efficiency panel. Its a lot smaller than the amorphous Silicon panels that I have.

I lay mine on the cockpit seats when the boat's at the slip and I'm not in the boat, and if I'm in the boat while on the dock, I rest the panels on the cabintop with some antiskid rubber rug padding underneath.

Edited by - Voyager on 02/01/2010 20:28:28

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2010 : 20:51:18

Steve,
How often does Marine Parts Depot have sales like this? They've got a bunch of stuff I'd like to get, but I'd like some time to go through their site.

Edited by - on

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2010 : 20:53:10

I don't even have a boat yet, and I bought one anyway. Looks like it could be very handy for topping off any battery while cruising. I'll worry about how to mount it later.

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OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3462 Posts

Response Posted - 02/01/2010 : 21:48:54

Hey ! Thanks for posting my solar panel ! It's still working fine. But along with the Morningstar digital readout controller, it is a lot more expensive than the solar panel suggested in first posting. That panel mentioned in first posting is a great way to start off with - It is a larger footprint but if you figure where to mount it, that one should charge your battery(ies) with a bit to spare for any light loads used on the boat and at a great price !

Addl photos of my panel are on my website along with details of it's construction. It is a Kyocera panel bought from Northern Arizona Wind & Sun.

Edited by - OLarryR on 02/01/2010 21:50:36

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 02/02/2010 : 06:57:36

Bruce wrote;
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> I lay mine on the cockpit seats when the boat's at the slip <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

HA Bruce, I do the same thing. But really, we need to get off our butts and build a proper mount. When placed out of the shadow of the boat I think you'd improve performance by 40% at least.

Edited by - on

NautiC25
Admiral

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USA
957 Posts

Response Posted - 02/02/2010 : 09:40:38

I bought a 9 watt Coleman panel from Walmart for $75 shipped. It's not much but it's a good size and will top off my batteries during the work week. Right now I put it in front of the sliding hatch, so it rests between the slides, hatch, and mast.
If I were staying more than 2 days, then I'd definately invest in something bigger/better. But this was cheap, a decent size, and didn't require a controller or anything else.

Took a pic:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/SharkRacer/Catalina/CIMG0148.jpg

It's model# CL600
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10339302

Edited by - NautiC25 on 02/02/2010 09:45:37

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 02/02/2010 : 10:29:58

David, I seem to get an email from Marine Parts Depot every couple of months. But the sale is usually for that day or the next only. I suggest you sign up for email notices. I have bought from them and am very happy with quality-cant beat price and free shipping either.

Larry, sorry I didn't give you credit when I posted pic. Being in a rush was no excuse. My apologies.

Steve A

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 02/02/2010 : 10:52:22

Jonathan, here's your photo for you:
Hmmm...or not, the photo's huge and makes the whole screen need to be scrolled so I broke the link.
img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v214/SharkRacer/Catalina/CIMG0148.jpg[/img]

Edited by - delliottg on 02/02/2010 10:53:37

NautiC25
Admiral

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USA
957 Posts

Response Posted - 02/02/2010 : 11:05:33

lol, yea, I'm at work and didn't have the time to crop, resize, save, upload, post. So I just left a link to what I already had uploaded. IE typically resizes images in a new window unless you turned off the option.
I would have used the thumbnail option on photobucket, but this site doesn't like it.

Edited by - NautiC25 on 02/02/2010 11:09:53

tbosch
Navigator

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163 Posts

Response Posted - 02/02/2010 : 11:48:46

I bought one, too! I'm not going to attempt to mount it for now. We mostly go out for 2 or 3 days at a time and our battery usage supports that without recharging during the trip. I plan to use the panel during the week when we are not sailing. If we are just going to be out for 2 or 3 days I might leave the panel in the car. We do have one week long trip planned. For that I'll probably find a temporary to secure it on the cabin top.

My boat doesn't have shore power so recharging has been kind of a pain. I'm hoping that this will be much more convenient and worry free than the extension cord and car charger I've been using...

Edited by - on

Unsinkable2
Captain

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USA
273 Posts

Response Posted - 02/02/2010 : 12:01:01

Has anyone tried Harbor Freight's solar panels? Here's a monocrystaline 25w panel for $200

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=96350

Edited by - on

PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 02/02/2010 : 15:03:58

I already have one panel mounted on my stern rail. It just doesn't seem to be doing the job. You can see it in this picture behind the back stay.

One thing that attracted me to this additional panel is that you can link easily to other panels. I will probably lay it on the cockpit seat during the week and stow it while sailing. part of the problem is that my boat doesn't have shore power and we like to hang out in her all the time. In retrospect I think it's going to be too big at 40 inches to mount on the boat. I probably shoudn't have ordered it. If it doesn't work out for the boat, I'll rig it up in my shed.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 02/02/2010 : 15:06:20

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I already have one panel mounted on my stern rail. It just doesn't seem to be doing the job. You can see it in this picture behind the back stay.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Try it when the sun's out. They don't charge much with moonlight. (sorry, couldn't help myself)

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PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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1225 Posts

Response Posted - 02/02/2010 : 15:47:02

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by delliottg
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I already have one panel mounted on my stern rail. It just doesn't seem to be doing the job. You can see it in this picture behind the back stay.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Try it when the sun's out. They don't charge much with moonlight. (sorry, couldn't help myself)
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

What I've heard is that some solar panels will actually draw power off your battery if it's couldy or at night. This Sunsie panel has a controller that doesn't allow that to happen. I'm sure I'll make use of it somehow.

Edited by - on

tbosch
Navigator

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163 Posts

Response Posted - 02/06/2010 : 09:32:11

Dang! I just received my new solar panel and the glass is shattered. What a bummer! I've got an email into Woot. It will be interesting to see what happens next. I doubt they have a replacement since they get fixed quantities and sell them until they are gone. Hopefully I'll at least get a refund. I sent them a photo showing the cracked plastic end cap and the shattered glass.

Edited by - on

islander
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4023 Posts

Response Posted - 02/06/2010 : 09:59:01

Larry, I'm installing a solar panel for this season and am looking at your charge controller photo but I can't seem to tell where you mounted it. It says to mount them within 5ft of the battery so I am trying to think of a good place to mount it so it is visible yet have the least amount of visible wiring exposed. Any suggestions from the members?

Edited by - on

TakeFive
Master Marine Consultant

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2272 Posts

Response Posted - 02/06/2010 : 10:06:07

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by tbosch
 Dang! I just received my new solar panel and the glass is shattered. What a bummer! I've got an email into Woot. It will be interesting to see what happens next. I doubt they have a replacement since they get fixed quantities and sell them until they are gone. Hopefully I'll at least get a refund. I sent them a photo showing the cracked plastic end cap and the shattered glass.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
I just checked the tracking # on mine. Says it's supposed to arrive today. Fat chance with 18" of fresh snow, and still falling!

You should save your packing materials and contact the shipper. Chances are they will be responsible, and you'll get faster response dealing with them directly than trying to work through the Woot-bots.

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