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Anyway to install big solar panels without drilling?


Tara1234

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Hey so I have recently got myself a boat which is a norman 27 fibreglass boat. I am currently pondering how I am going to install solar panels onto this boat, I have heard that the best way is to drill them on but I dont really want to do that as I have heard fibreglass is fragile. 

These panels are big (1.6M X 1M) so the only 2 places for them are the front cabin roof and the back cabin roof. 

So is there any alternative way to get the panels onto the boat roof, I was thinking maybe there is some super strong industrial glue or even some sort of metal wire rope that anchors it at 4 points. 

I have no clue how I am going to do this so open to any suggestions. 

Here is the panels I have bought: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282164412810 2X 250w

Thanks Tara 

Edited by Tara1234
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If you don't fasten them securely, I reckon they'd either .......

Go walkies

Get the wind under them and take off

Wires can be cut and adhesive pried off causing the damage you're trying to avoid.

You need to fit them professionally and make them tamper proof.

Drilling I reckon

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5 minutes ago, Tara1234 said:

So I could just glue a pallet (of the right size) to the top of the boat and then mount the panels onto that? 

I was thinking maybe something a bit nicer than a pallet. Perhaps some nice hardwood strips (e. g iroko). 

You can also get panel corner brackets that may stick to the roof. e. g ebay item 252116581041

Edited by rusty69
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Hi. Just done this today and bonded the brackets to roof with Wickes extra strong contact adhesive. Should be secure enough. Of course as roof isn't flat I had to be a bit inventive....

 

IMG_1220.JPG

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10 minutes ago, Jak said:

Hi. Just done this today and bonded the brackets to roof with Wickes extra strong contact adhesive. Should be secure enough. Of course as roof isn't flat I had to be a bit inventive....

 

IMG_1220.JPG

That is exactly how I did mine, except I used Silkaflex. Here we are two years down the road and they remain rock solid.

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39 minutes ago, Tara1234 said:

These panels are big (1.6M X 1M) so the only 2 places for them are the front cabin roof and the back cabin roof. 

I can see how one may fit on the back cabin roof, not  sure how it would fit the front? 

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You apply it thinly with a plastic spreader. I bought a big pot for a tenner or so and have used hardly any. But always handy to have some decent adhesive on board. 

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Also practically speaking how much solar do I need, I live in london, uk and our sunlight is terrible especially in winter. 

I want to run my laptop mainly that is 120w as well as possibly a small fridge. How much power do you tend to get out of your panels on a cloudy horrible day? Is it about 50% or more like 10%?

Wondering if 500W is going to be enough in winter for 

Laptop x2: 120W + 60W 
Lighting: 60W lamp 
Total power: 240W

500W inverter (Probabably 100W as I heard inverters are roughly 20%)

Battery bank 
6X 75AH 

 

Edited by Tara1234
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5 minutes ago, Tara1234 said:

Also practically speaking how much solar do I need, I live in london, uk and our sunlight is terrible especially in winter. 

I want to run my laptop mainly that is 120w as well as possibly a small fridge. How much power do you tend to get out of your panels on a cloudy horrible day? Is it about 50% or more like 10%?

You will be limited by your roof space.

You won't achieve any worthwhile solar in the winter months. 

Your laptop sounds v thirsty. 

I have 1KW of panels, yesterday barely got any charging done. 

Edited by rusty69
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And your battery bank. Lots of solar and only a couple of batteries and all that free power is wasted. Realistically on your horrible cloudy day it's more like 10%. 

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6 minutes ago, Tara1234 said:

Also practically speaking how much solar do I need, I live in london, uk and our sunlight is terrible especially in winter. 

I want to run my laptop mainly that is 120w as well as possibly a small fridge. How much power do you tend to get out of your panels on a cloudy horrible day? Is it about 50% or more like 10%?

Wondering if 500W is going to be enough in winter for 

Laptop x2: 120W + 60W 
Lighting: 60W lamp 
Total power: 240W

500W inverter (Probabably 100W as I heard inverters are roughly 20%)

Battery bank 
6X 75AH 

 

To work out you power needs you need to know the Watts or amps taken by each item, and then the amount of time it will be on.  So 120W is about 10Amps, so if you use it for say 3 hours, then that is 30AHrs.  For lights, really 60W?  that is a lot unless you are not yet using LEDs.  A fridge uses a fair bit - depends upon size and insulation and if it is 12v or a 230V (mains) powered by an inverter.  However you get just about nothing on a dark rainy winters day from your solar.

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19 minutes ago, Tara1234 said:

Wondering if 500W is going to be enough in winter for 

Laptop x2: 120W + 60W 
Lighting: 60W lamp 
Total power: 240W

What about water pumps, phone charger fridge etc? 

I seriously doubt you will get away with just solar during the winter months and will require another charging source if you don't want to trash your batteries 

Edited by rusty69
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3 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

What about water pumps, phone charger etc? 

I seriously doubt you will get away with just solar during the winter months and will require another charging source if you don't want to trash your batteries 

So will I need to use a generator in the winter or is there a source of free energy in the winter?

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Sikaflex, or other polyurethane adhesive such as Puraflex is by far the best adhesive without getting into the realm of specialist professional products. Many pro panel installers use it to stick them on campervans using the corner mounts seen above. Considering those vans are might to be driven at speeds close to 100mph, it shows how much faith they must have in the adhesive.

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8 minutes ago, Tara1234 said:

So will I need to use a generator in the winter or is there a source of free energy in the winter?

If you have no access to shorepower and intend to overwinter on the boat then yes, you will need an alternative way to charge your batteries. A generator is often the preferred method if you have somewhere safe to use it and the noise wont upset anyone.

 

The only other source of 'free energy is a wind turbine, but these aren't too good in built up areas. 

 

You will also need a method to monitor your battery bank to so know when to start /stop charging. Plenty of threads already on how this is achieved 

Edited by rusty69
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8 minutes ago, Tara1234 said:

I assume its best to use it to charge up batteries instead of running things directly

What do you mean by 'running directly'?

All batteries do is store the charge that you generate, they don't 'make' electricity. So if you use 100Ah in a day then you must either be generating that at the time, or generate somewhere around 120Ah the following day to replace it. 

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1 minute ago, WotEver said:

What do you mean by 'running directly'?

All batteries do is store the charge that you generate, they don't 'make' electricity. So if you use 100Ah in a day then you must either be generating that at the time, or generate somewhere around 120Ah the following day to replace it. 

Charge batteries up with a 3 pin battery charger into the generator as apposed to plugging the laptop and other things i am going to be using into the generator. 

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2 minutes ago, Tara1234 said:

Charge batteries up with a 3 pin battery charger into the generator as apposed to plugging the laptop and other things i am going to be using into the generator. 

Yes. You run your 12V items from the boat leisure batteries and you charge the batteries with a charger fed by a genny when you don't have enough solar (Nov-March). As previously noted you need some kind of battery monitor to know when you MUST start charging (as opposed to guessing) and, just as important (for your wallet), when to stop charging. 

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