Hi,
I'm planning to put an Aurinco solar panel on the sea hood to keep the batteries full. I'll make sure that the setup still works with partial shadow. Later a bimini-top panel will likely follow - once I installed a bimini that is.
Now I am looking for prior experience with that setup - especially routing of the power cables. I am planning to put a connector right through the deck, but perhaps there is a better option?
Thanks,
Daniel
—
1988 Catalina 36 MK I - Swept Away
Hi,
still working through the wiring options... I want to make sure that the wiring does not interfere with the halyards lead back to the cockpit, but I also don't want a random connector stick up in the middle of the cabin top. So if anyone has done this and could share their experience, I'd be very thankful.
Question: is there a continuous gap between the cabin top and the interior liner, that I could pull the wires through?
Thanks,
Daniel
1988 Catalina 36 MK I - Swept Away
Hey Daniel, may I suggest you add some boat data to your signature, at least the year of your boat so that any difference between MKI and MKII models can be addressed.
Our (flexible) solar panel is mounted on top of the dodger and the wires are led down the starboard tubing into the hatch over the aft berth. From there, the wires are led through the bulkhead to the nav station where the solar charger (highly recommended) is located. The combination of the dodger and the use of thin wires allows us to dog the hatch and prevent any water from coming in.
If you did not want to drill any holes, you could do the same thing, perhaps leading the wires along the underside of the traveler track and the back side of the traveler base, using a dab of clear silicon to glue down the wires to the proximity of the hatch. Not elegant, but food for thought.
I recently had my salon light fixture removed and any gap between the liner and the underside of the deck seemed minimal and would difficult to snake any new wires through. My suggestion is that you verify the gap on your boat the same way as it's conceivable that any gap would vary from boat to boat.
Nick Caballero
Retired C36/375IA Mk II Technical Editor
Hi Nick,
thanks for your reply and the advise on the signature.I will do that. The boat is a MK I from 1988.
I think I prefer the seahood location over the dodger - they seem to be similar from the light/shadow situation but the seahood can be installed permanently.
I'll see if there is room to put the cable along the side of the sea hood under the dodger to the rear-end of the cabin next to the companionway. I could cover it with some wooden flashing to make it look nice and prevent it from catching in lines. An alternative might be to put the cable through the cabin top next to the pole at the galley. That might look acceptable... If I find a good solution, I'll share it ;-)
Thanks,
Daniel
1988 Catalina 36 MK I - Swept Away
Hi Daniel,
I'm not to sure about where to run the wires, but thought I'd comment on the partial shadows issue. We recently put a couple of panels over our dodger, our boat came with a boom crutch/handrail setup that made this location perfect for us. But like you I was worried about shading.
At first we were considering a single 320W panel, or 2X140W panels. Basically you're better off with multiple panels even if the total potential output is lower, any shading at all significantly reduces the panels output.
We ended up going with 2X100W panels, and probably could have gone with 2X80W. So far our batteries are topped up by 11am if it's sunny everyday. We're not huge electricity consumers, but we're not all that careful either. (our only big excesses are running the fridge full out (I like cold beer), and charging various items though an inverter (the Torqueedo being the worst offender). That being said, it has been nothing but sunny every time we've been out cruising this year!
If we didn't have the handrail system I think we would have gone with two Solarbain panels, and had them attached to the dodger. Thinking about your setup, and desire to add a bimini & panels this might be a good option, depending on how much power you use, the location on top of the dodger might be a great place for a "temporary" panel, until the bimini is ready, then you could move all panels to the bimini.
I was really impressed with Josh at Wholesale Solar, he walked me through a bunch of different options, and was able to review the entire system I was planning on installing and offered great suggestions on ways to maximize my bang to buck ratio.
Alex & Caitlin
S/V Windswept
Vancouver, BC
1985 C-36
SR/FK M25
Hi,
so, after going back and forth, I'm planning to go ahead with this.
Now, for running the cables there does not seem to be a great solution. Either I'll have plugs sticking out the cabin surface, or I have cables go through low-profile glands - can't easily be unplugged and risk of leak.
Now the only reason to remove the panel would be if I want to take of the sea-hood. So I won't be unplugging this a lot (although I will have to do that this winter to address the infamous hatch squeak).
I am evaluating two options now:
In both cases, first drill a whole right forward of the sea-hood, away from the lines that run to the mast, and properly protect the cabin top core with a epoxy plug.
There only is a very short cable on the panel, so I will extend that and run it from the starboard side center of the hood to the front under a wood trim.
Then either:
a) Run a cable though a side-entry cable gland put on a small wooden base (or epoxy hump?) to a small wood trim covered connector box inside under the cabin roof, from there pull the cable under a wood trim.
b) Embedd two threadded connector studs in epoxy right through the cabin top (loosely inspired by the OpenROV crowd). Cover with a low-profile side entry cover from BlueSea... Attach the cable to that.
Option a) is less work and requires now experimentation. Downside: eventually it will leak. b) is tempting because there is no chance this will ever leak and the low-profile cover will prevent any 'Frankenstein' look. Actually both options will 'look' the more or less the same.
Has anyone tried something like option be before?
Regards,
Daniel
1988 Catalina 36 MK I - Swept Away
After living on our boat for 6 months of the year for 4 years we have learned a lot about solar. Placement is the biggest issue we have learned. Also as posted is separate panels. We have 2 80 watt and 1 85 watt panels mounted 18 inches above our hard bimini. This allows each panel to be tilted to gain maximum sun exposure for the day. Shadding was a big concern to us when we were searching out locations to install panels. We still get some from our radar dome which is on a post on our stern and do notice it by our output at times. The other changes we made from when we first had the panels were wire size. Even though I was within spec for the current but on the low side. Going a few sizes bigger made a big difference in our daily output. We also use to have a plug socket for the connection from outside to inside the boat and that became problems. When we up sized our wire the last time that went away and became one solid wire run. If your looking at long term on your boat just think it through carefully as things will change for sure. Ours did from first starting out 14 years ago with our 36.
Randy Sherwood
Mutualfun 1990 # 1057
T/R W/K M35a
Home. Charlotte, Mi.
Boat. St Augustine,Fl.
The panel I am adding is for base coverage while on the mooring and during short cruises. The location on the sea hood is not ideal from a sun/shadow point of view, but it's great for a permanent mount. Partial shadow will not prevent the panel from providing the base power we need it for and I sized it well for that with 90W.
If I ever get the time to do extended cruising, I would add a second, larger set of panels on the bimini...
As to the wiring, I tend to oversize the wires - just in case.
Regards,
Daniel
1988 Catalina 36 MK I - Swept Away
If this project requires drilling holes & mucking up your boat I would strongly suggest you buy, borrow or steal a DC amperage and voltage data logger and temporarily wire it to the system BEFORE drilling any holes. Track & data log the performance first. My guess, having done this on numerous vessels, is that you won't be installing the panel, in that location, after you see the data........
As for the often heard statement "My batteries always full by 11:00 am.". I would strongly urge anyone hearing this type of statement to dig a little deeper.
With a very large array and little capacity draw over night this may happen in 4 hours. In most cases, where I hear this, it simply defies Ohm's law.... Usually when I hear this the bank is either still in BULK with battery voltage still rising and owners incorrectly assume it is in "float" or there is a dumb solar controller that has moved to float prematurely, or a battery monitor that has reset based on voltage and tail current prematurely or it is just grossly out of calibration..
To get a battery "full" requires upwards of 7-10 straight hours of charging with at least two+ hours spent at an absorption voltage (14.4V to 14.8V for most batteries GEL = 14.1V) or until approx 98% SOC has been attained before dropping to float voltage.
As a prime example of this I charged a 100 Ah rated Lifeline that I had just tested at 81.66 Ah's from 10.5V to 100% SOC just yesterday. I stated charging at 7:30 AM with a 5A charge current and by 9:00 PM the battery was still not "full" and this is with a rock steady current source with no other loads pulling current down. By 12:28 PM yesterday, 5 hours after I began charging this 81.66 Ah battery at 5A (approx a 100W panel), the terminal voltage was still only 12.604V and rising...... This battery, charged at 5A from 0% SOC, took approx 20 hours to fully charge. Even if you only discharge to 50% SOC you are still looking at 7-10+ hours and this is without sulfated batteries...
Why do I mention this? Because a 5A charge rate on an 82Ah battery translates to a charge rate of roughly 0.06% or .06C. A charge rate of .06C on a 400Ah bank means a solar array producing 24A continuously or 12A continuously on a 200Ah bank !!!!
What goes out must go back in plus 10-30% extra depending upon the bank and its state of health....
-Maine Sail
https://www.marinehowto.com/
So very true Maine Sail.
Randy Sherwood
Mutualfun 1990 # 1057
T/R W/K M35a
Home. Charlotte, Mi.
Boat. St Augustine,Fl.
I can't offer any solar panel advice, but maybe I can address the wire routing if you decide to mount a panel on the seahood. On my 1983 C36, the boat's PO mounted the instruments on a custom bracket that's mounted on the underside of the traveler bar, over the companionway. It's been a great location, as I rarely am actually steering from behind the wheel, and all crew can see them. I'll try to describe the wiring pathway:
The companionway slide is held captive by the two long teak boards on either side of it, extending from the forward edge of the seahood, back to the cockpit bulkhead. The PO routered out a longitudal groove under the strbd. board - the wire enters through a small side groove, then runs aft to near the aft end of the teak board. The wires enter the boat and travel just inside and to strbd of the teak trim that captures the companionway boards. Some simple teak trim was put together to cover the wires here. The wires pass through a small hole in the shelf, under which is mounted the folding door for the aft cabin. The wires continue under this shelf and then pass through a small hole into the cavity behind the electrical panel.
Does this description make any sense at all? Hard to articulate this clearly.
The hole into the boat is invisible, easy to seal, has never leaked, and is normally under a dodger anyway. Having lived with it, and used it twice to install new instruments, it seems like a practical way to get the wires into the boat while creating the least chance of water invasion. There's also no unsightly wire race running across a part of the overhead.
You may decide to change your mounting location, but if you go with the seahood, this wire routing option could work for you.
Rob
Rob Hahn
S/V Galahad
C36 #54, US31237
Lake Superior, out of Superior, WI