For boat owners, the most peace of mind while traveling is when there is a full charge in the boat battery. So how do you keep a charge in your boat battery all the time? Actually, installing solar panels on your boat can solve this problem. However, when installing marine solar panels, you need to have some knowledge about marine solar panels. In this article, we will take you through a series of questions about marine solar panels.
1. How many solar panels do I need for my boat?
The power needed for different boats is different, for example, a yacht for tourists to play will have a greater power demand than a normal fishing boat. The number of solar panels on a boat determines the boat’s energy supply. You are able to provide the boat with the amount of electricity it uses, the number of hours of peak sunlight in the area where the boat is traveling. For some smaller boats, perhaps one 300W solar panel will provide the boat’s consumption. But there will be boats with many solar panels. You can provide the following formula for approximate calculation.
Number of solar panels = daily power consumption / wattage of solar panels / peak sunshine hours
For example, if your boat’s daily power consumption is 2kwh, the wattage of the solar panel you use is 500w, and the peak sunshine duration during traveling is 4h, then the number of solar panels you need is 2kwh/500w/2h=2 pieces.
This value is just a rough estimate. There are many factors that influence the number of solar panels, such as the delivery consumption of the solar system, the utilization of the load, etc. You can calculate the number of panels several times to get a better result. You can calculate the result several times to get a more accurate result.
2. Types of marine solar panels
Regular solar panels: Regular solar panels need to be fixed by brackets when they are installed on the boat, and the brackets will have a certain gap with the boat surface, which is convenient for the heat dissipation of the solar panels. The price of rigid solar panels is relatively cheap. However, it is not a boat model, rigid solar panels are more difficult to install on curved boats.
Flexible solar panels: Flexible solar panels are solar panels that can be bent at will, and they can be used on any contact surface. However, due to the soft protective plastic on the surface, it is easy to scratch, and requires attention to maintenance in the process of use. And the impact resistance of flexible solar panels is also smaller. The cost of flexible solar panels is much higher than rigid solar panels.
3. Where can I install the solar panels?
If your boat has a roof, it is recommended that you install the solar panels on the roof, which is the highest position on the boat and will help the solar panels to absorb more sunlight for power generation. If your boat is a small boat without a roof, you can install the solar panels on the bow or stern, but be careful not to install the solar panels in the center of the boat, as this will increase the risk of the solar panels being bumped.
4. How much does it cost to install marine solar panels?
Regular marine solar panels are cheaper, generally at $0.1/watt, while flexible solar panels are priced at $0.15/watt. The price of the specific solar panel you purchase will also be related to the brand of the solar panel. However, be careful not to buy solar panels that are too cheap, these solar panels are most likely refurbished solar panels that have the same surface as new solar panels, but the performance of the solar panels varies greatly. With enough budget, you can buy solar panels from JinkoSolar, LONGi, Trina solar, JASOLAR etc. These solar panels will be more cost-effective.
5. Maintenance of marine solar panels
If your boat travels in fresh water, you only need to check the solar panels regularly to see if the connectors are loose and whether there are any cracks on the surface of the tempered glass to prevent leakage. However, if your boat is traveling in seawater, you can use a cleaning brush to clean the solar panels every night. Although seawater will remove some of the stains on the solar panels, the salt stains left behind by the seawater will do the most harm to the solar panels, which will lead to the PID effect of the solar panels, and make the power generation efficiency of the solar panels drop dramatically.
Conclusion:
To solarize your boat however, you need to know how many solar panels you need and the precautions to take when using them, installing marine solar panels is a good choice, not only does it provide a reliable supply of electricity, but it also reduces your electricity bill and brings you a safer experience when traveling.
