Half an Hour of Solar Power - Episode 74
Due to the power demands for the production of Free Range Sailing our last job before departing the marina in Townsville was to install our new solar array. Join us for this final refit episode where we take you step-by-step through the complete installation of our new solar system aboard Mirrool.
We would like to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your continued support that paid for all the items required to install our new solar system. If you haven't already checked it out I have attached a spreadsheet showing our total refit costs so you can see how your patron contributions directly assisted us during our 2 month refit in Townsville.
With gratitude
Pascale
A Half Hour of Solar Power: Our New Solar Installation - Free Range Sailing Ep 74 (YouTube)
Comments (14)
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Sorry Troy, having problems with this stupid editor disconnecting me. As you probably know, the difference between cheap and expensive panel (all else being equal) is that the dearer panel have a couple of extra cells. This means that the optimum power point will be better matched to your battery voltage on the dearer cells. One point not always understood is that a MPPT regulator is actually happier with a higher Voltage input. So wiring your 12V cells in series can end up with a net increase in power, particularly under poor conditions.
No Graeme, that panel information is new to me, thanks. I had considered running the panels in series to get 24 volt but we stand a good chance of one of our panels getting shaded on occasion and didn't want the voltage to be affected throughout the array. We have really seen a difference between our old PWM controller and this mid-range MPPT one so that is a definite improvement in the system.
Geday Troy, as you probably know, the difference between cheap and expensive panel (all else being equal) is that the dearer panel have a couple of extra cells. This means that the optimum power point will be better matched your battery voltage on the dearer cells.
Geday Troy,
Geady Tray,Some notes:
Your explain that just great. I'm looking forward to your next videos.
Back to the grind of going sailing and fishing again. It never ends!
Very good video. I've been doing minor lighting fixture changes (with solder) but I am a electrical/electronically challenged and it's good to watch someone who knows what they are doing. So true on the "get for what you pay for" rule.
12/24/36 volt systems are a great way to get a grip on electrical systems and good practices. I would dearly love to gut and rewire Mirrool but we have to maintain a bit of a juggling act between rebuilding the boat and using her for purpose. I too am electronically challenged. I haven't taken the initiative to expose myself to enough of the concepts.
The work Troy does is so much better than what he started from!
That's the good part about buying a cheap boat. Anything you do is an improvement!
Beautiful installation!! It's a sad lesson I seem to have to keep relearning myself, but we almost always gets what we pay for. I've thoroughly enjoyed this refit series. Thank you!!!
It's a bit of a hobby horse of mine, cheap products. A lot of friends point out that for the price of a good tool etc, you can afford to have a few break and claim on warranty or buy a spare. It frustrates me because I feel that once the high quality (high trust) manufacturers have been priced out of the market, only the crud will remain. There won't be a choice, to say nothing of issues of landfill and so on. That's why we feel particularly crummy when we catch ourselves contributing to that very problem.