How Many Solar Panels For A Sail Boat

In the charging system the solar panels convert sunlight into electrical current and deliver it to the batteries via a solar charge controller.

How many solar panels for a sail boat.

We have found in the winter sun here at the moment our 150 watt rated panels are only producing around 80 watts for about 6 hours per day. This is far below the rated capacity sailors in the tropics will do better and sailors farther north or sailing in the winter more poorly but this is. A solar power installation on a sailboat is made up of two independent systems. Don t be fooled by solar panels showing 150 watts of energy you will rarely get that out of your solar panel.

If you need 200w a day then you could have three 90w solar panels on different parts of the boat and be covered power wise even on different tacks. For solar take the rated wattage x 5 hours 12 amp hours while on passage and wattage x 7 hours 12 amp hours while at anchor sails do not shade and the boom can be rigged out to the side. Some boats can get by with one 100 watt solar panel or even smaller while others require a multi panel setup. The most popular use of this type and the sunpower marine solar panels is to recharge the batteries in the boat but it can be used to power the electrical system of the sailboat.

In other words the marine solar panel is just a solar panel that collects energy from the sun and uses it to power the boat in many ways. In summary if the devices and hours used in the above list seem to be in line with your energy budget then go with a single 100 watt solar panel. July 2016 i just took an informal poll from my boater and rv camper friends. One system to charge the batteries and another system to provide 120 volt ac power for household appliances.

How to work out how many solar panels you need. Your required power output can be divided among them as well.