Adding solar to a V34?

Duncan_Hill · 2021-05-17 08:29:39

I'm contemplating (and have been for about 3 years now) adding a small solar panel to Blue Opal to ensure the batteries are kept in a good state. I'll probably do something like a 50W panel with MPPT charge controller - that's the easy part.

My primary choice of location is on the garage over the companionway (the liferaft is on the stern so I don't have to lift it over the side should I ever need it) - anywhere else would need steel fabrication works. I keep the ladder there right now, but it can go live somewhere else. I've already noted that the garage can come off with a bit of screw removal and sealant breaking, but what perplexes me is how I might then get the power cable from the underside of the garage down to the battery compartment in the port saloon.

I presume I'm going to have to drop the headliner to do this. Anyone got experience with taking down a V34's hard headliner without completely mangling it?

Alastair_Fleming · 2021-05-18 17:24:01

Hi Duncan,

I've taken down the headlining boards in Kaya on several occasions (replacing old/tired deck organisers). I didn't find any problems doing this - but you'll have to take almost all of the wooden trim boards off - particulalry the ones running fore and aft above the port lights. Once you've taken the trims off you'll find that the head boards themselves are held in place by screws (at least mine all are). Taking these out releases the boards - I didn't find any sealant on these other than very small amounts round edges (eg of the hatch trim).

On Kaya I have instruments above the companion way steps. If you have the same then one other suggestion would be to use the wires from one of those to mouse the new wire in place - just put a mouse line on the wire you need to lead back up so that you can bring that back to its instrument. Hope that makes sense!

Best

Alastair

John_Willis · 2021-05-20 15:16:38

Hello Duncan,

I have added a 110W (from memory) flexible solar panel atop the pilothouse garage of my F34PH. Nothing fancy - I run its lead down into a socket in the nearest cockpit side locker. The regulator/controller is inside the aft bulkhead locker.

The panel is showing a little damage from flexing, so I'll mount the next one on a sheet of roofing acrylic cut to size - the same stuff I use for a lightweight washboard.

It seems to produce reasonable charge - I didn't have to run the engine more than once a day to keep the fridge etc going in Galicia.

John Willis

Duncan_Hill · 2021-05-21 20:53:10

Alastair_Fleming wrote:

Hi Duncan,
I've taken down the headlining boards in Kaya on several occasions (replacing old/tired deck organisers). I didn't find any problems doing this - but you'll have to take almost all of the wooden trim boards off - particulalry the ones running fore and aft above the port lights. Once you've taken the trims off you'll find that the head boards themselves are held in place by screws (at least mine all are). Taking these out releases the boards - I didn't find any sealant on these other than very small amounts round edges (eg of the hatch trim).
On Kaya I have instruments above the companion way steps. If you have the same then one other suggestion would be to use the wires from one of those to mouse the new wire in place - just put a mouse line on the wire you need to lead back up so that you can bring that back to its instrument. Hope that makes sense!
Best
Alastair

Thanks Alastair.

Might be a job for winter then, as I'm trying to get things finished off, not add more work - especially since I'd like to try getting down to the south coast of Ireland later this year, pandemic permitting. Contemplating getting Blue Opal polished etc, and it'd make sense to take her out of the water for a few months; normally I over-winter on the swing mooring.

Since I've got wheel steering, I've got a pedestal with all the instruments, making the garage is pretty much pristine. However, if I have to drill holes and drop liners, I'll also put in a spare mouse line just in case.

John_Willis wrote:

I have added a 110W (from memory) flexible solar panel atop the pilothouse garage of my F34PH. Nothing fancy - I run its lead down into a socket in the nearest cockpit side locker. The regulator/controller is inside the aft bulkhead locker.

Ta John. I'll have to re-measure the garage top to see how big of a panel I could fit. I figured I'd get at least a 50W on without issue, and it's not somewhere I step most of the time due to the sprayhood.

Still waiting for Sterling Power to get back to me about where the regulator would connect in a setup where I'm using a ProSplit R. I suspect it'd go straight on to the house batteries (I'm not concerned about the starter, because I can inline the house if needed), so that the regulator can measure the battery health accurately.

Duncan_Hill · 2021-07-02 12:11:41

I ended up doing, for now, a "put it out when I need it" solar panel setup with a Votronic regulator feeding directly to the house bank. A small 55W panel on the end of a 5 metre lead means I can get the panel into the cockpit. I'll probably fit something like an Index Marine Bulgin socket next to the shore power connector in the port cubbyhole, just to not have a wire running through the cabin when I'm trying to charge the batteries.

#1 2021-05-17 08:29:39

Adding solar to a V34?

#2 2021-05-18 17:24:01

Re: Adding solar to a V34?

#3 2021-05-20 15:16:38

Re: Adding solar to a V34?

#4 2021-05-21 20:53:10

Re: Adding solar to a V34?

#5 2021-07-02 12:11:41

Re: Adding solar to a V34?

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