Hello,
Two years ago I was in Anacortes WA and noticed someone had a Nonsuch with a hard top dodger and flexible solar panels attached to the top of the dodger. Based on a recent experience with loss of battery power, I’m interested in installing solar panels and wondered if anyone had comments or experience with this set up? Any thoughts would be appreciated. And if you do have experience and liked the set up, what company did you buy from? The set up seemed nice because the panels were out of the way and were not likely be broken.
Thanks
John Waldhausen
Northern Star
#57
Bainbridge Island WA
Hi John,
I recently bought a solar set up from Renogy.com Where you are from Washington you might want to look at the Canadian renogy site and take advantage of the exchange rate in your favour. You’d just need a place to ship to in Vancouver or nearby.
Good service and I know of several others that have bought from them. They have a sale on right now as well. I bought a flexible 175 watt panel to go on top of the dodger or the cabin (haven’t decided yet) and a 30 amp MPPT Rover controller. I went with the 30amp controller win case I add another 175 panel. I also ordered 8ft controller to battery size 8AWG as advised by Renogy. Also a 10AWG x 10ft solar panel to controller which may be too short (I won’t know until I actually try it on the dodger) and definitely too short for the cabin top location so also ordered a 10AWG extension (red and black) cables.
Hope this helps.
David Godfrey
NS30 Classic #145 Thursday’s Child
RNSYS Nova Scotia
John,
I’ve been interested in this for a while, and learned a few things during a previous discussion thread which you can find at https://groups.google.com/g/ina-nonsuch-discussion-group/c/t47rRKdTef8/m/pVoumb7fAgAJ
I recall that Rob Powers had a hard dodger on his 26 from a company called Tartooga.
– Bob Neches
Me Gusta
Nonsuch 26U #233
Thank you. Those links are very helpful.
John Waldhausen
Nonsuch 36 #57
Northern Star
Bainbridge Island WA
This reply doesn’t address the hard dodger aspect, but only the solar aspect of your question. We installed 2 of the Renogy flexible 175w panels on Southpaw, our N30. We used rare earth magnets attached to the underside of the panels with high bond double sided tape, and held them on with magnets under the soft dodger and Bimini. 8 magnets per panel, one panel on the dodger, one on the Bimini. So far they have held up perfectly. The magnets allow us to move them port and starboard to maximize solar gain if needed.
Steve Mueller
S/V Southpaw
1985 Nonsuch 30 Ultra, #300
Wareham, MA
Great idea Steve.! Can you advise the size of the magnets I assume circular but could be square or rectangular. And the brand of double sided tape. Not sure I’ve seen it other than Gorilla brand.Let me know, thanks.
FWIW I am having better performance from Renogy rigid panels than I did with flexible. I also found that they work better for me on deck than on my dodger. I experimented with a few arrangements and ended up with these. An advantage is that they are solidly mounted and aren’t in the way at all. (2x100W with mppt controller).
Paul M
NS30U #211, Sandpiper
Cowichan Bay, B.C.
How do the magnets affect your compass?
Don
We used 3M VHB double sided tape to attach the magnets, and the 1 1/4” dia magnets below from Amazon. The double sided tape that came with the magnets didn’t last, but the 3M tape is great.
The magnets do not affect our compass where they are located.
LOVIMAG Super Strong Neodymium Disc Magnets, Powerful Rare Earth Magnets with Double-Sided Adhesive for Fridge, DIY, Building, Scientific, Craft, and Office Magnets - 1.26 inch x 1/8 inch, Pack of 12 https://a.co/d/29O5zKd
Steve Mueller
S/V Southpaw
1985 Nonsuch 30 Ultra, #300
Wareham, MA
John - we installed solar and had two flexible 100 watt panels that we put on top of the furled sail when at our mooring/anchor (see attached). They did not last - they delaminated one month after the warranty ran. I suspect it was the installation and not the panels themselves. So, I would recommend you not use on top of the sail as a location for the panels unless you come up with a better way to stabilize them and keep them from flexing. (I must say, though, that when they were first installed, they worked great there - essentially no shadows.)
Paul - Do you find your hard panels in the way when it comes time to cover/zip-up the sail?
lloyd herman
Rendezvous, 30U
Port Washington, NY
Lloyd, No, I have a clear stepping spot between the panel and the dodger to get up and once up I have lots of room between the panels. They are no problem at all and I almost always have one 100W panel in the sun. If I’m sailing and the boom is out a ways I often have both.
I bought four 100 watt flexible solar panels to recharge my Eco Flow Max battery pack that powers my ice maker among other things. I recently attached them to frames made up of 1/2" PVC tubing that make them more ridged but, still light enough to move around on the deck.
Mike
BIANKA
1986 30U
Long Island