I have a 324 and will be installing solar on my boat. Any advice on solar panel locations? Photos would be nice.
Thanks,
Langley
Bainbridge Island, WA, USA
Hi Lance,
I just bought a N324 and am asking the same question myself…
For me two possible spots.
- between the davits - preferred as the house batteries are in the back.
- on the life lines near the mast - already have secure mounting spot but would prefer to keep the bow free.
Willi Powell
(m)416 844 5697
[laser1125@gmail.com](mailto:laser1125@gmail.com)
VXone - CAN255 - *Airbender*
Nonsuch 324 - 109 - *Brigadoon*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_/)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<img apple-inline="yes" id="A5961C09-DE42-4E0A-BF5E-CE2A293EDF87" src="upload://7n6ve1ltqgCuNlqR7X1dTp6JlFq.jpeg" class="">
<img apple-inline="yes" id="BEFBCF2E-7250-4FBC-A68D-52CA481951E9" src="upload://ugD6HcFQbm4FetIkCj165Gdc0Rs.jpeg" class="">We have 3 panels at this time Willi and they are mounted in exactly those locations. We had a panel mounted on the coach roof between the two overhead hatches
at one time. We moved that panel when we installed davits. The deck location worked well however there is less shadow cast on the davit spot.
Ron
Ron & Diane Schryver
“Alpha Waves” 1987 NS30U #393
Georgian Bay Midland ON
I have the NS 30 U, here is a photo of where I put my solar on Davits, just t o give you an idea. One thing to keep in mind. If you put solar on you Davits, your transom ladder may no longer be convenient to climb onto the boat. Heads will hit the solar pannels. I had to offset my transom Ladder as far to starboard side of transom as possible.
Ehrich Rose
SV Kahuna
1987 NS 30U #391
Hernando Beach Fl
Can you take a photo from the side and the bottom. So we can how there fitted and how it looks. Thanks Jim M Arawak N33/41#
James P. Moores
Here you go. Notice offset ladder. I ran an aluminum bar as a bridge to attach pannels and span the forward gap.
Ehrich Rose
SV Kahuna
1987 NS 30U #391
Hernando Beach Florida
All,
Many thanks for the info and photos. Based on your info and homework online I am going to place them on dinghy davits off the stern pulpit. The only issue is I need to add dinghy davits. I would appreciate any photos and does and don’t for adding the davits before I engage the boatyard.
Many thanks,
Langley Gace
“Moya”
Nonsuch 324
Hull #108
Bainbridge Island, WA
+1 206 947-1483
It appears from the photo’s that the aft boom casting is much further forward on a “324” relative to the aft rail than is the case of “26”. (wondering about gibing again).
Dick
NS26c
Port Townsend.
Nah, we gybe all the time. we do the 270 gybe when it is above 15kts.
Willi Powell
Nonsuch 324 - 109 - *Brigadoon X*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_/)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Hi Langley,
I thought I’s share this of a NS33 next to us, It is a slightly different implementation than ours. Very clean, and I am looking to duplicate the beefed up cross brace as mine struggles a bit in big waves.
Willi Powell
Nonsuch 324 - 109 - *Brigadoon X*
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_/)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<img apple-inline="yes" id="354C4442-8CE3-4E21-A1ED-FAF4994139F1" src="upload://yRNVKN7Fv4gyVyIxgOVxjabzb6C.jpeg" class="">
<img apple-inline="yes" id="4DD0A479-2612-4DEC-BEDE-9840EFB114B0" src="upload://6tO6zHhzz90ki9bZ29Y0QgBTaa2.jpeg" class="">
<img apple-inline="yes" id="03A56B9F-D068-4B3C-AB85-A3FF6EDC5EF1" src="upload://ocaDTihQJjinFEqWeOxRdf8Q08n.jpeg" class="">Willi,
Thanks so much for the photos.
I am conflicted as I have a swim step with Weaver brackets that work quite well for my dinghy. The ultimate goal is to have solar panels off the stern. I am tempted to leave the weaver brackets as is and install some lightweight brackets off the stern pulpit just for the solar panels.
Has anyone out there done this?
Langley Gace
Nonsuch 324 - 108 - Moya
Bainbridge Island, WA
I placed 3 100 W flexible panels on my dodger complex. I sew my own canvas so that eases the process but these are the second set of panels after installing the first in 2014. Sorry for late post.
Here is a good article on installing solar panels on canvass. It is longish but worth reading.
https://marinehowto.com/installing-a-solbian-semi-flexible-solar-panel/
Mark Powers
La Reina 26C
Vancouver, B.C.
Thanks for all the information. I have decided to abandon davits and go with the soft panels on the bimini.
bdbcalm@gmail.com. Mark Powers and anyone else who has soft panels on the bimini, a quick question…
I assume you wired the panels in series and used a MPPT Charge Controller.
Thanks,
Langley Gace
Nonsuch 324 - 108 - Moya
Bainbridge Island, WA
Langley,
Full disclosure. I installed a fuel cell rather than solar panels.
If you are a technical type, here is a link to a long and detailed discussion on the question of series vs parallel wiring.
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f14/solar-panels-series-or-parallel-68096-5.html
Shading, wiring size. Length of wiring run and the capacity of the controller all have an influence on which approach will produce the most power. My sense is that when there is uneven shading on the panels your best results will come from parallel with a good quality MPPT controller for each panel. A less than best system will usually cost less and might produce all of the power that you need.
Jeff Cote from Pacific Yacht Serices says that a conservative estimate for solar panels is that a panel will deliver 20% of its rated wattage in amp hours per day. A 250 watt array will therefor produce 50 amp hours in a days.
https://www.pysystems.ca/resources/tech-talk/solar-update-some-real-world-benefits-of-installing-solar/
Here is another link with good information on the issue.
https://oceanplanetenergy.com/solar-overview/
Mark Powers
La Reina 26C
Vancouver, B.C.
When the vinyl dodger on BIANKA finally gave up. I replaced it with two Siemens 75 watt 12 volt panels about twenty years ago. They are mounted on the original dodger frame and keep the 12 volt battery bank topped up even when running my Engel refrigeration 24/7. I later made a bimini frame for two 48 volt panels to charge the Electric propulsion bank. Both are working well keeping things charged all year round.
https://biankablog.blogspot.com/2012/01/solar-bimini-part-seven-panels.html
Mike
BIANKA
1986 30U
biankablog.blogspot.com
Langley,
Full disclosure. I installed a fuel cell rather than solar panels.
If you are a technical type, here is a link to a long and detailed discussion on the question of series vs parallel wiring.
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/f14/solar-panels-series-or-parallel-68096-5.html
Shading, wiring size. Length of wiring run and the capacity of the controller all have an influence on which approach will produce the most power. My sense is that when there is uneven shading on the panels your best results will come from parallel with a good quality MPPT controller for each panel. A less than best system will usually cost less and might produce all of the power that you need.
Jeff Cote from Pacific Yacht Serices says that a conservative estimate for solar panels is that a panel will deliver 20% of its rated wattage in amp hours per day. A 250 watt array will therefor produce 50 amp hours in a days.
https://www.pysystems.ca/resources/tech-talk/solar-update-some-real-world-benefits-of-installing-solar/
Here is another link with good information on the issue.
https://oceanplanetenergy.com/solar-overview/
Mark Powers
La Reina 26C
Vancouver, B.C.
I’ve been trying some different locations for my four 50W panels lately. The pictures show my latest effort. The area is easy to avoid when zipping the sail and one side or the other is just about always in good sun. They are easy enough to move (or remove) so you can get them all in the sun if you are stationary and really need the power but they are getting the job done for me as they are.
I may consider something stiffer than Coroplast if I decide to stay with this configuration but it works well for the trial.
Paul M
NS30U #211, Sandpiper
Cowichan Bay, B.C.
The location of our two 40 watt panels has always been very satisfactory and neither our davits nor our swim platform is impeded.
All the best, RJC
N. S. Coaster, N30U #287
Kingston Ontario
How is clearance maintained between the underside of the panels and the running rigging?
Ken Dakin
NS 33 #7
Sashay
Collins Bay Marina/CBYC
Kingston ON
Helen,
It isn’t an issue. The lines for the most part don’t touch the panels and they are totally under control anyway. There is really no opportunity for them to foul the panels. I sailed with this setup (minus the Coroplast mounting sheets) all summer with no issues at all. Also these are very light weight panels.