Boat Show 2018 - DIY Marine Solar Panel Installation

[@rexcorkil]

great video, very clear

[@roberthill9721]

I have a sailboat with two batteries that use a manual switch. This is NOT a "house" and "starter" situation. Both batteries are equal in size and function. Can I use a single Victron controller to charge the two batteries or do I need to use two panels, two sets of wires and two controllers? The alternator on the engine bypasses the manual switch and charges both batteries and the engine cranks from both batteries even if they are switched off. I'd love to use just the single controller for simplicity and cost. Thoughts? Thanks. .

[@joharescrz]

Great video! Thank you! Is it safe to assume all solar panels have bypass diodes for series connection? TIA

[@bradbertin5535]

Hi.. great vid,, I'm, installing a 2 panel system on my sailboat, each at 120w.. my question is that i plan on using an 8 gauge wire from my 20amp MPPT controller to my battery, what size fuse should i be using at the battery and should it be a maga style fuse? second question,, panels in series or parallel ? this one has me confused as to why,,, what way will charge the 2 batteries hooked in parallel more efficiently ? thanks

[@gianni24iacoviello20]

hi thank you I watched all your videos they help me a lot, I have an island packet sailboat. I place 3 solar panel on the atlantic tower so have no shade . I have 3 panels 200w newpowa monocrystalline high efficiency mono module on description say 200w voltage at Pmax 17.0v, current at Pmax 11.76A. diodes are pre-installed in juncution box. I do have a morning start Ts-45 tristar 45 Amp 12-48v pwm controller: Rated solar, load or diversion current: 45A System Voltage: 12, 24, 48V Accuracy: 12/24V ≤0.1% ±50mV; 48V ≤0.1% ±100mV Minimum voltage to operate: 9V Maximum solar voltage (Voc): 125V Self-consumption: Controller

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Hi Gianna, strongly suggest you consider a MPPT controller versus a PWM controller. MPPT controllers are generally 95% efficient, whereas PWN are less then 80% efficient. That translates to a lost of 15% or more of your solar wattage. If there is no shading, wire the panels in series.

[@antoineammoury5433]

Hello ,thank you for the wonderful presentation. I have watched your videos and was motivated to order two solar panels 120w each and a victron mppt controller 250 w 17.5max amp. I have a battery monitor bm1 with a shunt .my question is do I have to connect the negative pole from the controller to the shunt or directly to the battery??the monitor will not read the charging from the solars. Question no 2 : is it possible to keep the shore power and the solar power all together connected .?? Thank you.

[@PacificYachtSystems]

1. With a battery monitor and the associated shunt meter, make sure that no DC negative bypass the shunt, otherwise the battery monitor shunt will NOT capture the current.2. A smart battery charger and quality MPPT solar controller can be operating (i.e. charging) the batteries simultaneously.

[@svvalor9826]

Great video! I'm in the design phase of the system I'm putting together for my sailboat. My question is- You made it a point to say "make sure you are using outdoor grade solar wire when making your connections from the solar panels to below deck". All of the "outdoor solar wire" I find is plain copper strand and it is not tinned. Will that be an issue for marine use? Tinned 10g for below deck is not a problem to find. Thanks.

[@PacificYachtSystems]

We too haven’t found a tinned outdoor rated solar wire. If you are concerned about corrosion on the indoor end of the solar wire, use good heat shrink terminals on the solar wire as a way to offset or minimize the risk of corrosion.

[@vipermadman]

Thann you!

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Glad to help.

[@cianciolop]

If you have a ProNautic battery charger installed already, does the solar bypass that or go through it?

[@PacificYachtSystems]

they are completely independent. both go directly to the battery. if both are charging the other will not care.

[@joseph2219801]

If you had a 48v setup, How many panels would you need or how much space would that take up?

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Hi Joseph, some solar controllers offer boost capability, meaning that you can have a small 10 - 22 volt solar panel charge a 48 VDC battery bank.

[@cucogiron]

Can you provide the wiring diagram on your sailboat. Thanks!

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Thanks for the suggestion.

[@robertlee8042]

Are you saying that you could dead short a solar panel and not hurt it?

[@spelunkerd]

That's a question I wondered about too. However solar panels are designed with internal resistance that allows a dead short, at least for a brief time. In fact to test a panel you do two measurements in the sun, an open circuit voltage and a dead short current through your multimeter. After wondering whether my multimeter fuse would survive, I did the test, no smoke! Short circuit current of a typical panel is usually about 5A, within limits for the amp max on most quality multimeters. As solar panels age those numbers tend to slide downward.

[@TonyAnschutz]

You mention a solar array with no shading in series connection. If you do have shading and running to a single MPPT controller would you go parallel Or always in series?

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Assuming your panels have bypass diodes, I would recommend wiring them in series in order to: 1) minimize the effect of voltage drop 2) limit the current in the solar cable 3) meet the minimum trigger voltage in the MPPT so that the controller converts what’s available in solar power to your batteries.

[@TonyAnschutz]

Hey thanks so much. I really love your videos and have learned so much from them. Series it is!

[@shantelguetgen4157]

I think you can see how to make it on Avasva . This is just an advice ;)

[@janbonssen9472]

Whos the freak next to you😂

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Hmmm...

[@michaelp.4831]

most annoying commercial EVER!!!

[@PacificYachtSystems]

Sorry about the commercial... we don't decide what commercials are played on our channel.