How to Install Solar Panels on a Bimini

Solar panels can be mounted to a bimini or dodger in a variety of ways. In this video we will show you one possible way to install the solar panels onto a bimini top. The goal for this project was to prevent wind from passing under the edges of the solar panel, this helps eliminate the possible flapping of the panels in the wind. And the second was to eliminate abrasion resulting from the solar panel’s edges when they rub against the top’s fabric. This is especially important with Sunbrella fabric because it is not very abrasion resistant.
Order supplies at: www.sailrite.com
HOW TO INSTALL SOLAR PANELS ON A BIMINI CHAPTERS:
Positioning Panels on Bimini - 0:41 min
Cutting & Sewing Facing Strips - 3:06 min
Creating Facing Frame - 10:55 min
Installing Tenax Fasteners - 21:38 min
Patterning Solar Panels on Bimini - 30:36 min
Sewing Facing Frame to Bimini - 34:17 min
Creating Passage for Cables - 46:59 min
Installing Solar Panels on Bimini - 57:57 min
Materials List - 1:01:06 min
MATERIALS LIST:
Shelter-Rite Fabric from Sailrite - we used Item # 1120121
Sunbrella Marine Grade Fabric from Sailrite - we used Item # 4678-0000
Seamstick 3/8" Basting Tape for Canvas - Item # 129
Profilen PTFE Lifetime Thread from Sailrite - we used Item # 107130 or V-92 Polyester Thread
Tenax Pull It Up Fastener Button - Item # 3000078
Tenax Pull It Up Fastener Locking Key - Item # 3630002
Tenax Pull It Up Fastener Cloth-to-Cloth Stud - Item # 3000002
Nylon Black Hook 1 1/2" - Item # 103405
Nylon Black Loop 1-1/2" - Item # 103407
TOOLS LIST:
Clear Acrylic Ruler 6" x 24" - Item # 102400
Comfort Grip Rotary Cutter 60mm - Item # 9655
Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat 24" x 36" - Item # 120257
Sailrite Canvas Patterning Ruler - Item # 107040
Scribe-All Water Soluble Marking Pencil White - Item # 120681
Sailrite Edge Hotknife Package (110 Volt) - Item # 103800
Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ-1 PLUS Walking Foot Sewing Machine - Item # 300602
Deluxe 5 1/2" Magnetic Sewing Guide - Item # 103597
Gingher Scissors Right Handed - Item # 19104
Soapstone Fabric Marking Pencil White - Item # 102766
Stayput Spin Cut 3/8" (9.5mm) Tool - Item # 103440
Premium Cutting Block 5" x 5" - Item # 103651
Multi Use Pins 1 1/2" - Item # 102985
Straight Edge, Drill
Order supplies at: www.sailrite.com

[@j.brianbobiak12]

1. This is an informative video and I like the workmanship and talent you've shared. 2. I'm not expert but I 'think' those cables running over top of the panels is going to significantly reduce the effectiveness of the output. I suggest you test the output of the panel with the cables blocking and then without the cables blocking. I know it doesn't seem like the cables are that big but you might be surprised to see the difference in efficiency. Either way, this video inspires.

[@DarthPhaedrus]

Agree with Brian. The cables running across the panels will drop the output of the entire panel, and the fabric also covers the edges of the cells in the panel.

[@RobFomenko]

Agree with Brian and Michael as well. Solar panels are severely impacted by even slight shading. Changing the way he did the wires would be critical imo. Otherwise, a excellent video and technique.

[@SailriteDIY]

Brian hopes that he can train the cables and possibly use cable ties to keep them off the solar panels. We will keep you posted on the results a little later this year.

[@SuezWSuezW]

I adapted this technique to install two half-sized solar panels on our sailboat's dodger. Great project design and the Tenax fasteners are an excellent idea. I used Brian's idea of making openings for the wires in the fabric frame corners nearest to the aft center line, close to the hinged panel. It worked very well, two leads come out straight and the other two (180 degrees apart) point away from the hole can be trained behind the raised lip of the main plastic connector to follow the same path - no cable falls on the solar cells at all. I am sure this will work for the double sized panel. An opening for the cables was made by ripping the stitching around the corner about two inches on each side and reinforcing the edges of the slit. You could equally well just not sew that part. It doesn't appear to affect the support for the panel. After building the fabric frames for the panels I had to stitch most of three sides of each of them to the dodger by hand (used an awl and a sewing machine needle) because the dodger has so much vinyl that I couldn't reasonably get the other sides under the machine. We are in the process of building a bimini so we'll probably put more panels on that. That will be easier to sew on the fabric frames with the machine.

[@gerardtheodose9603]

J. Brian Bobiak -

[@frankclements6296]

I can appreciate this man’s style. Red and white plaid pants with a Sailrite blue shirt! 😉

[@nigeanddonnassailingadventures]

HeyTeam Sailrite, thanks for a great how to DIY video on the flexi solar panels install. ...well documented and explained. It's fantastic that your passing forward your knowledge and experience for others to learn from.Thank you.👏👏

[@bosdad7]

WOW, you truly went the long way around. there are many ways to attach panels, that are much easier and faster than what you did here.

[@autumngrace8541]

Please express the way you have done it?

[@michaels5532]

let's see your install, chief.

[@pawelsaracen]

Thank You. I am going to install panels on similar Bimini and will pass your tutorial to the company that will do it. I have some guarante than that this will be done right!

[@bobbylineberry146]

I'm making a suggestion place shelter right on the bimini across the bow. I saw a fire created where a panel caught fire because a conductive path got created through the fabric on the bimini. Luckily the damage was contained to the bimini and panel as the skipper was onboard and extinguished the fire. It would add durability to the are over the bow from the panel being stressed at the bent spot. You eliminated the flogging of the panel with this design and that flogging was likely what cause the abrasion of the fabric and panel cracking. Nothing wrong with another layer of protection.

[@TR4zest]

Isn't the norm that you avoid running the panel over a bow? The ridge damamges the panel over time.

[@lernerfabien]

Hill. You are covering partially the cells with the sunbrella and with the wire, so losing 80% of the panel capacity.

[@renocampos6197]

Excellent guide Sailrite! You did Great! Awesome pattern maker! Thanks for us giving tips! I like the idea you make it easy to remove.

[@trawlertravels6376]

The coating of thr hook is a great tip. thanks

[@SailriteDIY]

Yes it is, working with a PTFE thread can be difficult. This little tip make a big difference.

[@rudypospisil4094]

Definitely some great craftsmanship on display here, however solar panels are extremely susceptible to "shading" (sun being blocked from reaching the panel). Even one cell being shaded will affect the entire panel's output, drastically. So, these sleeves that you have around the circumference of the panel will overlap some cells, thereby affecting the entire panel's output. What about sewing zippers around the panel and then creating something on the bimini to zip the panel to? Is this possible?

[@margyg]

There are better solar panels that have protections from the shading effect. All the ones I have has this protection and they are 4 years old. Yes you loose production in what is shaded but tit doesn't impact the rest of the solar panel output or even the rest of that block. It is all about how all the tiny cells are wired. In fact the mil spec panels are wired that bullet holes will only affect the missing cell and not those around it.

[@alextodd5487]

I think a different sunbrella color would make a nice contrast with the bimini. something like white, gray, or even a nice yellow would work.

[@SailriteDIY]

Good suggestion.

[@NGinuity]

I've been excited for this video ever since you tweeted about it, but I must say, the awesome plaid pants were a cool bonus :-P Thanks for this. I don't have a boat yet. That's in the works, looking for a junker to restore now that I'm fairly confident I can do all of the upholstery myself, but I have a idea for another project based on this.

[@SailriteDIY]

I am glad you liked the video and the plaid pants. Let us know if you have questions.

[@benkanobe7500]

Thank you for all the links!

[@SailriteDIY]

No problem! Glad I could be of help.

[@dextersxxxxlab]

you can probably order these panels with the connection and wires on the back of the panel instead of the front. I could choose what I wanted. The junction box would be in the sleeve with zipper and would look great from the top. pannels totally flat at all edges and no wores covering the panel. hard shades make performance drop fast on these panels.

[@a5853247]

Excellent Sailrite guide! A question which of the two Loxx models should I use to perform the solar panel installation similar to the one you did? 1- Loxx® Pull It Up Fastener Cloth ‑ to ‑ Cloth for Thick Assemblies Set (Nickel) Item # 121363. 2- Loxx® Pull It Up Fastener Cloth ‑ to ‑ Cloth Set (Nickel) Item # 121361

[@SailriteDIY]

I would get the Thick Assemblies Set #121363.

[@a5853247]

Good morning, thanks for the information. I would like to know how wide the Shelter Rite and Sunbrella strips should be cut?

[@SailriteDIY]

@@a5853247 Shelter Rite: 3" & 2" strips that will equal the perimeter distance around all sides of each solar panel. See 3:25 min in video for more details. Sunbrella: 3 1/2" strips that will equal the perimeter distance around all sides of each solar panel. See: 4:20 min for more info.

[@BladeforgerKLX]

AWESOME!!! Thank you for putting up this video, it was incredibly well done and informative.

[@SailriteDIY]

Glad you liked it!

[@nordav]

Thank for the good advices

[@mchaves7663]

Do you still recommend this solution? I like your bimini, very well made.

[@jayknight850]

Nice tip on cleaning and oiling the shuttle! Always learning things these videos. Will Sailrite have the panels someday?

[@SailriteDIY]

We love to help our customers and show off our products. Let us know if you have questions.

[@michaelcyr8215]

Your pants are great!

[@JonathanRobichaud646]

How many hours of labor takes this kind of install. Thanks

[@SailriteDIY]

I would estimate about 8 hours or less.

[@mchaves7663]

5 years on, do you guys still recommend this kind of setup? Any issues?

[@EnochLight]

Lol.. a year later and still no response. I’m going to guess “NOPE”! 😂

[@DarwinianUniversal]

One problem. How many people will have all that equipment ? Bugger all

[@jmartmac]

Lots of work for a very poor outcome. If your wires are blocking anything on the solar panel you have failed the installation. RTFM!

[@michaelcyr8215]

I've read recently that flexible solar panels can develop cracks that lead to internal shorts and overheating. I've seen recommendations against attaching them directly to fabric. Apparently they have been the cause of fires. Instead the recommendation is to glue them to a piece of corrugated lexan (the kind with air channels). The channels would run fore and aft for ventilation. In that case, I would think that only the sides of the panels should be attached to the bimini, leaving the ends open for air flow. Has anyone here considered the fire risk and a way to ventilate between the panel and the bimini? Would attaching the panel only along the sides cause it to be knocked around by wind?

[@pradeepnamdev1399]

very good

[@SailriteDIY]

Thanks!

[@marcallow52]

La maquina es Buena cociendo segun que cosas. se ve que e sun soplillo para esa lona tan grande.

[@anon4518]

thanks for sharing

[@SailriteDIY]

You welcome!

[@docjeffry]

what sewing machine are you using?

[@SailriteDIY]

We are using the Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ-1 Sewing Machine found here: www.sailrite.com/Sewing-Machines/Portable-Heavy-Duty-Sewing-Machines/Ultrafeed-LSZ-1-Sewing-Machine

[@docjeffry]

@@SailriteDIY thank you.

[@wnfaknd]

How many watts are these panels?

[@SailriteDIY]

Each of these panels are 120 watts.

[@glassat]

thanks for tutarial

[@SailriteDIY]

No problem! Let us know if you have questions.

[@chrisgrypaios5006]

I have the panels. Where can I order the “casing”? Thks

[@SailriteDIY]

Do you mean the facing on the Fabric for the sides of the panels? If so you can get them here: www.sailrite.com/

[@weiyizhang4437]

A great job 👍 but a very costly way to follow. People has money no skills. People has skills no money. Laughing 😂😂😂

[@russellk.bonney8534]

You must have ZERO shadoes from close objects. Clouds are OK.

[@michaelrempel9025]

A sail shadow over any one square of these panels will render the whole panel it inactive. With no intent to be insulting, this install is technically wrong in every way possible. It would be best to consult with a solar panel expert about the best configuration including use of parallel charge control, mppt charging option and battery type. Length and gauge of wire also has a large impact on charging effectiveness. At a minimum ensuring that no shadow falls anywhere on one of those panels at a time will ensure that some charging effect is available when sun is out as long as you are using heavy enough gauge wire, along with parallel charging. Series charging gives higher output total, with higher voltage and hence lower wire gauge. The down side to series is that any one square in shade results in no charge for the whole system. In addition, the smallest voltage gain for the worst square in the panel will determine the output for that whole panel. When panels are linked in series, then the contamination from a bad square spreads to every panel in that series hookup. As a result for your installation some kind of larger backer board could be used to epoxy the solar panels to. When you are going that far you might as well build a proper frame over the bimini and give yourself some firmer mounting options. But please if you are contemplating solar, do investigate thoroughly. This is one area of boat tech that costs a lot regardless of whether you get it right or not. Education is free and will definitely help you set and meet your expectations properly.

[@SailriteDIY]

Thanks for your comments! Here are the results of this solar panel's performance this summer from the owner of the boat.... The panels are functioning quite well, and are keeping the house batteries charged nicely during the week, as well as supplementing capacity on the sunny weekend days. If this was a bluewater cruising boat, there would be differentconsiderations. Since the boat is used for weekending, the output is adequate enough for supplying additional electrical capacity on the weekends, and the bank recovers very nicely during the week. It is serving the boat owner’s needs well.

[@michaelrempel9025]

My main concern was to inform other potential installers that there are better options producing a lot more consistent power, available with a little education and care for nearly the same dollar spent. The longer run of several seasons will tell more of the tale.

[@michaels5532]

@@michaelrempel9025 the main concern for most people, myself included is panel placement due to lack of space. On top of the bimini seems ideal for many reasons albeit with a few drawbacks. A slight loss in efficiency greatly outweighs a large loss in usable deck space, etc.

[@airbear9445]

Say good bye to the durability of your cheap ass flexible panels: kzbin.info/www/bejne/pZ-wi5Kah7h5i9U