How to Install a Solar Panel on a Boat
Depending on the purpose for your solar panels and how many you plan to install on your boat, this may prove to be an extremely easy project or a difficult one. Smaller solar panels can be used as trickle chargers for your marina or deep cycle battery, or you can install an entire battery bank that you can use as a power source for multiple appliances. Regardless of the type of system that you are installing, there are a few basics that can help you install your boat's solar panels.
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Things You'll Need
- Solar panel
- Mounting hardware
- Power drill
- Screwdriver
- Wiring
- Charge controller
- Deep cycle batteries
- Power inverter
Instructions
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Mount the solar panel where it will receive the most sun and have the least likelihood of encountering salt water, which may cause degradation and extra wear and tear on the surface of the panel. Salt water also means you must regularly clean the solar panel for optimal output of electricity.
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2
Connect wiring to the output terminals of the solar panel based on the voltage of the panel and the peak amperage that can be produced during optimal solar exposure. These figures will be printed on a plate on the back of the solar panel as well in as the manufacture's written materials included with the panel.
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3
Run the wiring to a deep cycle battery or a battery bank where deep cycle batteries are housed in a well-ventilated area.
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4
Use a screwdriver to screw in the wiring to the input terminals of a charge controller, which regulates the flow of electricity to your deep cycle batteries and preserves the shelf life of the batteries by preventing them from becoming overcharged.
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5
Use the same gauge wire leading to the charge controller to attach to the charge controller's output terminals. Wire battery eyelets to the output wires from the charge controller and screw them onto a deep cycle battery.
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6
Connect your deep cycle battery bank into a series circuit configuration, which is commonly done with No. 8 AWG (American Wire Gauge) cables. Solar equipment manufacturers also make specialized battery cable connectors. Do not use standard battery cable clamps to connect the battery bank. A series circuit is accomplished by connecting opposing terminals for adjacent batteries, for example, connecting the positive terminal of one battery to the negative terminal of its adjacent battery.
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Connect the input terminals of a power inverter to one of the batteries. Each power inverter will have its own requirement for input cable sizing. The power inverter should also be sized based on the total voltage of the batteries, which can be added together because of the series circuit configuration, and the total amperage draw of your appliances plus 10 percent to 20 percent. The most expensive and reliable power inverters are the pure sine wave inverters, which guarantee a clean and stable source of electricity from the battery bank.
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References
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