After starting to sell the SunPower fixed frame solar panels earlier in 2020 we are now starting to receive more and more install photos and adding them to our install gallery. Here we would like to feature more details on an install of 3x 410W SunPower fixed frame solar panels aboard a Catalina 445.
Peter shares more of his solar story here:
S/V Two Happy
Hi Katie & Lyall,
I promised both of you I'd send off some better photos and a bit of detail of the arch and solar panel installation on S/V Two Happy, a 2010 Catalina 445.
Overall I'm very happy with the results. I needed a better davit support situation and in this work from boat day and age I desperately needed to make a major improvement on solar power as I enjoy working from the hook as much as possible, as long as I have phone and internet connectivity.
I’m going to replace my current 10.5 foot inflatable dinghy with a 9.5 foot aluminum hull inflatable keeping the current 9.9hp outboard. The total weight will be just over 200 pounds.
"I'm generating about 4.1kWh of solar power on a sunny day"
This project was a major upgrade and a few days after launching the boat again after completing this project I departed Stamford, CT for Hilton Head, SC for the winter. In Hilton Head I'm generating about 4.1kWh of solar power on a sunny day. I run a modern boat with a fridge, deep freeze, a small AC ice maker and a 50" TV running most of the day. I'm mostly running off the solar charging system with the exception of a 30Amp power service for 2x 16000BTU A/C and heat.
I had the Hinkley Yacht Services yard in Stamford, CT install the arch and panels, while I did the inside wiring and hooked up the charge controllers and circuit breakers to a bank of 2x Relion 300HP lithium batteries for the house bank. The yard devised and installed custom mounts for the panels to fit the stock Atlantic Towers mounts in addition to custom sway supports to help limit any sway of the tower.
This wasn't inexpensive, but things that are worthwhile on boats rarely are!
Warm regards, Peter
Looking to find out more about going solar with SunPower fixed frame panels? Contact us. We can help you size your system and recommend the correct MPPT charge controller(s) and other key components to get you up and running.