In the next month or so I will be buying a panel which I think will be fitted to my cabin top . Two reasons its sort of out of the way and also adding a shaded area to my cabin(air space in between) also thinking about collecting rain water.
The Panel Ive selected is a flexible 300 watt 24 volt which will be converted to 12 volts at the MPPT controller
an other alternative is a 250 watt panel not as long would fit at the start of the hatch cover where as the 300 watt would end at the main sheet track photo below would like your thoughts on this please.
There is nothing worse than running out of water and having to return to port
Some thing like this one adding a support to the back and raising it on the cabin to create a air space between the cabin roof and the panel Also recessing the panel into the support so when it rain the rain water can be collected so the panel will be on a slight angel so the water runs to a collection point at one end.
The panel Im looking at is 2 meters long which mean that it will cover the whole cabin roof and end just before the main sheet track .
So ther rear of the panel would be located above the hatch cover panel between the grab rails .The forward end finishes at the front of the cabin this would be the rain water collection points a hose either side. As I said the panel would be recess into a surport floor some thing strong but light.
Would value your thoughts Ill take it on the chin 
~8amps max output should work pretty well for you.
A MPPT controller may cost you a little more than a straight 12/12 regulator and there will be inefficiencies of stepping your voltage down.
As for the mount location and water collection. I don't think you can stand on these guys. You'd get some salty deck spray that might affect water quality and bird poo. This is just where my train of thought is running though, I don't want to sound overly critical.
Otherwise solar is awesome! Keeps your battery volts healthy and eliminates any concern of a flat battery. Apart from the sailing rig, batteries are the lifeblood of a vessel; keeps essential irons sails, nav and comms equipment going.
Got this one off flea bay same as the Jacar MPPT its in the post so I can wire every thing up Sir J
Bird Poo solution when its not raining cork the hoses and wash when it first starts to rain
Years ago up the territory we used to add a roof rack with a ply wood floor this reduced the temperature inside the land cruisers cabin heaps . I will be removing the carpet off the roof and adding stringers and a thin foam insulation and light panels held in with USA Velcro
i seen a Cat in Coffs the guy had made a fibreglass boom.... It was in aerodynamic U shape the main sat in the U and it had a material zip to close it up on the top.......best thing i thought was a tap fitting at the gooseneck where a hose could be connected to fill the water tanks!
Select to expand quotesouthace said...
i seen a Cat in Coffs the guy had made a fibreglass boom.... It was in aerodynamic U shape the main sat in the U and it had a material zip to close it up on the top.......best thing i thought was a tap fitting at the gooseneck where a hose could be connected to fill the water tanks!
you find some interesting stuff Southace .
The idea is leave the hoses off till it rains clean the panel and connect two hose and run it into a 25 liter plastic container. I really hate running put of water and having to go to a marina just for water Brent Swain at origami boats did make a water maker out of a scrap yard bits must find it and have a look. I will also look into a water purifier but I get a little worried and its only 29 foot long .As Southace has already suggested, I might need a higher boot stripe.
Maybe Southace's new boat might have a water desalinator on his boat and I could buy some discount fresh water off him from time to time to off set his costs
Are water makers expensive to run? and which is a reliable brand?
