![]() But, what happens when you sail south to go diving in Mexico? Suddenly, the water temperature is higher and the fridge would have to work twice as hard to stay cool. If you’re starting in Nova Scotia, your fridge won’t take much power to keep it at a cool temperature. Make sure to also consider the times when your panels aren’t giving out their optimum performance. Unless you plan on running the engine to top up the batteries on cloudy days, you will find yourself needing enough solar panel output for these times. In the case of a fixed panel, ask yourself if the sail will be casting a shadow over it on one tack. It won’t be giving anywhere near that output on cloudy days. That is, it refers to a clean panel in full sunshine. While a 90W solar panel might sound like it’ll give out 90W, remember that this is its maximum output. But there are other considerations too, namely, actual output vs maximum output. Once you have an idea of your daily amp draw, then you can work out the solar output required to keep up with that power draw. For others that don’t provide that information, you may have to settle for an estimate. Some products will give you an idea of their power draw in their technical specifications. It can be difficult to determine how many amps your sailboat will need, especially if you still don’t have all the electronics you plan to bring on board. If you’ll be running a fridge, freezer, water maker, VHF and SAT NAV all day long, you’re definitely going to need a lot of power! Once you’ve worked out how you plan on powering your sailboat – solar and engine, or just solar – you’ll need to work out your daily amp draw. If you plan on cruising the Caribbean, you can often rely on good winds for sailing. If you want to cruise the intercoastal waterways, chances are you’ll be using your engine a lot. ![]() Your sailing goals come into play in this decision. If you plan to use the engine more, then you won’t need as much solar power. Will you use solar power most of or all the time? If yes, then you will need higher power, larger or more solar panels. Also, you need to determine whether you will rely solely on solar power or use the engine as well. You need to know how much power you’ll need daily. ![]() REQUIRED ENERGYīuying solar panels for your sailboat involves more than going over a few models at random. HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST SOLAR PANELS FOR SAILBOATS 1. SAILBOAT SOLAR PANEL REVIEWS NATURE POWER MONOCRYSTALLINE QUICK ANSWER – THE BEST SOLAR PANELS FOR SAILBOATS Whether you’re replacing old panels or buying for the first time, let us do the hard work of comparing the best solar panels for your boat.įor more of our top sailing gear recommendations, check out the Best Wind Generators for Sailboats. Getting the best solar panels for sailboats means choosing the right size and power for your boat.īut, how much power will you need? Will your panels be able to keep up even on cloudy days? Do you plan to sail in cold water or deep in the tropics? Do you need the panels to sit on a curved surface? There’s a surprising amount of factors to consider when purchasing sailboat solar panels. This method can also save the engine from being used just for charging. Sailing uses the power of the wind to move, so why not use the power of the sun to charge your batteries? Solar panels offer the best way to charge boat batteries.
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