Sailboat Solar Panel Arch Super Cheap - Sailing Life can be affordable - Captain's Vlog 10
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- Опубликовано: 8 май 2022
- In this Captain's Vlog I build a Solar Arch for the Back of my 32' Ericson Sailboat for the less than $200. I found Stainless Steal arches for over $1400! So that wasn't an option. Did I use the right materials? Will it stand the test of time? Place your bets NOW!
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Hi it’s been a few months since this was fitted, interested to hear how it is standing up to the job? Thanks
Hi. Sorry it took forever to respond. Unfortunately I've been primarily focused on making some kind of living. I haven't been able to do any projects on the boat, but the solar arch is holding up well. We've had a couple of gale force winds in the marina and it's as solid as it ever was. Definitely more springy than a stainless steal job, but it's working.
Amazing work! Glad to see the progress documented so well.
Thank you!
Yep, been there, done that. The X brace in the back would help tremendously. The PVC is not UV resistant. It will last quite a long time but if you want to dress it up, a UV resistant white spray paint would be sharp. I think I am gonna order a set of those panels. Good price. I would bet doughnuts to bilge water that the old mast was originally placed for a wind turbine/generator. Lookin good Skipper.
Apparently, the Grey PVC is UV Resistant? That is what I was told at the hardware store. I guess it's made to live above ground. I thought about painting it, but I think I would like to see what happens to the material. When you did it in the past, did you insert some sort of core, or just use straight PVC? I haven't hooked the panels up yet so I can't say whether they're any good. Yeah, you could have put a turbine up there, but all they had was the radio antenna. Maybe that's what they had in mind... I really don't like turbines. They're loud and I'd be worried that I'd chop my fingers off when I'm regularly waving my arms about ;)
@@EdwardSeatonSailings Well, cool. Just straight PVC. Haven't built an "Arch" with it. Have used it to make tarp tents to cover projects short term and of course for its intended use as wire conduit. LOL
Good idea from Sailing Ugly Duckling, use rope for cross bracing. Also, maybe paint for longevity? Another great video, thanks for sharing. 😎⛵️
not sure yet but I was thinking keeping the grey PVC. It almost matches the grey fabric I used for the headsail repair. The grey stuff is supposed to be UV resistant... resistant, whatever that means ;)
great job!! thanks for sharing! ❤❤
Thanks for watching 👀 and leaving a comment! Panels have been up for over a year and are going strong 💪 survived a few gales 😀
Great idea, hope I can get the fittings you have used here in the UK . Looks good.
I ordered those on Amazon. They should have them in the UK, but I tried to order some carhart jeans for a cousin in England and that didn't work, so I don't know. Let me know how it goes.
Thanks I’ll let you know
Great video! Thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching 👀
I have a 33 foot C&C which has a 10kw Thunderstruck electric motor and 284 amps of 48 volt battery power up run it. I am adding a Renogy 3500 watt inverter/ charger with three 315 watt residential panels for 945 watts putting out a combined 30 amps. I am an all electric boat so no propane. I have an electric microwave/ convection and regular oven and that and the motor are the big current draws. Planning on getting offshore in the PNW for a two week cruise.
That sounds like an awesome setup! Are you going to have a backup generator? For when the sun won't come out? I was thinking about doing something similar with outboard electric motor. How's the Thunderstruck motor?
Yeah I have a 3500 watt generator like a Honda that I currently use. My first purchase.
The Thunderstruck setup is good- the attachment to the prop shaft is the weakest link- it required super precision. It’s pretty quiet and the 10 kw motor easily moves my 9500 lb boat at hull speed if I want to. I usually motor at around 20 Amps an hour which would give me 6 hours on battery alone and about 4 knots even against the flow of the Columbia River.
@garyseven777 Yeah, it was the whole drive shaft thing that I was trying to avoid with having a couple of e-outboards over the back. Also, having 2 motors would give you some interesting auto steering opportunities, too. I got busy with a bunch of other boat work, and my old diesel is still chugging away, so I've put that project to the back.
No reason to fix what’s not broke, but I have respiratory issues that make diesel fumes my enemy so electric is great for me.
Words I live by: "If it works, it's not stupid."
Still working!
As a quick x brace, you could just use 10mm rope which would effectively achieve the same result. Also means you could remove it easily when at anchor for example. Anyway good idea. Like the out the box thinking
Good idea. I actually have 2 leftover caps that will fit on the back rail ends which will give me a proper eyelet to run the rope through. Also, we had quite a gale in the marina and the panels did great :) Thanks for the comment. Really good idea.
@@EdwardSeatonSailings no worries. Good luck
Totally stealing this idea! Thanks Edward!
let me know if I can help ;)
@@EdwardSeatonSailings oooh! This would be fun. I have two large solar panels that are just sitting on the deck
I like it, hope it works
So far so good. It survived last winter's gale 😀
I made solar arch recut structure from sport fisher , bolted base, the lashings where it crossed the rail where 100% fine after 15 years, while other metal parts on the boat failed multiple times. It was a good shady spot to sit on rear rail.
Does Sport Fisher make a kit?
@@EdwardSeatonSailings No this was salvage metal, I was eyeing It up for a while, at marina, thought it would be to expensive to buy from them, then saw them taking it to dumpster on forklift, asked them and they were glad to give it to me
Would like to see photos,what size tubing
@@redwood1957 It was 1 inch PVC pipe and fittings. The grey stuff is supposed to be UV resistant. I guess it's meant for above ground conduit? Not sure, but it's working well.
@@redwood1957 I cover the final stages in this video :) ruclips.net/video/UmPebN-K5z4/видео.html
BBQ on a sailboat = life
The nice thing about the little BBQ that I removed from the back of my boat is that you can still use it when you need it! It's got little feet! Brilliant.
If it works its not stupid
It's been up for over a year, and it's still going strong!
The PVC seems like a great idea. Why does everyone use stainless steel? It would seem like that is the heaviest possible solution. You could try aluminum and I have even seen carbon fiber. Maybe you could have chosen a larger diameter PVC.
It's definitely a little "springy" and you can't do pull-ups on it, but it's survived a couple of gales. I thought about going with a thicker gage but wanted it to look... not thick. And those cheap Bimini caps fit perfectly on this gage. Thanks so much for watching 👀 and commenting!
hey there. great job on the solar arch! inspired to do the same. Any reason in particular that you didn't mount the forward pvc stanchions like you did the aft ones (capped to the existing stanchions and lashed). Also I see that your panels are angled AFT by maybe 15 or 20 degrees.. whats the logic there? did you consider flat? Seeing as Im looking from advice from you...Im not at all an expert...just curious re pros and cons of that mounting angle and how they have been performing?
Yeah. I want the back set of pvc supports to be flush with the stern railings which is why they're actually lashed on. It's all worked rather well and survived the gale we had this past winter. Can't do pull-ups on it, but it seems sturdy enough.
And the panel angle is adjustable 😀 theoretically. I can raise and lower the back set of supports (lashed to stern rail) up or down to change. Right now (current marina slip space) this particular angle works well. Might go flat top when I move on.
I think I might steal your idea
Still holding up good 👍
that radio tower could make a good wind turbin mount?
yes. That's maybe what they had in mind. It's gone now :)
That was a radar dome mast.
probably :)
I love the DIY spirit, but please don't try to take this rig offshore. There's more than one RUclips video of DIY panel installs smashed to bits by breaking waves.
I think it will be OK. It survived a 65 mph week long gale in the marina last winter. If it does get smashed to pieces, it won't break the bank 😉
My rig is super flimsy, one breaking wave and my solar generator will be junk. 😢