Dik
-----Original Message-----
From: BGN5731@aol.com <BGN5731@aol.com>
To: tbodine@seasick.sps.mot.com <tbodine@seasick.sps.mot.com>;
wwpotter@tscnet.com <wwpotter@tscnet.com>
Date: Saturday, February 20, 1999 12:36 PM
Subject: Re: solar cells
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> West Wight Potter Website at URL
> http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>In a message dated 2/19/99 12:56:50 PM Central Standard Time,
>tbodine@seasick.sps.mot.com writes:
>
>>
>>
>> I'm wondering about solar cells. I have the Class 24 style battery
>> that came with the 98 P-19 package.
>> www.jademountain.com has
>> (PV184) 17 watt, 1.1 amp framed (24.9" x 10.8") $208.00
>> Battery Maintenance (5W panel ) (PS3921) $108.00
>>
>> I.M. has a .5w flexible panel for $220.00
>>
>> Now I read somewhere that the Siemens panels are durable, but a
>> flexible panel is nice if you have to walk where it's placed.
>>
>> OTH I might be able to place that Solar cell someplace where
>> I don't walk.
>>
>> Power requirements will be Cell phone, which I haven't bought
>> Wide 128 Depth finder, VHF (don't have yet), Garmin GPS, and
>> anchor light.
>>
>> While on my trip along the Texas coast, I'll probably be using
>> the Depth finder & GPS fulltime, VHF sometimes, the anchor
>> light all night.
>>
>> Suggestions about battery sizing, Cell sizing and placement
>> requested.
>>
>>
>> # Regards Tom Bodine @
>> # Skipper "Frimi" P-19 #1019 ,-+-'
>
>Tom, I'm no expert on solar panels but since no one else has responded to
your
>request I'll give my opinion. It appears you will have a challenge getting
>the amperage you need with a 17 watt solar panel. A boat is a difficult
place
>to mount a solar panel because even a little shade on the panel will
greatly
>reduce its amp output.
>
>With the equipment you listed I guessamated that your daily amperage
>requirement would be 23.0 amps. Even if the 17 watt panel would produce
1.1
>amps for 15 hours a day, you would be only receiving 16.5 amps daily. I
>personally believe that you would more likely receive about .55 amps per
hour
>over a 15 hour period, for a total of 8.25 amps daily. And that's with the
>sun shinning daily with no cloud coverage.
>
>Other sources for solar products: Sunlight Energy Corp. 1-800-338-1781 and
RV
>Solar Electric 1-800-999-8520 They have free catalogs.
>
>Good luck,
>
>Bill Nolen
>Potterless
>