[Rhodes22-list] speaking of solar panels

[cjlowe]

A few thoughts on solar-vs-OB generated power.

 OB generators may put out 70 watts,BUT ,it's at a certain RPM range,and
only when running. Bigger HP motors have a chance of running alot slower
when cruising than smaller HP motors,and may not reach the required RPM to
generate full  name plate wattage.I would think the OBs that were designed
for sailboats(bigger,slower turning props,like the Yamaha high thrust
9.9)would take this into consideration on the drawing board,before we buy
them. They may not realize that their OB is going to power our house on the
water for the next week or two.I don't have charging  on my Nissan 6HP,so I
haven't taken a good look at this RPM-vs-watt output thing,but if your
making a power survey based on OB power,I think it is a real world
consideration.
  Solar power,ah yes,what self -respecting sailor couldn't snuggle up to the
idea of a few FREE watts every day? This is the path I've chosen. We all
have the same boat,but we all use it a bit differently. I mostly daysail
twice a week and usually overnight once a month.I like to take it to a
different lake once a year for a week or ten days,but even then I mostly
daysail(my wife would rather sleep in a motel than on the boat) Last year I
had a good chance to test my power supply /usage.
Before launching last year ,I replaced the anchor light with an LED light
that I made last winter,and also replaced the steaming light with a LED
steaming/decklight that I cobbled together out of a stainless steel pipe
plug and some led lights I got from Bebi Electronics.While not CG approved,I
think they put out as much light as the old ones and use 1/10th of the
watts.I bought(oh that hurts)the port and starboard led nav lights from
Defenders,the 2 mi. versions were about $60 a piece,and covered the holes of
the old ones nicely.I got  a 6 led strip light from Bass Pro Shops that I
mounted beside the electric panel at the companionway step.I made a clamp-on
light with a 12 foot cord for reading with 9 leds.The other power suckers I
have on board are-vhf,am-fm-cdplayer,gps,and cell phone charger.
I charged the battery before I splashed in May(with a car battery charger)
and lived off the solar panel (from GB,10 watt,I think)until I pulled her to
go to Sandusky bay for vacation the last 2 weeks of July.I charged the
battery again to top it off,and headed for the bay.My wife had to stay home
and work the first week so I ended up staying 9 nights on the boat,1 on the
hook and 8  in the slip(no anchor light used). I used the radio alot,the GPS
most of the time,the VHS very little,both cabin lights 2-3 hours a night,and
charged the cell phone every night.I never ran out of power.
I have 4,2"x2" patches of velcro on my fore deck that match their mates on
the bottom of the solar panel,I only put the panel out when in the slip or
on the hook,when not in use,it lives behind the port-a-potty in the mag.
rack.It plugs into the 12 volt outlet in the ele. panel.
Works for me,
Jerry Lowe