Carver Owners Forum

I too am thinking of adding solar charging. Currently looking at a few options on Amazon. One of the options is 200 watt panels which are about 65" long. If I have the room, that's what I'll go with. I also prefer the rigid builds as I think the materials will remain more stable over time in the elements. The plan is to run all the wiring inside the hardtop as mine is hollow. The wires will enter the hardtop through cable entry glands like these:
https://www.amazon.ca/BougeRV-Extension-Female-Connector-Adaptor/dp/B07J4J114L/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=Solar-Cable-Entry-Gland-Housing%2C+Weatherproof+Cable+Entry+Plate&qid=1613001912&sr=8-10

I was also leaning towards the solid panels too. I LOVE the way of using the elevator bolts too! That way a space can be maintained. I am sure with those elevator bolts there is plenty of surface area to cement to. I would mount the controller in the old stereo cabinet. Viper, check out www.defender.com for what I see are better pricing than Amazon.

Questions for the guys already using panels;
- do you cover them when not in use like at the slip all week to keep bird poop and other dirt off them? I'm in a covered slip which believe it or not can result in a pretty dirty top.
- do you guys remove the panels for the winter?

tonyiiiafl wrote:Qr Bbpost I was also leaning towards the solid panels too. I LOVE the way of using the elevator bolts too! That way a space can be maintained. I am sure with those elevator bolts there is plenty of surface area to cement to. I would mount the controller in the old stereo cabinet. Viper, check out http://www.defender.com for what I see are better pricing than Amazon.

Thanks for the tip.
When you purchase your panels, check to see if they have specific mounting brackets designed for them. There are several different types/designs out there for solid panels.

A friend of mine used the rigid panels on his aft hardtop. He used the elevator bolts to fasten them to the fibre glass under the brackets.

I had to go with the soft panels as I didn’t want the weight associated with the rigid panels on this top. My hardtop over the fly bridge is not load barring. The soft panels are excellent and work very well.

I also did not want to drill holes in the hardtop. The wires on top are not that attractive, but you can’t see them normally, unless you are on the top side of a lock.

I do not cover them and they remain on my hardtop all winter under my cover. If they get dirty from birds or other things, they wash off.

This is how I handled the installation and it may not fill the needs of others.

Greg

Viper wrote:Qr Bbpost Questions for the guys already using panels;
- do you cover them when not in use like at the slip all week to keep bird poop and other dirt off them? I'm in a covered slip which believe it or not can result in a pretty dirty top.
- do you guys remove the panels for the winter?

Mine stay on year round however the boat is inside a dome in winter so no solar action to speak of. I never had a problem with the panels getting dirty or bird poop but this can be a big problem depending on your location. I have the flex type mounted on elevator bolts siliconed to the hard top, works well enough for the intended use.

tonyiiiafl wrote:Qr Bbpost I was also leaning towards the solid panels too. I LOVE the way of using the elevator bolts too! That way a space can be maintained. I am sure with those elevator bolts there is plenty of surface area to cement to. I would mount the controller in the old stereo cabinet. Viper, check out http://www.defender.com for what I see are better pricing than Amazon.

The bottom of an elevator bolt is about the size of a quarter. Lots of surface for 3M 4200. Didn’t use 5200 as you would never get them off.

Greg

Tony, keep in mind that canvas guys have a way of securing flexible panels to canvas tops in case that works better for you.

Viper wrote:Qr Bbpost Tony, keep in mind that canvas guys have a way of securing flexible panels to canvas tops in case that works better for you.

This is very true Viper. My solar guy sells magnetic fasteners for over canvass installations. I am sure the are widely available. The only issue with the canvass install, is to ensure that the panel does not bend more than 30 percent over support bars. This will cause them to fracture over time and short out and may cause a fire.

Canvass install would call for a soft panel install.

Greg

Panel canvas install in the Thousand Islands region is very popular. Most of them use small sewn in flaps with velcro to secure the panels in place. This will give you a good idea of whats out there. https://www.google.com/search?q=canvas+ ... =945&dpr=2