Cruising Sailors Forum Archive

Nice! Which solar panels did you use? (pic)

They look like Sunware, but that's quite a bend. (Sunware specs maximum 3% bend radius.) If those are Sunware you're pushing it.

Regardless, your boat is truly to be admired, DDW. You've done an incredible job! (and that's a BIG understatement)

I used semi-rigid panels from http://www.onboardpv.com to replace failed Sunware panels, and used painted Divinycell foam for the wedges beneath. OnBoard PV also recommends to limit flex to 3%. I was careful to mount them so they're evenly supported to minimize flex in event someone steps on them.

I've owned Sunware panels since 2001. Sunware makes a very nice product but in my experience they haven't held up as well as expected, and flex is the enemy, along with corrosion. My present boat is a 2001 and it started life with 3 Sunware 50w panels.... to be fair; one failed when we dropped a dinghy on it. The other two failed for no apparent reason (just stopped working). Hoping the OnBoard PV panels hold up better.

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