Let the retrofits begin....

[Bruce]

Have you thought about using the 12v aux pin on the 7 pin trailer plug (assuming you have one) to provide add'l charge

Yes I have. I could use it while trailering but keeping the single battery in the truck charged is more important to me than charging the boat batteries.

Even if yamaha added it as an option to deal with the bilge pump checking, so what, one or three nights of checking is nothing, but if something goes wrong and water does start leaking in, those panels won't power the pumps

Surprisingly the bilge pump will run the battery down even though it is not pumping water. Instead of using a float switch it spins up the pump to check for water. The small panels on the E-series should be sufficient to counter this. You are correct that solar panels are not a reasonable way to power the bilge pump if it is pumping water.

 

[ptwb]

That is 6PM on the third day after we unplugged the boat. So 56+ hours of running the fridge. During those three days of sunlight 50 watts of solar panels would have produced 48 to 72 Ah. More than enough to keep the batteries charged.

OK, sorry my mistake, so you went 3 days on ONE battery before it got low. You also still had another battery fully charged and ready to go. You want to go through the time and expense of rigging/installing and reinstalling solar panels so that you don't have to switch to the other battery or plug in? You bring up weight, but then carry this expensive heavy 2nd large agm battery around that you're apparently wanting to go through trouble not to put to use. Do you want a backup to the backup? Is this whole solar panel idea just something you would use for just two trips a year? Do you have 2 or 3 batteries? Do you have a house bank?

Sounds like you have to figure out how to attach the solar panels (and wiring) to the cover for trailering. And then you'll have to shift them to the bimini. Sounds like a hassle. Now the 3rd battery sounds like an even better idea and less hassle every time!! Are you going to be connecting these panels back onto your bimini each time you go boating or just for these 3 days trips? Of course, in your situation you have chosen expensive agm batteries so a 3rd similar is not cheap if you go with the same type. But if you only have 2 batteries, maybe you should add a cheaper starter battery and a blueseas system.

Good luck. If you figure it out, I hope that it really ends up worth it and that it's sunny all three days next time so that you don't need to flip a switch.

Yes I have. I could use it while trailering but keeping the single battery in the truck charged is more important to me than charging the boat batteries.

The truck should have a battery/alternator more than capable of providing the 1ah to offset what should only be a fridge turned on in the boat when you are trailering. Overnight, at a pit stop, if you're that worried about 1ah from the truck, you unplug the boat from the trailer. Lots of people charge their trailer batteries from their tow vehicles. There should be no worries of getting to Miami and having a fully charged boat and no truck issues.

Surprisingly the bilge pump will run the battery down even though it is not pumping water. Instead of using a float switch it spins up the pump to check for water. The small panels on the E-series should be sufficient to counter this. You are correct that solar panels are not a reasonable way to power the bilge pump if it is pumping water.

A rule 500gph burns 2 amps. Running 100% over a typical night, that would only represent 36 ah. But they only check every 2.5 minutes so that's probably really only 2ah over an entire night in a marina. Of course, over weeks, just checking, floating in the water with no shore power, yeah. I would agree a solar panel is useful for something like that so that the battery is fully charged when they finally want to use the boat, but this is not something you stated was a reason you wanted solar panels. 80 watts is way overkill for just this.

 

[Billtex2000]

One of the things that will be cost prohibitive in adding the articulating keel to older Yamaha 19 footers is the requirement to add the rack and pinion steering to offset the weight that the rudder adds to the wheel.

I imagine the cost to add the parts alone would run nearly $1000 plus install.

And why would you want that ugly thing hanging off the back of your boat? Put a set of fins on it!

 

[nicknick]

This season I kept my AR240 on a mooring in the sea in front of my house 50 meters from the shore for 7 weeks. Yes, it means I have to swim to get the boat but this is a real pleasure here in Greece. And it also means NO fresh water, and NO shore power. I have a dual battery setup (70Ah and 80Ah) with jump starter ready, but I only use one battery at a time both as a starting and "house". My stereo is pretty powerful, runs are not very long, the boat is always on the water, switch is always on, so after three weeks I could not start engines and had to switch to the second battery. I had to take out the first one and charge it at home, then put it to the boat again - not the best way to solve the problem. I was thinking of buying a portable (rollable ar foldable) solar panel which I could use only when I do not use the boat. Here in Greece there is no problem with the sun in summer - two-three cloudy days, no, cloudy mornings during all 7 weeks I use the boat. Now Yamaha came with the same solution and the only question left is what panel power is enough in my case?

 

[Julian]

This season I kept my AR240 on a mooring in the sea in front of my house 50 meters from the shore for 7 weeks. Yes, it means I have to swim to get the boat but this is a real pleasure here in Greece. And it also means NO fresh water, and NO shore power. I have a dual battery setup (70Ah and 80Ah) with jump starter ready, but I only use one battery at a time both as a starting and "house". My stereo is pretty powerful, runs are not very long, the boat is always on the water, switch is always on, so after three weeks I could not start engines and had to switch to the second battery. I had to take out the first one and charge it at home, then put it to the boat again - not the best way to solve the problem. I was thinking of buying a portable (rollable ar foldable) solar panel which I could use only when I do not use the boat. Here in Greece there is no problem with the sun in summer - two-three cloudy days, no, cloudy mornings during all 7 weeks I use the boat. Now Yamaha came with the same solution and the only question left is what panel power is enough in my case?

So how about some photos of your Yamaha cruising the waters of Greece!!!!

 

[ptwb]

and the only question left is what panel power is enough in my case?

You made it three weeks out of seven on one battery. Is seven weeks the most you will ever be away from shorepower?

How many days a week do you boat? Do you just need to be recharged by the next weekend or do you often also go during the middle of the week? That will help determine whether you can get away with just a panel or two attached to the tower and/or something bigger you lay on a cover or just inside the boat if you don't have a cover when you are done for the day or weekend (or even during the day), or maybe even need to add more batteries to get you through your season.

 

[nicknick]

So how about some photos of your Yamaha cruising the waters of Greece!!!!

Here you are!

Sun rays

• nicknick
• Aug 24, 2015
• 1

Dog

• nicknick
• Aug 24, 2015

Big yacht

• nicknick
• Aug 24, 2015

 

[nicknick]

You made it three weeks out of seven on one battery. Is seven weeks the most you will ever be away from shorepower?

How many days a week do you boat? Do you just need to be recharged by the next weekend or do you often also go during the middle of the week? That will help determine whether you can get away with just a panel or two attached to the tower and/or something bigger you lay on a cover or just inside the boat if you don't have a cover when you are done for the day or weekend (or even during the day), or maybe even need to add more batteries to get you through your season.

It is really hard to say the exact numbers. I use it from 2 to 6 days a week, 30 minutes to 1.5 hours each time, wakeboarding or cruising. I think average is 3 days a week / 45 minutes. Stereo from 30 min to 2 hours. I think it is better to calculate the power for the worst case: drained battery. So let's say we need to charge 35Ah which I suppose is right for the drained 70 Ah battery. For example I am Ok to charge it in 2 days or 12 peak hours (remember I have the second battery?) So it gives me 3 Amps or 45-50 W, rightI

Edit: I would like to have something like this: http://goo.gl/t0NHLk

 

[ptwb]

It is really hard to say the exact numbers. I use it from 2 to 6 days a week, 30 minutes to 1.5 hours each time, wakeboarding or cruising. I think average is 3 days a week / 45 minutes. Stereo from 30 min to 2 hours. I think it is better to calculate the power for the worst case: drained battery. So let's say we need to charge 35Ah which I suppose is right for the drained 70 Ah battery. For example I am Ok to charge it in 2 days or 12 peak hours (remember I have the second battery?) So it gives me 3 Amps or 45-50 W, right?

Seems like your usage is spread out, that helps. One 40 watt panel sounds like a good start. Worse case scenario, you will just need to add more panels. I'd buy one panel/solar charger and a multimeter, rig it to a 12v plug, and then just leave the panel out somewhere plugged into the 12v socket, and over a few days measure your battery levels with the multimeter as you use the boat to get an idea if you need more panels.

 

[Julian]

@nicknick Nice shots! I recall seeing photos of that Yacht in the background somewhere....

 

[Julian]

Its not the one I was thinking of...but still a nice little tub....

http://www.debutesq.com/_blog/debutesq_lounge/post/bilgins-new-stunning-yacht-elada/

http://www.superyachttimes.com/editorial/3/article/id/13040

And it is FOR SALE! Only 17M Euros!

http://www.26northyachts.com/yachts/bilgin-147-elada-motoryacht-for-sale/

 

[Billtex2000]

Good eye! @Julian

 

[nicknick]

@Julian may be it is already sold as I saw it with Georgian flag during July-August and it is listed with Turkish.

 

[Britboater]

Only 18 knots, bit of a tug @Julian , keep looking .

 

[David D]

I'm enjoying the debate