solar panel sailboat installation

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Sailboat Life

Sailboat Cruising and Lifestyle Magazine.

Sailboat Solar Systems and How-To

Solar on a sailboat goes together like hands and gloves, but sailboat solar systems can be installed in a variety of ways. The solar components themselves create an infinite combination of possibilities for off-grid sailing. Victron Energy chargers, Renogy Panels, Sunpower Yachts, BlueSea Systems, and many more brands have entered the marketplace, and that’s not including the lithium battery companies.

To simplify things, we’ve compiled three sailboat solar systems videos to give you an overview of what’s possible. And to help you decide on your own simple solar panel setup for sailing.

How-To Install Solar Panels on Your Sailboat

This system from Zingaro shows flexible panels summing 300w of power on a 38′ catamaran.

300W Solar System:

• Three 100w solar flexible panels
• 1 MPPT Solar charger controller

View on Amazon >>

100W HQST Flexible Solar Panels $100-$200

20amp Solar Charge Controller by Victron Energy $150-$200

Simple Sunpower Solar System

This simple solar system from The Fosters shows a quick and easy setup with limited space on top of a bimini.

Sunpower Solar Panels are considered by most in the industry as the gold standard. They use the highest-efficiency solar cells and have top-notch build quality. In this simple installation, three 50w panels are just enough to get you started. Plus, it’s the most affordable installation!

150w Starter Solar System

• Three 50w Flexible Solar Panels
• A Single 15amp solar charge controller

50W Sunpower Solar Panels $150-$200

75v/15amp Solar Charge Controller by Victron Energy $100-$124

Off-Grid on a DIY Solar Powered Sailboat

Here’s a special installation that turned a derelict sailboat into an off-grid sailing machine!

Simon has transformed this derelict sailboat into an epic off-grid solar-powered and fossil-fuel-free cruising catamaran. He’s been living aboard and renovating the boat for the past 3.5 years We’re excited to show you the transformation as well as how he plans to propel the boat without the use of diesel or fossil fuels!

5280w Solar System for Electric Powered Catamaran

• 16 Rigid solar panels (330w each)
• 20kwh of Lithium Batteries

240W Rigid Solar Panels $250-$300

200AH Lithium 4d Battery $1200-$1200

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Captain Curran's sailing blog

~ a collection of sailing adventures from Alaska to Cabo

October 6, 2014

Solar panels for boats: an easy installation guide., marine solar panel installation.

• I am writing the following instructions for boat people or RV campers. 
• I describe a basic set up that provides a charge onto your 12 Volt DC battery bank.
• If you want to use this system to power your home, then you'll also need an inverter to switch the 12 Volt DC electricity to 110 Volt AC.

Ok, here's my simple DIY instructions for solar installation on a boat or an RV camper.

How to install solar panels for boats.

Step by step guide for installing a solar panel boat system

Faq: what size panel should i get, faq: which brand of solar panel is best, faq: do i need a controller.

FAQ: How did you mount your panel on your stern rail?

FAQ: How do you wire up the panels/controller/battery?

FAQ: How much will this whole solar panel project cost?

Solar power for boats price breakdown, okay - good luck with your marine solar panel installation ,  capt. curran, 64 comments:.

Heany - Don't hesitate, the beauty of this system is that there are no moving parts, which means maintenance is minimal.. turning photons to electrons

Good question - visit your local machine shop They should have barrels of aluminum flat panels You want 12-16 inch long, need to measure panel That's it Then drill holes and strap in on the rail Have fun!

Thanks Douglass - all the best..

Great information, thank you! Where did you purchase the white plastic rail mounts?

Hello Philip Magistro, I bought them at a boating store in Seattle - called Fisheries Supply - they may ship. But I would also check your local west marine - they are standard stern rail mounts - they fit lots of other stuff as well as solar panels. Good luck !

Excellent, glad it was helpful. I'm about to post a couple new photos of the system. Everything is still working great.

Two questions 1. Is a 30w panel large enough to trick charge two 12v batteries? 2. How large an in-line on the positive lead to the battery?

Hello - Yes, a 30watt panel is large enough to trickle charge 2 12 V batteries. That is the set up I have on my boat - it works great - even in mixed sun/cloud conditions. When you ask 'how large' an in-line on the pos. lead - I am assuming you're asking the guage. I can't give the exact guage that is suited for your set-up. But, I know that the reasonable range is between 10-14 awg. Hope that helps.. Cheers

Kevin Thanks. Great info! I was actually trying to ask type and size of fuse on the positive lead to the battery. Fingers! Cheers Bill Pierson

Thanks for a great post! I'll go with the Renogy 200 Watt kit. I know it's not as adventurous, but easier and faster. And time is money :)

Lucas, I hear ya. Time is money - best of luck with that kit. I think you've made a wise decision.... Kevin

Thanks a lot Kavin for your guidance on installing a solar panel on boat. As solar panels are the most effective and the best way of generating electricity these days so everybody wants to install a solar panel of their own. But installing a solar panel in the boat is little challenging. Thanks for sharing the step by step guidelines, it is definitely going to help the readers.

Great article. A few questions: The article explains how to hook it up to one battery. But I have a system with two house banks of two bateries each, as well as a starter battery. How do I ensure that the trickle charge gets to all give batteries? Or do you just hook it up to the starter battery? How does this system interact with my charger?

Mary, I have a similar battery bank - but the two are connected. I connect the leads of the solar panel to my house batteries. However, if they are not connected - then I would connect the leads of your solar panel to the starter battery.

Mary, I would get a MorningStar SunSaver Duo controller which can charge 2 batteries (or banks thereof) and set the 2 house banks in parallel on the controller's Batt1 and the Starter Battery on Batt2. This controller has the option to charge 90/10 or 50/50, 90/10 is best for this setup because the starting battery doesn't need much, just enough to top-it-off.

Hi Kevin, I purchased the Renogy 100w panel with controler. I like your plastic rail mounts. Where can I find those. I plan to mount this on the stern of my 73, 27' Catalina stern rail. Thanks, Chris

Chris, I got mine at a boat store in Seattle called Fishery Supplies. I just looked it up on their website. Here's the page for those rail clamps. https://www.fisheriessupply.com/sea-dog-line-removable-rail-mount-clamps-327199-1 Made by a company called Sea Dog. Good luck - Kevin

I have a 20 volt panel, single marine battery, with a controler working without problem for about 4 years. While motoring out of the marina the controler caught fire. I did not have a fuse installed as you described in your installation guide. Any idea what might have caused this? Barry

Barry Curran, That is an odd and unfortunate situation. I am not an expert on safeguarding circuits, however I can weigh in with my opinion. I do think that the installation of a circuit fuse would help prevent over-charge or over-heating happening within the circuit. I think - assuming the over-charge was happening throughout the circuit - that the fuse would have blown, thereby salvaging your controller. However, there is a chance that a diode or some other internal circuit on the controller was the weak link. In that case, I don't believe a downstream fuse would have helped save your controller. I would install a fuse and get yourself a new controller. Best of luck! Kevin Curran

Just an helpful clarification on the purpose and location of the fuse. The fuse is to protect the wire, and should be placed as close to the origination of the power source as possible which, in this case, is the positive lead near the solar panel. We're all use to hearing about locating the main fuse on a boat as close to the battery as possible; that's because that's where the power comes from. Also, the fuse should be sized based upon the length and gauge of the wire.

Thanks for that additional insight on the location of the fuse! Sorry I didn't see this comment earlier.

Thanks for sharing the helpful guide to install solar panels .

Thanks for sharing article solar installation on boats it is really informative.A Solar panel is typically a panel that absorbs solar energy and uses it as a source of energy to generate electricity. They are basically made up of solar cells or the photovoltaic cells that are arranged as a photovoltaic array making up the photovoltaic system.I know a place one of the best solar installation company provides best solar services and products that are not just economical, but also efficient with customized solutions to offer you the best from our vast range of affordable models...

Greetings, How lucky am I to have happened upon your easily understood blog. Stupid question: can I mount the solar panel flat on the deck of my Nonsuch sailboat? (I know: don’t step on it!). Will it be worthwhile? (It can’t go on the stern rail).

Yes, that can be done. If you have a bimini or any cover in your cockpit, that is probably a better location. But flat on the deck can work, you can create a border around it to prevent falling on it...

Thank you so much for your excellent blog. I am considering a solar system for my 28' Catalina sailboat. Battery question: Any problem using solar systems with AGM batteries? I have two, house and starter battery.

Hmmm, that's a good question. I have never heard of any issue with AGMs on a solar system. Any other readers here have comments?

Selecting the correct charger depends primarily on the design of your deep cycle battery, so the first thing you need to do is determine the construction type of your battery. TrollingBatteryAdvisor.com This is likely to prolong the life of each battery and save you money in the long run.

Great blog! Can I leave my solar panel attached to the battery while I'm drawing from the battery to run my trolling motor?

Anonymous, Yes, you certainly can. There is no issue with drawing from a battery that is being fed energy from a solar panel. Enjoy Captain Curran

Thanks for sharing this article here about the solar panels for boats . Your article is very informative and I will share it with my other friends as the information is really very useful. Keep sharing your excellent work.

Great to hear! Glad the post was helpful..

Thanks a lot, Captain Curran and co-Captain Jessica for a nice and informative article about "Marine solar panel installation". This article will surely help the sailor in the Sea. And using a solar panel in the mid-sea is a very nice idea as an alternative source of power. Best wishes from SolarPandit

Thank you very much, Captain Curran and co-Captain Jessica, for a very interesting and insightful post on "Marine solar panel installation." This article will undoubtedly assist the sailor at sea. Using a solar panel and  in the middle of the sea as an alternate source of electricity is also a great idea.

Hello all, Great to see the article has been helpful for those putting panels on their boat. Don't hesitate to reach out with any questions. I changed the notification, so I should be pinged when someone asks a question. Fair winds!

The Renogy 30 Watt Solar Panel is an excellent choice for light energy users, while the 100 Watt Solar Panel is preferred for moderate energy users. And remember to use a suitable quality controller like the Morningstar SunSaver-10 to control the panel's charge and prevent over-charging the battery.

Their step-by-step guide for installing solar panels on boats is incredibly helpful, and I appreciate the personal touch of sharing their own experiences and the success they've had with their solar panel system. The detailed explanations, recommended products, and estimated costs make it easy for someone like me to envision completing this project over a weekend. I'm definitely inspired to take on this DIY installation and enjoy the freedom of generating my own energy while sailing.

I can’t really help but admire your article your topic is so adorable and nice.

Forbidden love in a mesmerizing supernatural universe. Anime like Devils Line

Captain Curran's guide to installing solar panels on boats is a real lifesaver! After following his easy-to-understand steps, I completed my own installation over a weekend, and now my boat's batteries are always topped off during my fishing trips in the Chesapeake Bay. No more worries about a dead battery spoiling the fun!

Hello Captain, Great article, thank you. Our vessel has (6) 6 volt golf cart batteries, a 2000 Watt inverter, plus a generator. I want to limit the generator recharge time by installing a 100 or 200 watt kit that you recommend. My question is can I just connect the pos. and neg. marine grade wires from the controller directly to my battery bank pos. and neg. Thanks, John

This article on installing solar panels for boats brought back memories of my own sailing adventures along the coast of California. I remember the frustration of being stranded due to a dead battery and the relief that came with finding a solution. Capt. Curran's step-by-step guide is not only practical but also reflects his passion for sustainable energy solutions, making it a valuable resource for fellow sailors.

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Hello Capt. I want to limit the amount of recharge time on my boat. I installed a 100 watt Renolgy panel, controller, correct gauge wire, and fused both positive leads properly. My house batteries are (6) golf cart batteries, 1200 ah, 12 volt output. What are your suggestions for connecting the controller pos and neg terminals. Thanks, John

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How to Install Solar Panels on Your Sailboat

• By Cruising World Staff
• December 16, 2022

Cruising World Editor at Large Tim Murphy had a project pop up for his Passport 40 Billy Pilgrim , so he knew just where to go for supplies. Before getting started, Tim stopped at West Marine to pick up all of the gear he needed to install a new set of solar panels on his sailboat:

• Solar Panels
• Electronic Controller(s)
• Cable (Duplex conductor, sized per ABYC)
• Wire Terminals (preferably heat-shrink)
• In-Line Fuse Holders (2 per panel)

With the help of the pros at West Marine and Navtronics, Tim and the crew successfully installed new solar panels and is ready for his next journey aboard Billy Pilgrim.

Got a project? Need some supplies? Stop by your local West Marine or visit www.westmarine.com before getting started.

• More: DIY , How To , sailing , solar panel , sponsored , Sponsored Post , west marine
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