Date: 22 October 2021. Solar on Cloudy Days (#5 in series)

© janice142
 

Of course any off-grid power set-up tends to be tweaked, improved, and upgraded over time. There are always more projects on a boat. We reach one plateau and promptly extend the goalposts a bit further with the next Great Idea. I started with two 100aH batteries, which doubled to four due to the gift from Mary and Christian. Over the years I have increased that to seven batteries in the bilge. That is a lot!

Being able to generate power is only one part of the off-grid solution. Having adequate storage for said power is critical too. Thus, batteries are a required element. And the more, the better.

For a synopsis about batteries aboard Seaweed,
please read the Batteries Store Power article.
 

Chasing green water, I moved the boat south to the St. Petersburg area.

I've been here meandering around for quite some time. It is beautiful, albeit crowded.
 

Once I arrived in St. Petersburg I was gifted two more solar panels from Bucky. This pair made a Big
Impact. Thank you again Cap'n Larry and Eva. Your panels put me over the top in power production.

The two 85 watt panels were installed outbound above my galley/dinette area.
 

The two Bucky panels increased the total wattage of my solar array to 445 watts. That sounds like a lot, and indeed it is. The five panels reliably provide 150aHs per day when it is sunny. This is sufficient for my decadent lifestyle. Excluding the air conditioner, there is zero difference between my life at the dock or while anchored. Those last two panels secured a relaxed off-grid life. I now really don't consider power at all, unless it is cloudy...

I am happiest when my batteries are above 12.4 though that is not
usually possible until the sun shines on my solar panels in the morning.

 

I primarily rely on solar to power my life off-grid.
 

With the reefer turned off, I can maintain a minimal lifestyle at anchor. Although I won't be nuking popcorn I can utilize propane for cooking. I will still be able to visit Trawler Forum online via the lovely tablet I was given. Thank you again Cap'n Gary for that. I never imagined how cool a tablet could be! And too, my Kindle beckons on these lazy days of autumn... I indeed blessed.
 

The thing is, as long as I am having windy days I can manage to continue life as normal with the power generated by my Air-Breeze wind generator. It will supplement the lack of solar on cloudy days. Often times, if the sun is not shining there is some wind.
 

I will say that in Gulfport I found the breezes I had missed since the east coast.

This Tidewater center console boat is heading across the bay near Gulfport.

The Problem with Gulfport is that my boat is smaller than most. Gulfport has a great deal of fetch. I explained fetch in the By the Shipyard article. Basically the danger occurs if there is a long distance between you and the shoreline combined with winds. Winds will cause the waves to increase.
 

For those of us with smaller vessels, it is wise to anchor in areas with nearby shorelines. This means I chose to be out of those winds, thus must rely on my solar system for power. Solar when combined with a hefty battery bank enables my life to be incredibly decadent. But there's more to it than that. The next article will conclude the series.
 

Thank you for reading. Happy boating.
 

I am curious as to how large a solar array you have? Or plan to have...
And, how much battery capacity do you have?
 

COMMENTS:
 

© 2021, © 2023

Categories:  Boat Talk, Boats, Books, Characters, Gear, Locations,

Adding Renogy and Upgrading Solar Regulator (#4 in series) ~ Previous Post ...   
... Next Post ~ And in Conclusion (#6 in series)

I am also an Amazon Affiliate.