solar panel

Can anyone recommend a good solar panel and regulator...Ericson 28 will be on mooring...

I have two Siemens 130w panels with a Xantrex controller. They run my refrigeration full time and also provide some charging on top of that. They are mounted on a custom frame above the bimini.

Check out the 120 watt panel at foster-wills.com It is well priced and can be mounted on a pole or on the bimini top. It is a good size for powering a boat with refrigeration. It will produce about 40+ amp hours a day. Another good panel is the Kycera KC85TS, an 85 watt panel which also can be pole mounted. It is a good size if you are conservative on power and have a good alternator. It will produce about 25 amp hours a day.

Thanks for the information...

Bob, see reply #12, here: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5137.0.html

Contorllers Go with Morningstar

The only controllers that we use anymore are the Morningstar ones. Models vary to fit what your panel puts out. Have used them in shore and afloat installations for over 10 years, in that time we have had only 1 issue, and it was caused by an owner shorting the output somehow to 120 volts. They repaired it out of warranted peroid for free, and even apologized. (I explained that the client had decided to do something stupid, and they didn't need to apologize, but they still did. ) Great people to work with and very helpful all around. Also they are all made in the USA.

Guy

Solar on E27

I instaled a KC85 panel on a custom mount for my E27. I used the 15A Morningstar MPPT controller to get each precious watt from my panel. Makes for a nice shade too . With a fridge, Watermaker and the usual nav stuff, it more than kept my batteries topped off as long as the sun was out. I could even charge my laptop via inverter during the day w/o running the engine. Course, to make it all work I skimp on lighting (all LED) and installed a very energy concious fridge.

I attached some pics of the Morningstar controller mounted in the bilge on the starboard aft settee near the back side of the battery switch. Even in the ocean and when under max load, I have never had the unit even get warm. The second pic is of the mounts I added. Railmakers in Costa Mesa made them for me. The third pic is of the bottom side of the panels. The install was tested in 40+kt winds at sea level with no problems.