Solar System Calculations.
The starting point for a solar panel installation on your boat is working out what your requirements are.
First, you need to calculate your daily (24-hour) average power consumption for all of the electrical loads you place on your system. List all of the appliances and their amp draws, (on a chart like the one below) If amps are not listed on the your appliance, you can work out the amps with the following formula: amps = watts/volts
Now its time to estimate the normal daily usage for each in hours, so that you have a list of appliances and their daily draw in amp-hours (Ah). Now total them all up.
First, you need to calculate your daily (24-hour) average power consumption for all of the electrical loads you place on your system. List all of the appliances and their amp draws, (on a chart like the one below) If amps are not listed on the your appliance, you can work out the amps with the following formula: amps = watts/volts
Now its time to estimate the normal daily usage for each in hours, so that you have a list of appliances and their daily draw in amp-hours (Ah). Now total them all up.
Let's assume your daily power consumption totals 100 Ah. A 100-Ah battery won't do it. Why? Because battery capacity is determined in part by the intervals between battery charges, and the discharge level.
A 100-Ah battery might in theory meet your daily energy requirements, but would have no reserve. And a battery should never be fully discharged. It must be able to store and deliver the full 100-Ah between charges. Further, with each complete discharge of your battery its capacity will gradually reduce.
A 100-Ah battery might in theory meet your daily energy requirements, but would have no reserve. And a battery should never be fully discharged. It must be able to store and deliver the full 100-Ah between charges. Further, with each complete discharge of your battery its capacity will gradually reduce.
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