Solar Powered Narrowboat! Installing Solar Panels on our canal boat. Ep. 98

Hi,the link for solar panels is not working anymore,U got another link ref please?

Another excellent video. Only question not answered on there and I don't know if you have on one of [all your] other vlogs is the actual cost to instal and how you think you have saved / spent because of it. I appreciate the idea of them rather than a genny on if you need to do a wash maybe a no brainer. Ps any point of them on the croft roof? Again a very good vlog.

Interesting video, thank you. What is the voltage distribution around your boat - is it 240 VAC (via an inverter) or just battery DC Voltage? Do you use standard 240VAC appliances? As you've now sold Silver Fox - I should've used past tense ;)

What I didn't get from your video is - was the winter power enough for you or did you need to start her up?

Where can I buy that solar kit please

What size inverter do you need or use please

Hi guys. Great video, which inspired me to buy the same kit (just the 4 panels). Just one question for you. My roof has a non slip surface. Should I just stick them on and hope for the best, or seal the edges with Sikaflex. Would this though prevent expansion/contraction. I just dont want water to get underneath and rust the roof. A conundrum indeed. Any advice very welcome.

Hey chaps. I'm planning to get similar, if not the same panels as you had on Silver Fox. It seems one of the things that makes them look so slick is the flexible adhesive you've used to stick them down. What adhesive is it? Thanks and enjoy Scotland!

Dare I ask how mucha costa.
Might be having a 57' boat fitted out soon, so cost and link to your guy would be appreciated and yes I've noted it's "it's in the video description" but this old duffer not sure how to find it sorry.
Ball park figure m'be?

Great video guys.

I fully understand that when you build such a beautifull boat you don't want to destroy the slick looks with these rigid panels! And the flexibles you have work fantastic! Well done!

Hi, would you mind letting me know the supplier of these panels. so many suppliers, so many good reviews and we trust you guys over anything : )

One thing to consider. The solar panels are working at it best within a narrow band of temperature. If they get too hot you get lower effeciencies off them.

Excellent video and I am seriously considering installing these panels myself.
However the one thing that puts me off is if I have to remove a panel.
Will the adhesive take the paint off the roof or will it be quite straight forward in getting the roof back to its original condition by removing the adhesive.
Thanks guys

Thank you soooo much for a very informative video. I am trying to DIY convert a transit bus into a tiny house and this could be PERFECT! Also the composting toilet vlog helped me out.... a brand I've not heard of.

Great report.
So, next step is electric propulsion, right?

Given the success of the panels, are you thinking of a hybrid set up for Silver Fox II where the shaft is driven by an electric motor and your engine and pannels either directly power the motor or charge the batteries? Like a submarine?

My husband says that 318kWh would be the equivalent of us charging our electric car (e-Golf) 10 times, or 1400 miles of driving. He's impressed!

If I were to visit/rent for about 2 months would you recommend spring or fall? Summer is out, too hot, expensive and especially, busy. Cam

Hi guys!!! Are you going to install flexible solar panels on the new SILVER FOX??

Thankyou for sharing that, very useful point with the power they generate, like the fact they are streamlined and lie flat.

Who made your flexible panels?
I 'm thinking of using them on a house!

Finally!... Panel Talk... been wondering how those have been working out for you.

Will I be able to run like a Xbox x console off this type of setup? For long periods of times?

Brilliant explanation. So clear and concise, that I , as a young spirited wrinkly , understood! Thank you.

Like you I have flexible solar panels on my boat (6x100w in three parallel pairs). On a sunny summer's day the leisure battery array is fully charged by late morning. Usually the solar controller would float the solar voltage and chuck the excess power away. So I installed a programable relay (an Eazy VLC 12v) to monitor the solar voltage and when it starts to float, I divert the power to a 200w emersian heater in my boats calorifier.

Great video, very professionally done considering solar panels for my boat and your video swayed me to think of the flexible panels ... but my question is what are you going to do with them when the time comes to paint the top again?
will they come off so you can reuse them? or is this a one way trip

We want to put a hybrid engine in our boat and obviously add solar panels, we are very interested in your system, can you please tell us where you got them from. We are also interested in aThermodynamic hot water system. Love your vlog, watch every Friday.

What an another amazing video as you know I'm still in Spain researching my boat. Is the bowthruster ran from batteries? Or you can get hydraulic ones? Much love from scorching andalusia x

Amazing video as always and easy enough to understand, question though, does the single panel and controller go to your leisure batteries aswell or just your starter battery? as midsummer advertises it as if its solely for your starter battery. If its just the leisure bank wouldn't a bigger charge controller do the same thing as the two seperate or would it have the same negative effect on the volts as you explained?

take care and hope to meet you at crick! 🤞

great video, I'm in Australia and have a caravan, I'm soon to be traveling , sort of silver fox on bitumen, I'm in the process of upgrading my solar system from AGM battery's to lithium , guess what , everybody i know is suddenly an expert, you are so right, find something that works and as long as it works for you, its the right one, I've planned a system that should work and after a month or two refined it , got a shake down run soon to iron out the creases, was so good to see a honest non expert report that confirmed my belief , learn the basics then custom it to work for you., take care., best wishes from Oz

I'm curious, do you have an idea of what percentage of your electrical power over the year comes from solar, vs the engine or perhaps even mains power? Our house has solar and currently we produce about 88% of what we need for our home each year. Like on the boat we generate more than we can use in the summer and less than we use in the winter. Where we have our advantage is during the summer when the demand for power is high we are able to sell our excess production to the local utility at their highest rate for buying in the winter when we don't produce enough we buy back at a lower rate. In an odd way we use the grid as a long term battery of a sort. Enjoy the vlog. Hoping to get current with you in about a month. Many thanks and fair wind and calm seas.

Brilliant! Great explanations and it's certainly given me a head start, on thinking about what I'll want on my boat. Thanks 🙂

I really enjoy the vlogs! Been watching to catch up to almost real time.
Now you have a year with the solar, what about the batteries? Any battery maintenance or issues with storing electricity? Also, did you consider a wind generator? Thank you!

Super informative guys, I found that really interesting, apart from anything else, your panels are really non-obtrusive, and fit in with the Silver Fox overall profile.

Those are the coolest looking solar panels v'e seen. They blend into the design of the boat and I think give it a pleasing distinctive look.

Interesting I was wondering about power… fun to visit with you both working through your catalog

Guys, I wanted to ask; what do you do with your excess energy when the batteries are full? Can it be dumped into water heating for example?

Fascinating. You described the setup and technology that even a novice like me can understand. 😊

What is the brand of the solar panels you used on your boat and where did you buy them?

I love your solar panels. That’s the kind of set up I would have if I was to build my own narrowboat. Thanks for the info 😊

I love your solar panels! Take care guys! Have A Great Week!💜💜

I understood nothing about how much energy the panels produced until you said washing machine loads! As a family of 5 this I completely understand! That's a lot!
Also, did the aesthetics of the flexible panels sway your choice? I have seen the other sort and the flexible ones do look nicer.

Very Good one Colin. Been environmentally friendly myself with a Solar Geyser, and trying to find an effeciant solar energy generator for a while now, I found this video very informative. Of course, I live in a very sunny place so solar should be more effective, the biggest problem here is the price at the moment. Those selling solar are taking advantage and overpricing the panels. Geysers are pretty cheap though, especially the vacuum tube ones, and they work well.

Great informative vlog guys ! Solar is the future. Imagine a building roof tiled in solar panels, electric cars with solar roofs to charge batteries while parked. I think this is just the start of things to come 👍

Hello Question Could you power the boat for cruising by using solar power ? Thanks

Another very good informative well presented educational video.

Thank you

I'm so glad you covered your solar panel issue as i have been considering this for a while. It seems so complicated with many options and i will have to do some more research, even though i am mechanically minded my face is still the same as shaun's!!. Your set up is mega though and works great., so many options to consider. ( i apologise if i spelt seans name inccorectly).

Hello. Seen your link in the video description to the equipment used, however there are no dimensions given for the solar panels. How long and wide is a panel please? Thank you.