Another good video. Very professional looking install. If and when we get our Ranger I would be going through you video’s again and copying several of your ideas. As always just waiting for your next.
Martin, I know nothing about solar, wattage, volts, amps, inverters, or controllers. But the prospect of being electricity independent is enticing enough for me to start learning. You mentioned several times "meeting your needs," did the factory installed solar panel give you enough energy to run 24-7 equipment such as bilge pump? Did you have enough left over for the fridge or did you upgrade because you found the single panel could not run lights, fridge, and bilge pump while on the hook or unplugged at the dock? What are your wattage needs on a typical overnight on the hook?
Thanks for watching!! The factory panel was 160 watts. With the Pacific Northwest weather, we have really nice summers for boating season. The 160 watt panel is sized to keep the batteries topped off when the boat is being trailered. When underway, it keeps up with just the cabin refrigerator. 160 watts isn’t enough to power everything onboard. We also have a cockpit refrigerator as additional power draw. Lights and bilge pumps don’t draw much at all. We are heavy power users and goes through about 1200 watts a day. If I run the hot water heater off the inverter, that’s easily another 700 watts’ish. During June/July we see between 2000 and 2600 watts a day from our 400 watt solar array.
@@Letsgochannelsurfing I'm learning a great deal from your videos. We have our name on an r27 build for this December and your videos provide invaluable food for thought and I plan to approach the factory with wants/needs based on what we anticipate as well as real world feedback from folks like you. thanks!
Looking at the sun-hours per day for Florida (Miami), it's 6.2hours in the summer as a high. I think it's possible, but you'd need a larger solar array. Maybe like, 1000 watts, 1200 watts... It all depends on how long you'd run the air conditioner every day.
Great content! What is the source for the SS stand-offs? Also, did you use two Y connectors for the panel + and - going to the factory controller wire?
Thanks for watching!! I connected the solar panels in series, so no Y connectors were necessary. The SS stand-offs are made by Gemini Marine Products. www.geminiproducts.net/slide-mount-and-hinged-jaw-slide/
Man, you are definitely not getting your fair share of commissions on all the Ranger Tugs you have been responsible for selling! Awesome content sir! I'm a Midwestern boater with a Scout 242 Abaco which was my dream boat. Now, I'm actually considering selling my almost paid off Scout for a Ranger Tug!
Not as complicated as I thought it was going to be. Running it in series meant that there was no wiring that needed to be run. Those clamps are nice quality.
The other thing running them in series does... keeps those amps on the wire low which results in less power loss due to heat caused by resistance in the wire.
Which MC4 connectors did you have to replace, the ones from the boat itself? Why wouldn't they mate up with the ones on the new panel, different types?
The boat comes from the factory without any MC4 connectors. The factory solar panel is simply butt-spliced together and heat shrink'd. So, the choices are to add MC4 connectors to the boat to connect the new panels, or to cut the MC4 connectors off the new panels and butt-splice the wire to the boat.
I'm doing about the same on my R31 CB right now so I really appreciated this video!
Thanks for watching!! I'm glad you found this video useful!
Great content again ! You harness the solar power now !
Thanks for watching!!
Another good video. Very professional looking install. If and when we get our Ranger I would be going through you video’s again and copying several of your ideas. As always just waiting for your next.
Thank you!!
Great video guys...looking forward to the next one.
Thank you and thanks for watching!
Technology is cool!
As long as it works as advertised. :)
Thanks for sharing... Appreciate all the good info!!
Glad you found this useful. Thanks for watching!!
Great info
Glad it was helpful!
Martin, I know nothing about solar, wattage, volts, amps, inverters, or controllers. But the prospect of being electricity independent is enticing enough for me to start learning. You mentioned several times "meeting your needs," did the factory installed solar panel give you enough energy to run 24-7 equipment such as bilge pump? Did you have enough left over for the fridge or did you upgrade because you found the single panel could not run lights, fridge, and bilge pump while on the hook or unplugged at the dock? What are your wattage needs on a typical overnight on the hook?
Thanks for watching!!
The factory panel was 160 watts. With the Pacific Northwest weather, we have really nice summers for boating season. The 160 watt panel is sized to keep the batteries topped off when the boat is being trailered. When underway, it keeps up with just the cabin refrigerator. 160 watts isn’t enough to power everything onboard.
We also have a cockpit refrigerator as additional power draw. Lights and bilge pumps don’t draw much at all.
We are heavy power users and goes through about 1200 watts a day. If I run the hot water heater off the inverter, that’s easily another 700 watts’ish.
During June/July we see between 2000 and 2600 watts a day from our 400 watt solar array.
@@Letsgochannelsurfing I'm learning a great deal from your videos. We have our name on an r27 build for this December and your videos provide invaluable food for thought and I plan to approach the factory with wants/needs based on what we anticipate as well as real world feedback from folks like you. thanks!
@@MurkyDregs be sure to check out our web site, specifically about upgrades, if you haven’t already.
www.letsgochannelsurfing.com/upgrades
@@Letsgochannelsurfing Will do! btw my name is Martin as well and my brother screened for command recently... SSN!
How would this setup do with running the AC? Floridian here :)
Looking at the sun-hours per day for Florida (Miami), it's 6.2hours in the summer as a high. I think it's possible, but you'd need a larger solar array. Maybe like, 1000 watts, 1200 watts... It all depends on how long you'd run the air conditioner every day.
Great content! What is the source for the SS stand-offs? Also, did you use two Y connectors for the panel + and - going to the factory controller wire?
Thanks for watching!! I connected the solar panels in series, so no Y connectors were necessary. The SS stand-offs are made by Gemini Marine Products.
www.geminiproducts.net/slide-mount-and-hinged-jaw-slide/
Man, you are definitely not getting your fair share of commissions on all the Ranger Tugs you have been responsible for selling! Awesome content sir! I'm a Midwestern boater with a Scout 242 Abaco which was my dream boat. Now, I'm actually considering selling my almost paid off Scout for a Ranger Tug!
Thanks for watching! The RT27 is a fantastic boat. :)
Not as complicated as I thought it was going to be. Running it in series meant that there was no wiring that needed to be run. Those clamps are nice quality.
The other thing running them in series does... keeps those amps on the wire low which results in less power loss due to heat caused by resistance in the wire.
where did you get the panels?
I got my panels from here. www.custommarineproducts.com/rigid-marine-solar-panels.html
Which MC4 connectors did you have to replace, the ones from the boat itself? Why wouldn't they mate up with the ones on the new panel, different types?
The boat comes from the factory without any MC4 connectors. The factory solar panel is simply butt-spliced together and heat shrink'd. So, the choices are to add MC4 connectors to the boat to connect the new panels, or to cut the MC4 connectors off the new panels and butt-splice the wire to the boat.
@@Letsgochannelsurfing Ah ok that makes sense. Yeah the connectors are a better choice, gives you more optionality down the road for new panels.
Cutting the mc4 connectors off a new solar panel would probably void the warranty on the solar panel as well.
Will you be at the ranger tug meet in September in roche harbor
We are planning on it. As long as we can get tickets
@@Letsgochannelsurfing sounds good we will be in the red 2015 27
How many batteries did u add
I have 1 house battery (LFP) that's 320amp-hours.