Solar Panels Marine

 
Boats are kept both for recreational purposes as well as commercial ones and solar panels are the one thing which can make a significant difference in the way they are run. Now that solar energy is finding its way into all aspects of everyday life from solar roads to roofs it only makes sense that there would be an ongoing race for the best marine solar panels.
 

Benefits

• The fun times are not going to be interrupted by dead batteries or an overheated generator. Solar panels are extremely heat resistant and depending on the size of your boat and the size of the panels you have invested in, you can generate enough energy to run the boat off-grid which is no small feat. Many boat owners no longer even carry extra generators but do stock up on extra batteries to be filled with solar energy.

• Apart from the initial cost, this is free energy which can be used without care or remorse and can make a holiday all the more fun as smaller as well as larger appliances can be powered.

• If marine flexible solar panels are used the possibilities are endless as they do not even need a straight surface to be installed upon and can easily be set up anywhere. They can mold themselves into any curved surface hence optimizing the power output of the boat.

• In the long term the costs of running the boat can be significantly reduced as solar power can also be used to supplement the running of the engine if it is turned into a hybrid one that runs both on electricity and on fuel.
 

Choosing Solar Panels

There is no difference between choosing solar panels for your boat and choosing them for your house. You need to consider how much power output you are after and install in the size and material that is most likely to get you those extra volts. The most commonly sought after options are listed below:-

• Polycrystalline solar cells which are meshed together in tempered glass and have a silicon crystal origin. They generate a fair amount of power and need no work to be put in once the panels have been installed.

• Monocrystalline are very expensive but boast of a high power output and increased efficiency as they are made from one crystal rather than fragments of one. They come in two or three color options and are easier on the eyes than some of the cheaper panels.

• Amorphous panels are the cheapest option and there is some evidence to suggest they provide a small advantage on rainy days or general days with bad weather as they keep generating power even then. But on the whole they are notorious for their lack of efficiency and many people have managed to construct them at home by buying solar cells in bulk online.

Boat owners may not at once see the importance or relevance of installing solar panels but it is worthwhile to keep in mind that they provide a brilliant secondary if not primary source of power which keeps charging on its own and can really come in handy when your generator runs out.