Considering getting a small size (12` - 14`) pontoon boat with a small (75 lb.) trolling motor. Thinking about having a ~200 watt solar array to provide power for the motor. Has anyone put together a similar rig? Tried to get a discussion going several months ago, but appeared to not be any interest back then. Hoping with all the newer people on board, somebody would have some thoughts on what would or would not work.
Solar powered pontoon boat
- Thread starter Grumpy 49
- Start date
Bob B
Emperor Of Solar
- Joined
- Sep 21, 2019
- Messages
- 8,757
Yep .... at least the ones for fishing boats. Maybe some people thinking of a BIG electric
building a 20 ft pontoon going to use a golden bldc hpm 5000 b 15kv 48v elec motor not sure size of array panels and batterys yet still working on that thanks smitty
The smaller (MITEY-TOON, PONDKING, etc.) pontoon boats are light enough that a ~75 lb. trolling motor should work fine. Thought was to use Solar Panels and home built mount in lieu of a bimini top. 15 kv @ 48 volts is a lot of Amps. How fast do you intend to go???
4 to 5 knots i want to find out how many panels 100 watts per and how many batterys 100 v and set up two banks
SUNEATER
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2019
- Messages
- 9
You're going to want more than 200 watts of paneling. At least double that, probably triple. Even in full sun, most "200 watt" panels will only deliver about 140 watts. You need 660 watts to run 12v at 55 amps. Good news is you should easily be able to fit that on the pontoon (improvised roof?), can use "cheap" lead batteries, since you probably wont be putting a lot of cycles on them.
Oh my... I hope you have a thread to discuss this project! 100V?
A small pontoon boat with a 55 lb trolling motor (Minn Kota) set at power level #2 would draw ~12 amps at 12 volts. With a fully charged 100 amp hour battery and using typical 100 watt panels, 3 panels should constantly provide 9 amps of recharging power. How fast/how long do you want to run your boat???
Typical 55 lb motor at max #5 setting would draw ~55 amps. Assume that 100 watt panels on a moving boat would only average 3 amps per panel. If you want to run a heavy pontoon boat only on power from solar panels, best guess is 18 panels to run at full power. Even in your best case, you would get less than 6 amps per panel, and that is before any system losses.
P.S. - TORQEEDO electric motor have power usage curves for their various models, As much power as they draw, their factory approved solar panel is only rated 50 watts. TORQEEDO motors can draw down their battery pack in minutes when running at full power.
Typical 55 lb motor at max #5 setting would draw ~55 amps. Assume that 100 watt panels on a moving boat would only average 3 amps per panel. If you want to run a heavy pontoon boat only on power from solar panels, best guess is 18 panels to run at full power. Even in your best case, you would get less than 6 amps per panel, and that is before any system losses.
P.S. - TORQEEDO electric motor have power usage curves for their various models, As much power as they draw, their factory approved solar panel is only rated 50 watts. TORQEEDO motors can draw down their battery pack in minutes when running at full power.
FullTimeOverland
New Member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2019
- Messages
- 22
I have a Bass Buggy Pro 16 foot (7’ wide) pontoon boat with 24 inch pontoons, that I’m converting into a mini solar electric houseboat. I have twenty 170w sun power semi flexible panels, a 48v MPP Solar unit, eight 24v Battle Borns, two 4k watt 48v Torqeedo motors (will only run one at a time), and a small mini split A/C unit. The cabin is 3 layers of 1” R-Max insulation (no frame), sprayed with Line-X.
I built an off-road teardrop trailer, with a 24 V system, using this method, and it’s awesome! I’m in Henderson Nevada, if anyone wants to check it out.
I built an off-road teardrop trailer, with a 24 V system, using this method, and it’s awesome! I’m in Henderson Nevada, if anyone wants to check it out.
Attachments
View attachment 10688I think this is the one...No issues with stability. No inflatable stuff. Lots of good reviews Hopefully it will fit on the roof, and this one comes with the motor and battery already included!
OKAY Folks - Reason for this thread was to come up with the design for a Solar powered pontoon boat. Pontoon boat to have the room to mount two or three Solar Panels to run everything. Mitey Toon, Logoboat, Pond King, etc. - all these folks build 12' - 14' pontoon boats that normally use a 55 lb trolling motor. So the basic inexpensive pontoon boat is readily available.
Typical 100 watt 12 volt panel is about 42" x 22", and a weight of about 16 pounds. Current Bimini Top frames will not support that much weight. Need ideas as to the following:
1.) A frame that will support ~50 pounds and doesn't require special skills or expensive materials to build.
2.) Best way to mount Solar Panels to the frame.
3.) Controller (MPPT?) that will tolerate a marine environment.
4.) Waterproofing???
5.) Fusing, wiring, switches, etc. and any other miscellaneous item required to complete such a system.
Need to insure the system is safe to use for anyone on the boat.
6.) Great ideas!
Hoped that there would be enough smart folks, with different ideas, that could come up with a cost effective (see - I didn't say CHEAP) way to convert a simple pontoon boat to using a "green friendly" propulsion system.
Typical 100 watt 12 volt panel is about 42" x 22", and a weight of about 16 pounds. Current Bimini Top frames will not support that much weight. Need ideas as to the following:
1.) A frame that will support ~50 pounds and doesn't require special skills or expensive materials to build.
2.) Best way to mount Solar Panels to the frame.
3.) Controller (MPPT?) that will tolerate a marine environment.
4.) Waterproofing???
5.) Fusing, wiring, switches, etc. and any other miscellaneous item required to complete such a system.
Need to insure the system is safe to use for anyone on the boat.
6.) Great ideas!
Hoped that there would be enough smart folks, with different ideas, that could come up with a cost effective (see - I didn't say CHEAP) way to convert a simple pontoon boat to using a "green friendly" propulsion system.
Mars
New Member
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2019
- Messages
- 82
I am planning a solar powered boat. The plan is the smallest electric trolling motor available and use a 60 AmpHr 12V LiFePo4 battery. The solar PV charging system is mounted on my RV and will stay on shore.
No need to have solar on the boat. I figured a 60 AmpHr battery will be way overkill. I will charge on shore and move the battery to the boat.
Mars
No need to have solar on the boat. I figured a 60 AmpHr battery will be way overkill. I will charge on shore and move the battery to the boat.
Mars
Should be getting at least 5A from 100w panel. I know you mean average so we can say 100w will produce realitically about 600wh a day flat mounted. Or a little over 4A average. It would probably better just do this all in watthours.
Im sure you know that being on a budget you cant buy marine grade stuff. So youre going to have to get or build a sealed box for it all.
Like the other poster youre probably going to want semi-flexible panels for center of gravity and weight issues. Despite being a pontoon.
Mounting is just a matter of getting creative. Its not a super common project so youre not going to get a flood of replies.
MARS - Any RV solar set-up will work if you are just recharging a battery after using it. As repeatedly stated, I used a square stern canoe with a 100 AH trolling motor battery, and a standard 6 Amp "dumb" Western Auto charger for many years. 30 years ago, didn't have LiFePo4 batteries, and only NASA could afford Solar Panels.
Save your money, and just buy a LiFePo4 rated battery charger. Should cost less than $100 for a quality name brand LiFePo4 rated charger.
On any moving vehicle, Solar Panels are not consistently aligned for optimum performance because the vehicle moves. Better to design for a lower level of performance, and get a "bonus" amount of juice. Even "fixed" Panels will have different outputs as the earth rotates.
Save your money, and just buy a LiFePo4 rated battery charger. Should cost less than $100 for a quality name brand LiFePo4 rated charger.
On any moving vehicle, Solar Panels are not consistently aligned for optimum performance because the vehicle moves. Better to design for a lower level of performance, and get a "bonus" amount of juice. Even "fixed" Panels will have different outputs as the earth rotates.
Great idea - How hard would it be to collect data from various current vehicle mounted solar panel users, that have fixed flat mounted panels? If the data could be collected a number of times over the daylight hours, and then compared to the manufacturers' specs, then that data would be helpful to any future users.
