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Re: [Amel Yacht Owners] Solar Panel Location

Patrick McAneny
 

Danny, The mounts are articulating , so any movement  transferred to the mounts is not directly transferred to the deck. I installed a diagonal s.s tube to stiffen it up and I don't think at the top of my arch the lateral movement with a lot of force applied would be more than a quarter inch. So at deck level virtually nothing. I built my own S.S. solar frame and davits, very robust , and have sailed probably 3000 miles with dinghy hoisted and no visible sign of movement. Having said that , I like what others have done , a removable cable to a padeye to further stiffen things up , more the better. Hope all is good with you guys , been watching a lot of sailing in the Bay of Islands on YouTube ,looks sweeet ! 

Regards,
Pat & Diane
SM Shenanigans



-----Original Message-----
From: Danny and Yvonne SIMMS simms@... [amelyachtowners]
To: amelyachtowners
Sent: Fri, Dec 1, 2017 12:38 pm
Subject: Re: [Amel Yacht Owners] Solar Panel Location

 
Hi,
With those tall arches and the tendency for sway I would be concerned about the stress on the fiberglass where the mountings are attached. That sway would translate into considerable lever action on the mounting points. Over time watch for star fracturing of the gel coat. 
Regards
Danny
SM 299 Ocean Pearl

On 02 December 2017 at 04:20 "Kent Robertson karkauai@... [amelyachtowners]" <amelyachtowners@...> wrote:

 
 
Hi Mark,
I just added an Atlantic Towers arch with solar on the arch.  I added 4 150watt panels.  The supports for the panels sold by Atlantic Towers didn't work with my panels and new supports were manufactured.  Atlantic didn't want to take their supports back, so I have them for sale.
Craig Briggs helped me install the arch...it took 2 1/2 days after a couple of mis-starts.  The install is straightforward and clean.  I used the supplied backing plates.  There is some side-to-side movement which I am so far dealing with when at sea with crossing lines from the arch to the aft cleats.  Attaching the arch to the lifelines helps some, but I will probably add removable cables angling from the arch to a pad-eye in the center of the deck below the aft lifeline.  I would use them when at sea, and remove them (at least the starboard one) when at anchor or med-moored.

Kent
S/V Kristy
SM243
 
 

 
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