Marinising Solar PV Modules for Boats & Yachts

When specifying a marine solar pv system there are a number of considerations which can make quite a difference to the lifespan of the system.

Solar PV Warranties

The issue with warranties is that there are very few brands of pv modules that are warranted for marine use, and those that are either have a very short warranty, or are disproportionately expensive. Most mainstream solar pv module manufacturers exclude marine or mobile use from their warranties. However, in over 20 years of supplying solar panels for marine use, we are happy to say that there is no real reason not to use standard solar panels - assuming they are of good build quality. Almost all decent quality modern solar panels use anodised aluminium frames, and many are tested in a salt mist environment. The better ones have an IP68 rated junction box fitted to the back of the panels for the cables to connect to the pv module. Some of the top manufacturers such as LG and Panasonic fully pot their junction boxes, ensuring that nothing can get inside to corrode the cell contacts and diodes.

Flexible Solar PV Modules ?

When cheap flexible solar pv modules first became popular a few years ago, we had our reservations. We had seen the beating that our early Uni-solar flexible panels had taken over the years and were fairly sceptical about their lifespan. Unfortunately, our suspicions have been confirmed - only top quality flexible solar panels will last a decent length of time in a harsh environment. One of the big issues is that many people bond the flexible solar panels directly to the cabin roof, often with a high strength industrial adhesive. This has two knock-on effects : 1) it stops air from flowing underneath the module to cool it, thus increasing the chance of a thermal failure on poorer quality designs and 2) it makes it really difficult to get the panels off easily in the case of any issues. Compared to the thinner, highly flexible modules, the more rigid semi-flexible panel construction is less likely to develop microscopic cell stress fractures. At the same time, some of the surface coatings on the cheaper panels don't have as good UV protection as the better quality modules. If you are looking for a flexible panel for your boat, the ActiveSol Ultra range carry an industry-leading 5 year warranty and in comparison to their nearest competitors, their range of marine flexible solar pv panels represent excellent value.