As a retired approved electrician I will only comment on the bits of the installation I could see, and towards the end of the video it looks like the wires are entering the roof via the mushroom dome of the ventilator, my point is that those cables without proper fixing and without extra mechanical protection (some kind of silicone or rubber grommet) these cables may rub through the cable insolation on the sharp edges and short circuit, (not good) because as far as I know there is no fuses on the panels to protect them. this may possibly cause a fire. If I have misunderstood please accept my apologies. PS keep up the good work and stay safe.

6:24 nice to see all 3 cats in one shot.

Everyone should have a Kath! You’re amazing with what you can do on your boat.

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks Brenda

Thank you Kath, can't wait for the next two videos 😊😊

Cath, you have DIY in your DNA !

So glad I can sit and watch you worry about all the ins and outs of narrowboats, you are a great teacher Cat, and Anna Marie is a gifted artist, love your experiences happy wintering wherever you may be, we are coming into summer here in Cape Town.

I know next to zero about installing solar panels so I would probably go for a professional installation. You did a wonderful job of installing the panels

Very informative and I loved the way the cats found their way into the filming! Good shimmying skills along the side of the boat too!

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

The cats like to be involved where they can ;-)

Was going to pay someone to fit ours but you have inspired me to DIY, seeing you have done all the hard work of the research (god bless you!). Think I am going to go with a Make Sky Blue MPPT, gets the thumbs up from ''12 Volt Boating group" and the sainted Phil Brooke-Little.

Kath splaining everything to do with solar panels.👍👍

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Had to be done!

🙈 I was going to say that you missed the cat obstruction part out when you spoke about the tree's, cloud's and shades in the UK effects the output of the solar earlier one the video and you slipped it in at the end 😄 Fantastic video kath 👌very informative. Also adding other KZreadrs with certain aspects that they've touched up on. Keep this up, sharing your experience and how-do's 👍🏻

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

I'm sure that when Alice wants us to go outside she sits on the flat panel to see how long it takes for me to pop my head out!

Wow. Very Good! As an electrician and field service engineer, I feel I can say that you nailed it nearly perfectly.

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks

Love the two 'assistants'. Well done. :)

so cat like flat panel for setting and fix panel for lying. Looks like you did a great job Kath one the best installing job seen on youtube .

Wow! I'm impressed as math was never my strong point. You ladies are certainly self-sufficient. I loved the way your black cat slept through it all. Great vlog. John, Ontario, Canada

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks. I was surprised the cats managed to be quite - usually they have so much to say!

Solar powered cats, that’s new.

@paca_bill4863

3 жыл бұрын

Cats lay in the sun to collect "cat gravity"; they then lay in your lap to deposit the "cat gravity" to ensure you can't get out of the chair and they have a warm place to snooze 😎

@carolehayden8566

3 жыл бұрын

@@paca_bill4863 Brilliant! Now I know more about my cat 🐱 useage. Thank you.

As an electronics engineer far to often see people talking up specs and best case scenarios etc... I applaud you for breaking it down to reality and just explaining the basics and what is needed to know. You did such a great job of keeping it simple and explaining what people need to know. I like how you mentioned around 70% output compared to spec. So many people just talk about spec and never take the real world output into account. again, great job!

You did an awesome job on this video Kath, there is a lot to be understood when installing Solar, and you've done very well !

You always impress me Kath. Such confidence, without bravado. You do your research, assemble the necessary and then get on with it. I wish I was so organised. I know not one in a hundred men wouldn't just blaze away at a steel roof with a drill and never consider a drop of cutting fluid or even oil. Never mind a tap set! Respec'. I have to say I would be very wary of drilling the roof and would be tempted to 'go over the edge' by some method and then go through the wall, to reduce the possibility of leaks. (But what do I know, I only hire narrowboats.) One thing you didn't make clear though, is the very real risk of getting a very severe 'belt' off such systems. There is a tendency, it seems to me, to consider boat electrical systems to revolve around 12VDC. Ordinarily, this voltage is quite safe to work on - even 'live' - but the risk of fire or even explosion if one or more of the domestic batteries are shorted by, say, dropping a spanner! And the voltages you quote for your array - 80to 90 volts - are getting high enough to really give you a jab. Once more, well done for a very professional amateur job!

I admire you both in running your boat so independently. No hanging around waiting for installers!

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

I like to give things a go if I feel it's possible. Then if it doesn't work, there is only one person to blame!

Thanks very much for this video. It has helped me understand how to proceed with getting solar power for my narrow boat 👍

Thank you ladies and cats, that was very interesting. Living in Adelaide, SA, we put solar onto our house in 2011 and it immediately cut our house consumption by 1/2 so we are committed solar owners. Having heard about the pale summers you go through and seen the tree-lined banks that you cruise through it is probably not that surprising that solar is struggling to gain acceptance among the canal crowd. I think it will eventually become common, who doesn't like free power from the sun. Maybe in time the price and technology will improve to the point that a lot more find it a viable alternative source of energy fo their boat. I appreciate the clarity and straight-forwardness of your presentation and am looking forward to seeing the next 2 in the series. Stay safe and well.

Great work Cath. Very clearly explained. Very sensible advice. Just what I've come to expect from TNE. Loved seeing so much of the cats as well. Thanks for another good one.

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks

Great video Kath. I have just added the same size panels as yourself, but just made them flat. They have replaced two 200W panels at the front of my boat that were mounted with triangles. I hated the triangles. The knob threads were not stainless and rusted tight. The panels kept slipping down the slots and getting shade from the triangle supports, it was a nightmare. Now the 200Ws are off, I have managed to use WD40 and tools to take 3 triangles off but the last ones plastic knob has shattered so I will have to hacksaw it off. The 200W ones are going on my side wall, water side. I often turn my boat round to moor up (45ft easy). Re sizing for use, I would just advise to get as much as you can afford and fit on a boat. The more you have the longer solar summer lasts. By next year I intend to have 1.45KW and will be almost maxed-out, in terms of available space. You do realise we have just done this in time for the leaves:-) M

We had ours fitted by Onboard Solar and one of the things he pointed out on his site, that doesn't get mentioned often, was this :-"Importantly, these panels are rated at 165W with an output of 18V giving an output of 9.5 amps. Many suppliers use "domestic" spec panels. These are much bulkier and output typically 250W (which sounds much higher doesn't it?). However, they output at a much higher voltage - typically 48V so their actual current output is 5.2 amps. Be aware that in 12V or low voltage applications, AMPS are key not watts and AMPS are arrived at by taking WATTS and dividing by VOLTS.". These smaller panels leave plenty of space to walk on the roof. He now does 215W panels. He did the whole job in under 2 hours and came to us out on the cut. Highly

Thanks Cath yes I think the panels look great on the roof and I will be looking forward to seeing the future vlogs and for the both of you keep safe and happy and safe boating cheers Barry Sydney Australia 🇦🇺

In wintertime the sun altitude is low, that means you will tilt the panels almost vertical to get a little power.During winter you have sometimes a huge gale. Be careful during these windy days. Never underestimate the wind force on your vertical placed panels.

I think Munchie has inspected the work done passed it and found that it has the extra benefit of being warm and comfortable, as always Kath explains everything in an understandable way and the work done looks professional, big thumbs up.

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks

Kath, so proud of you, not just for the way you rise to the challenges life presents, but the effort and dedication you put into collating a package so that others can benefit from your skills and knowledge, just brilliant. Annamarie & the cat are great also. Looking forward to seeing the installation.

Hi Kath, I just watched the video on how you installed the solar panels, I think you two ladies are very impressive. You to have put all that together so meticulously and of cause maryanne's art work. Chris from Sydney, Australia.

Cant wait for the next video.

Thanks Kath. I enjoed your infomative vlog and look forward to the next one. Always enjoy watching you ladies on Lazy days. Your cat was making a good job of keeping the panels clean

Hi Kath and Annamarie, Great video, just a couple of comments, hope you don't mind! Sorry Kath! The Amp hour of the battery is the amount of amps the battery can deliver from a fully charged position. If your battery was 100 amp hours it will deliver 1 amp for 100 hours, or alternatively you could draw 100 amps for 1 hour, it has no relation to your current draw. When you want to know the amps a product draws and that is expressed in watts (like your kettle, electric heater etc) you take the wattage rating and divide it by the applied voltage, so a kettle that draws 2400 watts when plugged into the wall with an applied voltage of 240 volts will operate at 10 amps. 2400 watts divide by 240 volts = 10 amps (240 volts A.C. is the household voltage here in Aus). Cable size...Sorry again Kath! The cable install from the solar panels to the Voltage convertor charger thingy. The larger the better, larger cable sizes will prevent voltage drop over longer runs and hence ensure the maximum voltage is available to the charger thingy so it can convert it to a more useable voltage to charge your batteries up and ensure you girls are well sorted for power. I love your videos on such matters as you both seem to do a stack of research into whatever topic you are both getting into. You are then able to articulate the intricacies of your endeavors in very easy speak, so they can be easily understood by us noobies that have never experienced canal life or the challenges this brings. By the way, I am subscribed and have rung the bell, but I do not seem to get notified any more when you post new youtube videos, not sure what is going on there. A great video Kath and as usual very well explained. Say Hi to Annamarie ( Oh, I have already done that!) Regards A fan from Aus.

Wow they look really good sure they will be a good investment. I've been really pleased with the one I put on the Swamp duck it made a huge difference. Take care guys. Alan x

Did you take into account Cat occultation when sizing your panels?

@JasperJanssen

3 жыл бұрын

There’s a reason they raise up much more slanted than CruisingTheCut’s panels, for instance. If they’re slanted at 55 degrees the cats aren’t gonna be laying on them.

@TheTezz100

3 жыл бұрын

Probably when shooting last part of the video. Like dam! Didn't take inconsidoration the cat occlips 😜

Very well done, Kath. Viewing from Ohio.

Hats off to you my sister for doing a good job. This is an important video. Thanks.

Well done Kath!

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you!!

Thank you

EXCELLENT! VERY CALM AND CLEAR. ACTUALLY THE 1ST TIME I GOT THE AMPS X VOLTS = WATTS FORMULA! MOST FOLKS ARE TOO TECHNICAL AND TALK WAY TOO FAST TO UNDERSTAND.

Well done Cath

Very beautiful.

Been watching the cats during your excellent review on the panels, very informative information.

You have done a fantastic job they look really good and very practical with the ability to tilt then is especially good in winter when the sun is low down in the sky to get the most from them. An overall great video for anybody thinking about buying and installing solar. You did have the solar cat expert to help, stay safe.

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Couldn't have done it without the support of the cats...

thank you

Outstanding

Many thanks. Sharing your experience and the careful research you put in before you made your choices is very helpful.

well done Cath, you nailed it!

Thanks 🙏

Well done Kath. A good introduction to solar power, well explained

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Very interesting. Stay safe until the next one. Greetings from Germany.

Nice vblog, enjoyed it, thank you. Also enjoyed seeing the mooring where Mrs Mouse, Smoky and I used to moor. Amazing views and great walks. I was worried that Smoky would leap over the wall though. Glad you made it down to the G&S, I wanted you to share its lovelyness. Looking forward to next week.

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Munchy has made it over the wall. Lots of brambles, so Annamarie went out with the scissors to cut him a hole to get out of!

@paulroberts5677

3 жыл бұрын

@@TheNarrowboatExperience wow

Almost the same stuff as me 😁4*neon 2 all black 320w, option 2 of your three types of brackets, and a 150/100 Victron. I used self drilling and tapping fittings and sikaflex. 24 holes !! I get make power (1280w) about twice a year. Watch out for shading from cats!!

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thats a lot of holes!

Great job on this, Kath! Can't wait to see the followups with the installation and then the useful power results, especially as we get into autumn/winter.

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks. Am gathering data as we speak!

Very clear explanation of the thinking behind choosing and installing the right solar panels. Thanks Kath.

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks

I asked for a mechanical segment, and voila! Nicely done Kath.

Excellent explanation Kath well done!

Great episode Kath, love the explanations and look forward to the next episodes. Love the solar on our caravan in Aus, we very rarely stay in a park.

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Solar is the best!

Loved it. Thank you.

Can't fool me. Munchie did all the hard work. :)

An electrically conductive connection between stainless steel and aluminum will corrode when left out in the open. Nylon washers will be useful, as may some elecrical tape. At teh very leaset keep an eye on the steel bolts and especially the holes they go through.

@marvindebot3264

3 жыл бұрын

Finances permitting I have to agree. The only things that should limit the size of a solar install are available space and budget as solar (or battery storage) is one of those things you can't have too much of.

Excellent video Kath well explained details easily understood .Waiting for the next instalment already . Happy cruising George .

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks

Well done Kath your so talented, you both are tbh.

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks

Awesome video with Great information !!!!! Thank You so much !!!!

Outstanding episode.

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks

Another awesome and very informative video. Well done and thanks for all the helpful info. Stay safe and well.

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks

Kath your a mine of useful information, you really should consider publishing a narrow boaters handbook.

Afternoon Ladies,what a video to watch most interesting,Kath you are such a clever young woman to research and work out what you needed to fit your solar panels I really like the tilt design that way you get the best possible energy available, you sure show a lot of men up lol thank you for sharing this with us all really loved it ,take care keep safe have a good week,John 💜💜💐🥂🌹🌹🌈👩‍🔧♥️

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks. Stay safe.

Very thorough - thanks!

Seems you have a Munchie shaped shadow on your solar panels. I'm sure it was nice and warm.

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

He likes to be involved 😉

Thank you Kath, very well explained

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

Excellent !!

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Many thanks!

Thank you very much - very helpful.

Great video. Good to see you had proper supervision, both in the cabin and on the roof 😺😺

@tomkemp9465

3 жыл бұрын

Wrong emoji, sorry

Thanks I'm looking at a boat and you two ladies are teaching me a lot

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Good luck with the boat buying.

Awesome presentation.

Well structured video and well planned! I have been using solar for quite a while and the costs have really fallen and may well get cheaper. I have recorded all my Solar input and output for quite a while and consistently have found: 1. During the summer months I do not have to manage power (within reason) and I find I have more than enough power. However during the, what I call Dark Months (Nov-mid Jan), I have to manage my power and may find that Solar simply does not provide enough energy. From mid January things improve quite rapidly with some management required until end of March approx. 2. No one ever complains about having too much Solar, especially through the Dark Months! You cannot have too much! 3. Do not think that having a very large battery bank will help. The larger the battery bank the bigger the Solar input required. Do not forget that if you use conventional batteries (lead acid, AGM etc) you have to keep them charged above 50% or you will damage them. 50% of a large battery bank will obviously need more Solar to charge them. 4. A dual Solar Controller enables me to charge either my Starter Battery or a 2nd Battery Bank simultaneously. The second battery bank can be of a different size or age to the main battery bank. This enables you to add additional batteries at a later stage and of a different storage capacity or use older batteries that are not 100% efficient but still have some life in them after you have upgraded your main battery bank. Just some thoughts.

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Good points for people new to living off grid so thanks for taking the time to share.

Well done Kath.. Really enjoy the mechanics of your narrowboat, plus everything else of course.. 😊👋. Cheers from Kathy in Canada

Well Kath I think you are so clever! I dearly want solar on my caravan

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks. I recommend solar !

When we were planning our boat, we visited Crick Show several times. There was a woman there showing her boat and she said not to even tink about installing solar panels on our boat - "because no one will talk to you on the canals because they are not traditional." So we installed four panels - big ones. And we get loads of people talking to us.

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

People have funny ideas!

@philelliott5327

3 жыл бұрын

She will be one of the 'traditional boaters' with the engine or a generator running all day and night, if they ever came off shore power.🤣

Excellent video. Thanks for sharing!

love this video!! thanks!

Great job Kath. I am amazed. This wasn't a job I could have done. I have a house and I call someone to get things done when needed. 💕💕

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

I believe anyone can do anything if they have the time to plan and take a careful approach. Same applies to calling people - I'm sure you research who is good value when you are getting people in.

You explained everything brilliantly 😎👍

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

thanks

Great video, thanks.

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it!

Ya' did pretty good!

Very instructive and well-presented 👍🏻

Thanks Carhy for that information very informative. You did a great job. Very impressed.

That was really useful. Thanks

Clever work

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks

Well done girls !

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks

Great video, answered many question I have had. Keep them coming :-)

Very nice and quite useful. Thanks you!

Brilliant work & well explained Cath....stay safe.....thanks for sharing

Not just for walking on, cat scratching as well, they should put that in the ads for those flexible panels😂😂

Really interesting thank you for posting enjoy your time in the shire 👍👍👍

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

It's a lovely place.

Well done !! Thank You !! : )

We’ve got the same ones ! Xxx good on ya girls.

Well done on getting extra solar. Personally, I would go for the third solar panel as well to help cover your power needs through the darker months from October to January. The next step is Lithium-ion batteries 8--)

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Having spent a while checking power output, I'm still not sure that the 3rd panel was a worthwhile investment just for 2 - 3 months a year. We've had plenty of power the whole of October (so far). Only time will tell and the great thing is I can still add one later if needs be.

@urbanimage

3 жыл бұрын

@@TheNarrowboatExperience Yes, October has been good. I find it's when you get two or three dull days in a row that you need all the solar you can fit. You can, of course, always run the engine, but I really like the silence of solar. If you look in the files section of the '12 volts boating' group on Facebook ( 12 volts plural is important as there are two groups with similar names) there's an excellent chart and explanation of how much solar you need to provide a given amount of Amp hours of power during each month of the year here in the UK.

@TheNarrowboatExperience

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the info, I'll take a look.

@urbanimage

3 жыл бұрын

@@TheNarrowboatExperience There's a chart for lead acid batteries and one for lithium-ion which makes for an interesting comparison.

@marvindebot3264

3 жыл бұрын

Finances permitting I have to agree. The only things that should limit the size of a solar install are available space and budget as solar (or battery storage) is one of those things you can't have too much of. No rush tho, the charge controller is large enough for more panels so if they find they need them they can get one then. As for Lithium batteries the jury is still out on those for house battery use in boats and RVs, a lot of RV owners have been very disappointed in the new Li packs and have gone back to AGMs. I'd be more inclined to go for a pair of 100 amp hour brand name AGMs for 1/3rd of the price.

Massive storage !