Solar Power for Houseboats & Barges
Super Solar Systems owners live on a newly built 20 x 5m houseboat on the Loire river in France. In theory ours is mobile, but many are not. Designed primarily for comfortable living rather than cruising, many houseboats and residential barges are also grid connected and some – like many houses – have no solar system at all! What follows relates mainly to those interested in houseboat solar power for own consumption to reduce their electricity bill or living 100% off-grid.
Solar power for houseboats needs experienced advice. The essential first step is to calculate your likely electricity consumption. Contact Us to get your FREE copy of our handy electricity consumption forecaster. It also includes a little table that tells you what electricity you can expect from a given array, monthly.
Two Convenient Ways to Buy
Individual Components for Houseboat Solar Power
Houseboat solar system needs are the same as those of a land-based construction of a similar surface. Your houseboat solar power system can take you 100% off-grid or you can use the grid to “top-up” in the event of a solar supply shortage. Our focus is on own consumption WITH electricity storage capacity, (whether battery or power station). We are skeptical of the advantages of selling any surplus to a utility – too much bureaucratic hassle and poor buy price. Solutions involving so-called virtual batteries are of benefit only to those selling them.
The best houseboat solar setup is as many panels as roof space allows. Contact Us to get your FREE copy of our electricity consumption forecaster that comes with a handy estimate of how much solar energy you will get monthly. In winter you are likely to have an energy deficiency and so need a generator (See below).
Rigid produce more energy per m² than flexible solar panels, as well as being cheaper. The Trina 400/450w panels that we use are low-cost and have proved totally reliable on both our yacht and our houseboat. They are however also about 6 times heavier than flexible of the same capacity. For our rather top heavy houseboat, that meant using flexible on the roof. Weight can be a factor. The German made Sunman panels on our flat horizontal roof have been fine, so we have no hesitation in recommending them to others like you. However if your roof is flat and fixing is not an issue, then rigid will be the right solar panels for houseboat. We have a secondary rigid array on the south facing facade (vertical) of the houseboat. In winter with the sun low in the sky, that is much more productive. Combing the two makes a lot sense where possible.
Although not at all beyond the competence of a good handyman, a houseboat solar system is not totally straightforward. If you have 24v panels (very likely) you may well connect them in series in groups of 4 panels for around 90v per group. With 12 x 400w panels that equals around 50A when the sun is shining. Power loss is minimised by using 6mm² cables and you need a suitably dimensioned fuse panel probably 65A and having at least 3 fuses – one per group so that all is not lost if one group fails for any reason.
Simple Controllers.
These devices are connected to your solar array and their sole purpose is to charge your batteries. Two technical controller technologies are offered – PWM and MPPT. The former is cheaper but some 20% less efficient, and we do not advise it.
Our chosen suppliers are Epever and Ecoworthy. We have good personal experience with both and they are compatible with both lead/acid and lithium batteries. Capacities run from 20 to 60A and what you need is directly linked to the power output of your solar array. The output of a typical 400w 24v panel is 17A.
Hybrid Controller/Inverters
combine the functions of MPPT solar charge controllers, mains charge controllers, and 230v mains inverter in a single, low-cost, easily installed unit. With 12v batteries, the inverter output is however limited to 1500w. The 3 and 5Kw products need to be connected to 48v batteries.
Our chosen suppliers are Epever, EcoWorthy, Growatt, and Hepway with all of whom we have personal experience.
THE RIGHT DECISION.
What is right for you will be determined first by the nature of your wide-beam’s primary electrical installation. If it is 12v with some 230v, then a hybrid controller/inverter is an excellent solution subject always to not needing inverter output of less than 1500w. If your boat is primarily 230v then a hybrid inverter and 48v domestic batteries will be the best solution if you decide against a power station. If you have 12v domestic batteries and need more than 1500w of mains power then a large capacity 12v to 230v inverters will be the only viable solution.
The price of LifePo4 batteries has now fallen to the point that we no longer consider lead/acid to be a sensible solution for a houseboat. Lithium is lighter, smaller, charges much faster, and is more tolerant of regular deep discharge. Total lifespan is over double that of lead/acid.
We offer the EcoWorthy range in 12 and 48v with storage capacities up to 2400w. You can connect up to 4 in parallel for a maximum of 9600w. If you need more than that, please consult the next section.
These high capacity LifePo4 batteries are a welcome newcomer on the market. They come in multiples of 5, 10, and 15Kw capacities. Connecting them to a hybrid inverter is exactly the same as connecting a single conventional LifePo4 battery but saves the need to connect multiple batteries to achieve the desired capacity. Very well built, they are also less expensive and less bulky than buying the equivalent capacity in multiple smaller units. The only disadvantage is that they are heavy (125Kgs for 15Kw) but even then they are on wheels so getting them to the right place is a minor problem.
Most houseboats will have daily electricity consumption levels in excess of 3Kw daily of which over 2Kw at night. Many will be nearer 5Kw with 3Kw at night. Storage is therefore a major concern. Given the uncertain solar output in winter these units offer a useful solution for an off-grid home. Up to 16 can be connected in parallel.
Power Stations have long been the favourite of outdoor campers, as well as motorhome and camper van owners. With the greater storage and inverter capacities now available, they deser
ve the close attention of houseboat owners.
In a single package, they provide
- MPPT solar controller,
- a large LifePo4 battery, and
- extensive AC, DC, and USB power outlets.
They can be charged from solar, the mains, a generator, or another external battery.
Power stations can be divided into three broad product types:
- Small portable units designed to be moved around for use as a mobile source of electricity. Most are usually charged by portable panels. They store 1Kw of electricity and offer the same inverter output.
- Medium-sized units with inverter ratings of 2, 3, and 5Kw. Batteries are of 2 and 3Kw capacities and up to 4 can be connected to a single unit. They can therefore either be the primary source of power or form part of a hybrid solution as an extension to a main domestic solar installation. The 3 and 5Kw models also have a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) option that means they take over instantly and automatically if the main system fails. The 2Kw models are keenly priced, those of 3 and 5Kw remain relatively expensive. None in this category can handle more than 1200w of solar input but mains/generator power can add another 500w.
- Larger units designed to be the primary energy source for your off-grid home. They offer inverters of 6Kw and more; storage options go up to 39Kw, and solar input rises to 2400w (EP600) to 9000w (EP760). The second needs professional installation – as will a large solar system based on a hybrid inverter and a mass storage device.
We are distributors of the Bluetti, Zendure, and Hepway ranges. A Bluetti AC200Max is part of our houseboat system. It has been invaluable. These medium-sized units offer an outstanding solution for off-grid houses. The 2Kw models are very keenly priced but the inverter capacity will be a problem for some. In practice it means that you cannot use more than one domestic appliance at a time. If the dishwasher is in use, no toaster or coffee machine!
Our solar hot water controllers are an established favourite on sailing yachts. Owners long ago discovered the comfort of having free hot water from surplus solar energy, and it is thanks to them that we realised that not having hot water was not only a problem/need on sailing yachts, but on all boats, and at remote dry land sites. Our solution is much easier to install than thermal panels and much safer than gas – always a hasard on a boat.
The digital controller unit is connected to your domestic battery bank (lead/acid or lithium) and from there on to your water heating element either directly or via a 230v mains connection. The default configuration switches on the heating element if
- 48v battery voltage is greater than 51.2v
- solar panel output is greater than 900w for 48v (prevents accidental use when there is insufficient solar input)
- water temperature is less than 40°C and not over 52°C
This means that you are using any surplus solar energy to heat your water. There is a manual over-ride so that you can turn on the system even if solar output is insufficient.
The system needs a solar installation of at least 1000w and 48v battery capacity of 2400w. We know what works with what, and, more importantly, what doesn’t. We can help you make the right purchase decisions for your precise circumstances. To help us best help you, complete the Project Appraisal Form and we will gladly advise you.
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