Here's another picture I meant to include, to show the structure of the frame tying the two panels together. It was made from the re configured pieces of the original mount. Waste not!
Cyric, as you probably know, the 175W max output of the panels is only a third of the energy equation. The other two parts are storage capacity and usage. We have a house bank of ~200 Ah and a separate starting battery of 100 Ah. Our usage is somewhat conservative and we do our best to keep discharge above 50%.
Usage depends much on circumstance and we will adjust our strategy to conserve if needed. Very generally, our house bank powers our lights, charges our electronic devices (phones and laptops), and supports a few instruments. Generally, when underway, we will use our Furuno chartplotter/radar/depth unit, which accounts for the bulk of our energy usage. We also usually have our VHF with AIS reciever on when moving. Occasionally, we will use a small tillerpilot to steer, but as it gets overpowered in modest weather, it is usually only on when conditions are calm and we are motoring and generating power with the alternator.
We also have an electric windlass, but it is only supposed to be used in conjunction with the engine in forward, so as to only take the weight of the chain, not the entire mass of the boat itself. We don't always adhere to this guideline, but our windlass motor hasn't burned up yet. It does put quite a load on the batteries though, somewhere in between 50-100 amps, so we usually have the motor running when in use.
If conditions are somewhat sunny and we aren't guzzling power non-stop, our battery levels will usually recharge completely every few days. If we are underway 24/7 for a while, the chartplotter will eventually deplete the batteries beyond the level of what the panels can replace. We usually end up running the engine every so often anyway, when entering a harbor, or on a calm day, so our 35amp alternator will pick up the slack and bring the house bank back up.
Adding another large battery and another panel might enable us to run a small refrigeration unit, more electronics like an SSB, or allow longer periods between engine charges, but generally we are pretty satisfied with this setup for our current cruising needs, and if we stay somewhat conservative with our usage, we have more than enough.
Oh, btw, we have an entirely DC setup, with no AC circuits or inverts, so this helps a bit in conserving power when charging electronics.
Hope that answers your question, Cyric.
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Thanks for the compliments, Norm. Doing our best!
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