The task for today was to connect the solar panel to the controller and check that it works as expected.
It didn’t take long do and it looks very rough, but it’s very temporary, so how it looks right now isn’t that important.
On the inside the controller is indicating that the solar panel is connected and is providing power to charge the battery, even in the Hay Barn. This has a clear perspex roof so light can get in but it is not in the direct sunlight so the fact that it is still charging the battery is very good news.
The problem with the solar panel is that the cables are very stiff. I took the top off the connected housing to see if the cables could be replaced but the housing was filled with a potting compound so that is out.
I did have to screw the panel down as without some sort of fixing, the panel would easily blow around in the wind. These screws are in the right place for the final fixing, but not the proper screws just yet.
The panel takes up all the port side of the cabin top but that’s not a problem, it doesn’t get in the way of anything important.
After lunch the next lot of parts arrived and I was able to continue the work.
Two clamps for the battery, some 7mm cable clips and some brass 15mm pins.
Firstly the battery. Looks much better now even if it is a bit over the top. These things are able to take hundreds of Amps for very brief periods of time and are rated at 100A continuous. I doubt that Shoal Waters will draw more than 10A maximum.
Next up is to secure the cables. Not many clips are required here but they will stop the cables from moving around. I remove the steel pins from the clips and substitute the brass ones instead.
The steel rusts easily, stains the wood and tends to split the clips. Here several clips were removed, damaging the wood a little in the process.
These are some of the steel pins that were taken out. Two are rusted enough to have split the cable clip and the over two just suffered a little surface rust.
Here’s a closer look at the new clip with the brass pin. All of the replacement and new clips will be done this way.
I still had enough light to continue working inside the cabin so I pressed on. The side entry, low-profile deck glands were next. That’s a real mouthful, but accurately describes the items. These are only put in place lightly as paint and epoxy will need to be done before these are screwed down properly, but it keeps the cables neat on the outside and also will allow me to make a couple of bearing blocks that will stop the headsail furling lines from rubbing on the deck glands and the solar panel.
Mind you, this cause a heck of a mess inside. The underside of the cabin top has been lined with polystyrene tiles and then a layer of insulating tiles on top of that. Unfortunately, this all has to come down so that I can inspect the surface of the wood and also to put in the backing blocks for the various screws that will protrude through into the cabin otherwise.
Some of the screws may be seen in the above photo, the black one is temporary but the one that will replace it needs a backing block, even so.
I took the time to sweep up the mess as I’m finished for the day. You can’t really tell from the photo but in the cabin the light is getting a little too dim to allow me to continue working. If the lights were working then it would be a different proposition, but those are next to be installed. Having said that, it’s less than a month to go before the Winter Solstice is upon us and the daylight ours will begin to increase again.
The cabling on the inside has become messy again due to the cables for the solar panel now being on the inside, but with that done and the battery cable sorted out, I can run the battery cable and clip it into place followed by the solar panel cables. Although the panel will be removed and replaced at least once during the refurbishment, the cables will be clipped into place in such a way that they may be removed if required. But that’s a job for another day, possibly tomorrow if it’s light enough in the cabin after I knock off for the day.
Time for a cup of tea.