I dont run one on my boat yet but i have 2 panels on my car .. they are both 130w each running into a ctek dual controller and then into 2x 120ah deep cycles .. i used this to go off grid while traveling up north . They power a 110lt waeco fridge/freeze and a mountain of led lights i have set up on my camper frame . I had inverters and laptops phone etc all charging too

 I don't have one yet but going to sort one out soon want to be able to run engel and boat fridge off the panels. Was leaning towards a 150watt flexible panel. Get the off eBay for around $400.00

pm my brother Jarrid. He has recently done this to his hardtop

 Same setup as a camper/caravan. Use either the Redarc or ctek(doesn't cope with heat too well) connected to boat motor and solar. They incorporate an mttp controller so will charge from alternator first then switch to solar when no current is detected from alternator. They give a constant amperage. Tried the ctek and didn't like being under the bonnet, then installed a 40amp redarc in prado and a 25amp in my camper and could stay camped for for 9 days with a 140 amp panel running two fridges, lights, water pump and tablet/laptop off 1 120amp agm. Easy to setup.

Thanks Stuklose

 Got a panel 220w off ebay (Melbourne seller) and a dual charge controller from ebay as well. Got all the mounting brackets, cables etc locally from 12v shop in kewdale. I mistakingly set it up with the controller from the panel running to the other controller, but It seems to work great now that I have ditched the panel controller and only use the dual controller.

Hey Stewk,

Ive got 2 80W panels on the hard top with separate regulators going to a house battery each with a cole hersey switch between them to parallel them up when in use. Ive also got a Red Arc VSR going to the common of the CH switch as well so when the motor is on, that charges the house batteries as well. Definitely worth the effort, especially if you have a large current draw (Electronics, fridges, lights, amps for stereos etc) and you bottom fish or overnight on the boat. Good piece of mind as well. 

There is no doubt better ways to do it but the set up I got was at a good price so Ive done it that way.

I could scratch a diagram up if you wanted, bit easier than trying to explain it

Daisy

an ark pack, with a 100A/H battery, to a 120w solar panel (with an MPPT controller), powering a 60l engel on full freeze.

the solar panel is impressive, it produces enough charge to not only run a 60litre engel on full freeze, but also can re-charge the battery from 50% to full as well! basically with the panel plugged in to the ark pak, the battery stays full, AND powers the engel!

Thanks guys sounds exactly what I need.
Have you got any picks of the solar panels on the roof.
I was more concerned about how they mount as well.

Lastchance - Yeah that is what I was hoping, sika is amazing sh$t.

something to be aware of with the panels is that a panel mounted flat on the hard top will only produce about 2/3 of a panel on the ground and moved 3 times a day.

I have a 120W mounted on my boat and experimented with it quite a bit both in my driveway and at the Abrolhos.

My 120W panel with MPPT controller will produce about 7.5 amps tops at about 14 volts but that is only for a couple of hours at midday.

On each side of that it drops away unless you tilt it to the sun as with camping on its frame.

My 120W panel which is producing not far off its theoretical rating (7 times 14=105W)

My Waeco uses around 5 amps while running but averages at around 4AH at full freeze, 12 hrs without sun at night is 48AH, half the charge of a 120AH AGM battery.

So it wont keep the Waeco going AND provide a significant charge unless I "follow the sun" which obviously is only practical when tied up and you can be bothered.

So I have setup my twin outboards so I can put both to charge the AGM and together put 40 amps at idle into it which only a AGM type battery will accept.

An hour of trolling for trout on a windy day will put a significant charge back into it also.

Also of note is that many wont produce a high enough voltage to fully charge an AGM which needs 14.7V rather than 14.2 for a standard lead acid.

This are my observations from actually playing with the panel and recording it (as engineers tend to do ) and some fridges are more economical-its just my observations

I made up a roof rack type frame on top of my boat which holds the panel.

Hey RobH - Great info and thanks.
My current setup is:
Starboard engine charges starboard battery only
Port Engine Charges Port Start battery and then house on VSR.
When engines off all batts are isolated.
Was think I want to put a panel on to charge the house only, to cover fridge electronics etc.

Thanks mate you are a champion!!

don't buy those crap Chinese systems of ebay spend the extra money and get your self a BP solar panels we used them for years on the nav aids in Hampton harbor and never ever had 1 fail also remember you must run a regulator (bp make a good 1) and another thing to keep in mind is 10% coverage (another words bird shit dust or general muck) on your panel means 90 % lose of efficiently