Leopard 42 Technical Page

Solar Power

Since we installed the solar we haven't needed to run a generator or an engine to charge the batteries.  Even on cloudy days we get close to 14 volts.  Most days we get to the absorption voltage of 14.8 and stay there for 2 hours.

 Most days we have enough power to run an electric slow cooker at 700 watts, or boil an electric kettle.  We cheat with the kettle and run the 240v kettle off the 110v inverter.  This keeps the power at one quarter of the usual.  It will slowly heat the kettle while using less power than the solar is putting in.



The main frame for the solar panels and dinghy davits went on first.  We decided to make the frame in bolt together sections to make it easier to bring into the marina to install.

We added 4 panels of 250 watts each and moved one of the original 100 watt panels to the other side. Because of the Thrane and Thrane Satellite Internet unit we could only fit three panels across the back. This left room for the Satellite Internet and space to put solar hot water in the future. The solar is working well through the Victron 150/100 MPPT controller, with good power going in even at 10 in the morning here in central Queensland. The original panels don't go into the Victron because they are only 12 volt not 24 volt panels. We get between 40 and 70 amps most of the day and is enough to heat water and use electric cooking appliances. The panels were wired with 2 pairs in series, but the shade from the boom on one panel took out both panels that were in series. They are now in parallel and work better. By using higher voltage panels there is no advantage in using series wiring as the MPPT controller is getting 30 volts in, even just after dawn.

We also got rid of the tilt down mechanism for the dinghy which allows us to walk around the back of the boat with ease. The original lifting mechanism was reused to lift the back of the dinghy and the front is lifted with a simple 4 to 1 pulley.

Composting Toilet

One of the first projects completed on the boat. A new composting toilet. Just remove the old one, block off the pipes and install the new one. Had to build up the floor level a bit so you can touch the ground when seated. Hardest part was installing the vent through the boat. A bit scary cutting a 70 mm hole in our boat! Seems to work well, and less smelly than a holding tank. No pumps or pipes, just a tiny fan to bring air through to control odour and dry out the contents.We have been using the composting toilet now for six months.  Workng out how moist to make the coconut coir has been a learning curve for us.  Too moist and it gets smelly and mouldy.  To dry and it doesn't fill the tank initially enough to allow stirring.  About 1 litre of water to one coconut brick seems about right.  The composter does benefit from a few days rest to further dry out.  We tend to use our holding tank toilet as well.  But the holding tank is only good for a few days, while the composter can go a week without a break.