We get a number of requests for people looking to mount a portable solar panel on their kayak for extended trips so we decided to outline how we would approach it. In this case we’re assembling a system that will charge handheld electronics, but the same principles hold for larger systems.
Parts:
1 x Waterproof and rugged 3 Watt, 6 Volt Solar Panel
1 x V11 USB Battery Pack
1 x F3511-MiniUSB Adapter
1 x 3511-Extension Cable
1 x Piece of Silicone Tubine
2 x webbing
We first connect the panel to the extension cable with the silicone tubing covering the connection. This creates a good waterproof seal. Then, simply connect the extension cable to the F3511-MiniUSB adapter and the adapter to the USB battery.
Turn the panel over and remove the plastic nuts. Then, we placed the webbing over the screws and tightened them down with the plastic nuts.
Now it is easy to attach the panel to the kayak. We ran the wire down into the kayak’s front dry box. The battery stayed dry here, but for a longer trip, we would have placed the battery in “storm-proof” bag like this one by Aquapac.
Here are some beauty shots of the setup out on the water.
Leave a Reply