off-grid – DELTA3 Marine

Solar Panel Installation

Custom design of a solar panel arch for two 400 W solar panels. The design included mounting point for tender davits, creating a multifunctional setup on the limited space of an IOR-style stern. The requirements of the design were a light weight structure which would not obstruct the cockpit, provide a space which minimizes shading of the panels and ease of manufacturing.

CAD model of solar panel holder — CAD Design of the solar arch

Manufacturing of lightweight aluminium panel holder. — Manufacturing of lightweight aluminium structure

Complete in-house development of the solar arch, including design, precision fabrication, and structural testing to ensure durability and performance in a marine environment. The system has met all expectations and has practically eliminated the need for shore power.

Custom Lithium Battery Install

For this project, a lithium battery was to be installed in an existing battery box while maximizing capacity, reliability and safety. The Battery was designed using individual prismatic LiFePO₄ cells to optimize the usage of the available space. Using these cells allowed the battery to take up 40% less volume as compared to off the shelf solutions, while fitting in to a pre-existing space. A state of the art Battery Monitoring System (BMS) and high quality ceramic automotive fuses ensure a high level of safety.

Compared to an off the shelf solution, the total system cost was 80% lower using individual cells. The BMS was also integrated to the ship’s network to allow remote state of charge and energy consumption/production monitoring. The 7.2 kWh battery bank along with 800 W of installed solar capacity means the vessel is essentially shore power independant, even for water heating and cooking loads.