Combining solar panels with teak decking

[Jediknight56]

What if you could combine solar cells with teak decking? Have the benefits and aesthetics of a classic teak deck while producing solar power. Would you want it? It would look something like this:

[Jediknight56]

See more here: solardeck.wordpress.com
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[sailingunity]

Interesting concept. How hot would those panels be under foot?

[Bill O]

Agree, the heat from the deck material would be a concern.

Another thought is the panels appear that they would be hooked up in series. Besides the shadowing reduction in output, what happens when a panel goes out? Do you lose everything and how easy would it be to trace/find the bad panel and replace it?

[markxengineerin]

Cool idea, I will be following along with interest

[Na Mara]

Something like this product already exists on the market. I’m considering it myself as I have a lot of teak decks.

https://www.solbian.eu/en/content/29-custom-panels

See section 5 graphics

[Jediknight56]

Originally Posted by sailingunity

Interesting concept. How hot would those panels be under foot?

Hi sailingunity, thanks for the question. The panel does not get any hotter than a typical synthetic teak deck would get. Whereas a typical solar panel allows the cells to transfer heat directly to the surface, our design prevents this from happening.

-Matt G.

[Jediknight56]

Originally Posted by Bill O

Agree, the heat from the deck material would be a concern.

Another thought is the panels appear that they would be hooked up in series. Besides the shadowing reduction in output, what happens when a panel goes out? Do you lose everything and how easy would it be to trace/find the bad panel and replace it?

Hello Bill O,

Yes, shade would cause a big loss on panels that are in series. These panels can be connected multiple ways to get your desired voltage. The standard setup for 12v would be wired in parallel, and this helps avoid voltage drops from shade. But you could also wire every other panel in series if you wanted to use a 24v system.

Replacing a panel would be relatively easy, similar to replacing a shingle. You would loosen the adjacent panels and then could disconnect it and pop in a new one.

Finding a bad panel could be done the same way you do it for standard solar panels. Being wired in parallel prevents the loss of a single panel from affecting the whole array.

-Matt G.

[Jediknight56]

Originally Posted by Na Mara

Something like this product already exists on the market. I’m considering it myself as I have a lot of teak decks.

https://www.solbian.eu/en/content/29-custom-panels

See section 5 graphics

Hello Na Mara,

Thanks for the link, I've seen this as well, but can't find any specifics on that teak colored panel. I would be very interested in testing one of those. I wonder if they are suited for the deck of a boat, considering flexible panels are not know for their durability and longevity, and are also less capable of dissipating heat.

-Matt G.

[jbinbi]

Matt,

See PM I sent. I am curious as to how these panels attach to each other and the deck so that they don't move. Did I miss that on the website?

[Jediknight56]

Originally Posted by jbinbi

Matt,

See PM I sent. I am curious as to how these panels attach to each other and the deck so that they don't move. Did I miss that on the website?

Hello,

The panels can be installed multiple ways depending on the location. You can use either marine adhesive sealant or fasteners to join to the deck, and a marine caulk to seal between the panels. If you are following a deck that has an aggressive curve you can add spacers to assist with a smooth layout.

-Matt

[hlev00]

How slippery will they be when wet? Teak is largely in place as a great non-skid. But if you could overcome this and temperature, why limit to teak? How about white or cream color to look like a gelcoat deck?

[Jediknight56]

Originally Posted by hlev00

How slippery will they be when wet? Teak is largely in place as a great non-skid. But if you could overcome this and temperature, why limit to teak? How about white or cream color to look like a gelcoat deck?

Hi,

The teak strips are textured and non-skid, the surface of the solar cells are smoother but are thin enough that your always in contact with the teak. It would definitely be possible to interchange the material.

-Matt