Upgrading to solar charging question

[BoatTreble]

Hey everyone.  I am getting close to pulling the trigger on installing a solar charging system on my CP 27 along with new house batteries.  I've been looking at systems by Renogy and the reviews I've found have been positive.  But before taking the plunge I wondered if anyone in this forum has any experience with them and their products.  Go for it's or stay the *&## away comments are good but followed with reasons is better.  My plan is to install two 200Ah deep cycle LiFePo batteries (for my house supply) with their a pair of their 200W solar panels, charge controller and battery monitor and a bus distribution set up rather than a mass of individual wires going everywhere.  As I am not quite sure just what my usage is going to be I am basing my choices on an estimate for my living aboard power needs and increasing that by about 25%.  If more is needed I can always add a second, isolated bank.

Any thoughts from the gallery?  Thanks in advance.

Al

[crazycarl]

Check out www.sailfar.net.  look at posts titled "an old girl friend just called".  Frank posts about his solar setup on his 24'r and how it keeps up with refrigeration.  He lives on it in the Caribbean during the winter months.  He also lived on a CP27.

Look at pages 13 or 14.  He describes the batteries he is presently using.

[dbybe]

I have used Renogy for a couple of projects and am happy with them. 100 watt Renogy flex panel on a small travel trailer.  This panel ran through a Trimetric charge controller, to a Battleborn 100ah battery. I also just completed a 50 watt panel, to a Renogy charge controller, to a Chinese Lifepo 50ah battery on my Sun Cat. I like Renogy support. The Chinese company, through Amazon, not so much.

[Amedaius]

This is a somewhat old thread, but I'm going to bump it to see if I can get any advice here. I have 2 lithium batteries(12v), 50 and 100 AH, I use an electric motor for my primary non-wind propulsion, and would like to take trips longer than just day trips. Currently I have no issues, but if I want to take a trip more than a day or two I worry I will run out of charge for lights/phone/motor. I do not need to run any other electric components in addition to those 3 things.

Can anyone recommend a brand that is inexpensive and somewhat modular, as I will be using the solar panel(s) on both my CP 16 and 19. I have my eye on an inexpensive renogy controller, 10A, and rated for lithium batteries, but when it comes to panels it seems that the price point can vary wildly with little or no discernable difference in performance. Obviously, shopping on Amazon I can't look at the physical product up close to try to see if one build is more rugged than another. Bonus points if the panel will fit on a 16 companionway hatch and be flexible.

Will a single 100w panel be sufficient for my use? Is there any stand-out brand that is a great value for the price? Is there a single brand that is most likely to stand up to marine environments? Generally I will not be in a salt environment, but I do plan to trailer to the coast from time to time.

Anything the more experienced cruiser-campers can share would be appreciated.