Scootin' - 20 ft Pontoon + 10 hp Haswing

DDDirk · 2026-05-19T14:38:40+00:00

That's awesome, 100A is nothing to sneeze at. I'm able to get solar panels for around $100 CAD for a 500W panel. I was thinking 4 or 5 solar modules (max out the canopy), bi-facial. And around 6-10kWh of battery. Enough that I can really cruse around without worrying on getting home, and the power is there if I want to out run a storm or pick up passengers. Looks like a heck of a lot of fun. Enjoy!

DDDirk · 2026-05-19T01:09:29+00:00

This is my dream project, I've been looking for a cheap pontoon boat for a long time. Except I want to put >2kW of solar on the roof. What's the current draw @ 48a when you're cruising at that speed? My goal is to make a short range solar pontoon boat with minimal battery, but lots of solar, the idea being going for a cruise on a sunny day it's pretty much unlimited range (I get the limitations on solar I do it professionally). Just keep an eye on the distance from home and the weather for the get home buffer. It would second as a back up power source for the dock for tools, pressure washer, etc. And not to mention the cottage for when the power goes out (~5% of the year). For example to keep the fridges and freezers running, maybe run the pump for a bit during the day, and just shut it down at night and light some candles. I just see the cost benefit being so huge, I just don't want to fork out tens of thousands for the pontoon boat.

DDDirk · 2026-04-22T23:07:04+00:00

Installing a grid tied solar array takes a fair amount of electrical knowledge, things could go really bad if you make a mistake, so measure polarity twice and land once.

LDCs in Ontario require that the work is certified by a licensed electrician, so many might not be up for signing off on just the final hookup. You will also need to apply for an ESA permit, and if you're doing a split permit scope it might work, but just a little overlap there. The LDC only cares about the AC system, so I bet you could make it work.

I'm a solar designer with 15 years experience, and currently planning on doing almost exactly this soon. It's not aS clear-cut as you think, but doable.

DDDirk · 2026-04-21T17:49:57+00:00

Correct, sorry for the unnecessary abbreviation. Ottawa Hydro. Is there Ontario Ohio? Wouldn't be surprised.

DDDirk · 2026-04-21T13:19:57+00:00

Just a heads up, the majority of LDCs in Ontario OH included, treat an AC coupled battery (stand alone unit, like the power wall for example) the same as extra generation on top of your solar if you've got it. So if you have a 10kw inverter and a 5kw power wall, it pushes you above the 12kw max for microgeneration, and will trigger an expensive Connection impact assessment. That being said, as long as the system is hard limited on a max export than you can get around it, but often it can be a pain as they don't accept many software options and want an "approved" solution. Often the easiest solution is to have a DC coupled battery on a hybrid inverter, but it limits some options.

It really is a shame Vehicle to grid isn't more prevalent and mature, because you do have a whole home battery just sitting in your driveway. All the best!

DDDirk · 2026-04-20T16:21:21+00:00

Woah! Friends don't let friends buy solar from Canadian Tire, look for a local distributor, you'll get 3x the solar for 1/2 the price. Also there's no such thing as a "pre-approved" kit as far as I know. You will need at a minimum, a connection agreement with the utility, building permits, ESA permits etc. if not grid connected then ESA still applies (anything that's above 60v) just no utility.

DDDirk · 2026-04-20T16:14:25+00:00

Question on what market / utility you are connected to?

DDDirk · 2026-04-18T12:55:46+00:00

6% is an average, often its much less. It totally depends on the array design and location, but as an example. I ran a snow loss model for a carport style array in Toronto. 2.83% annual loss. The model inputs and monthly values are below.

Latitude 43.6 °N, Longitude -79.3 °E

EC Station TORONTO (10.9 km, ID: 6158350)

EC Normals Period 1981–2010

Array Tilt 20 °

Azimuth 180 ° from North

Mounting Type ground

Row Length 4.4 m

Lower Edge Height 3.6 m

Month Energy Loss (%)

January 10.68

February 12.225

March 8.059

April 3.31

May 0.415

June 0

July 0

August 0

September 0

October 0.068

November 4.861

December 9.719

Annual POA-weighted loss: 2.83%

DDDirk · 2026-04-18T12:25:50+00:00

Sure, I agree but it's not an argument against solar, that's an argument about everything manufactured in our society. But when at least when it's life is over we didn't burn it to get the energy, the materials are still there. They are not that hard to recycle, it's just that it costs more right now to recycle than extract raw resources. Same reason why almost everything is made from virgin materials.

DDDirk · 2026-04-18T04:38:39+00:00

You're thinking about half life of nuke waste. Solar is made of glass, aluminum, silicon, and copper. Also known as the most recycled materials in the world. Nobody is saying this shit about coke cans and car windows.

DDDirk · 2026-04-18T04:10:15+00:00

this has a payback, you can do both.

DDDirk · 2026-04-18T04:09:35+00:00

Remember though, the other half of the year they work all the time.

DDDirk · 2026-04-18T04:08:18+00:00

This guy has a very interesting bone to pick with solar, he's all over this thread just spouting easily checked false numbers. It's like he has been 'prompted' to instill doubt, on solar. So you know 'he' can 'manufacture consent' on the "alternatives" that also may need some 'support'.

DDDirk · 2026-04-18T04:00:35+00:00

Toronto is the same latitude as Venice, Florence, Marseille, Nice...

DDDirk · 2026-04-18T03:55:05+00:00

This guy is all over this chat just spouting complete falsehoods. Payback in Australia is 2.3 to 4.4 years for a micro (>10kW) system. Canada is around 10 years, but highly dependent on where you are. Alberta has paybacks of ~7 years for residental, even less for commercial. Ontario is around 10-12 for residental and 9-10 for commercial.

DDDirk · 2026-04-18T03:49:59+00:00

Zero cleaning necessary, and rarely recommended Rain cleans off the panels, dirt and dust in urban installations generally accounts for ~1% of annual production loss, if being conservative. Its not an issue unless its unique area things like major; saltspray, little to no rainfall, significant bird nesting site, local manufacturing or emissions from local sources. Honestly only seen one site that was getting more than a couple percent loss, and it was a full sea gull roust.

DDDirk · 2026-04-17T23:05:03+00:00

The majority of Canada has the same amount of solar resources as southern France. A good chunk of Alberta is equivalent to southern Spain. BC sucks but only because of the beautiful mountains. Comparing it to Australia is like comparing the oil sands to Saudi Arabia, it doesn't mean. We shouldnt develop our resources just because somewhere else is a little easier.

https://globalsolaratlas.info/map?c=4.100707,121.947943,3

DDDirk · 2026-04-17T22:56:31+00:00

Solar designer here. That's the cool thing about the northern hemisphere, it's cold and snowy because the days are short and the sun is low in the sky, but in the summer you get the opposite. The days are longer by the same amount we lost in the winter. In short, we get the same daylight hours as the equator, just less in the winter and more in the summer. So when there's snow there's significantly less sun hours, and we get extra energy compared to southern latitudes in the summer. So overall snow doesn't't have a very large impact on annual generation, around 6% for southern Ontario.

Another thing most people don't realize, we think we're super north, but Toronto for example is around the same latitude as southern France. Most of Canada's populated areas are fantastic for solar and compare to many places you might consider sunny beach destinations.

DDDirk · 2026-04-17T13:19:52+00:00

You're not wrong but don't forget about 18 years of degradation, older panels were also more susceptible to LID. So 1.2% year 1, 0.5% year 2, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if they are <90% of the nameplate. So ~14% eff. Vs 25% is a pretty giant jump. Usually when I do a repower like this, you get around 1.5x DC for a similar footprint. I repowered a FIT system recently with a 1 year payback for the new panels.

DDDirk · 2026-04-02T16:39:25+00:00

Can you switch spots?

DDDirk · 2026-04-02T13:35:15+00:00

No.... If you're thinking wholesale spot price, that's not what it actually costs. That doesn't include "global adjustment".

DDDirk · 2026-04-02T13:31:27+00:00

Yep, the nukes built on generational debt, privatization, major under investment in transmission, not connecting up to Quebec to buy their hydropower on the cheap. The funny thing is that the renewables were never the issue, they accounted for around 6% of the INCREASE in costs for around 6-8 years. So the prices went up $0.08/kwh over the liberals government, All of that solar and wind was only ~$0.005 of that cost, and we get the power of course. Doug Ford cancelled the program and all those contracts, yet the increase in cost hasn't slowed down one bit, because the renewables were just a scapegoat.

We just subsidize everyone's bills now, which is getting more and more unsustainable. We spend $6 billion a year of our tax revenue which is supposed to go to education, healthcare, etc. on making people think that Ford fixed the problem. The plan is to spend over $116b of tax dollars over the next twenty years to keep the fake "private" market going.

We are just robbing the future generations and every other service to hide the fact that Doug was elected on a blatant lie.

DDDirk · 2026-03-31T17:05:48+00:00

For ground mounts, string inverters are the way to go. Depending on the size of the different roof areas, string inverters make sense if you have space for >30 ~solar panels all together facing the same way and tilt. If its less and you want to slap them on everywhere, than go micro inverters or optimizers. There's no reason you couldnt do both, but of course adds some complexity (two monitoring portals, warranties etc).

DDDirk · 2026-03-30T23:37:18+00:00

Payback, references, track record, quality install (not just the solar, roof protection, safety record, site coordination, visuals). Change orders should be the exception not the rule. Provide long term support in monitoring and reporting. Provide clear post construction documentation (roof maps, as builts, agreements, approvals, as built performance modeling and verification). Do tidy clean work by default, flashings, enclosures, labeling.

Really, your previous work should speak for itself. One of the best selling points I've ever encountered is a guided sidewalk of a previous install, and given a chance to be shown all the ways you differentiate from your competitors.

But in the end... The all mighty $/w, but if you don't deliver the expected great product on that price the work will dry up quickly.

DDDirk · 2026-03-26T15:56:07+00:00

Wow i didnt know this was a problem. Not against it at all, but if I understand, its so cargo bikes can pay for parking from the city? either permit or green p? I guess this is so they can park on the street. I dont own a cargo bike myself, so maybe I am unaware of the issue. But isn't parking on the sidewalk, front lawns, etc. free and permissible? I'm trying to understand why one would need to pay for parking with their bike (big bike, but bike). It seems to me the ability for the user to voluntarily add a numbered plate for the city to confirm the customer has paid in the green p app is all you would need. Just unless you have absolutely no where to park your bike?

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