Sailing Umavideo
Everyone Said Our Black Solar Deck Would Be TOO HOT | Step 492. part 1
28 June 2026 · 26 min · 127K views
What this video covers
Dan and Kika on the 36-ft Uma install 30 solar panels covering the cabin top and dodger, reaching 1.5 kilowatts rated capacity, then immediately hit a problem: fully charged batteries cause all MPPT charge controllers to shut off, producing only 30 watts.0:49 They drain the bank by running two portable air conditioners through the inverter — drawing roughly 1.5 kW — to create enough headroom for the panels to begin charging.3:57 The bulk of the content addresses the most common viewer concern: whether black solar panels make the deck too hot to walk on.4:55 At 33°C ambient in a Mediterranean summer boatyard at midday, a thermal camera measures the panels at 50–60°C, peaking at 61°C at black caulk lines.8:50 The white deck reads 45°C; synthetic teak decking and the truck's aluminum tread both reach 60–62°C; Crocs left in the sun hit 66°C.12:40 Metal surfaces at similar temperatures feel far more painful underfoot than the panels because metal's higher thermal mass keeps radiating heat into the foot, while the panels' plastic construction cools quickly on contact.15:00 Interior ceiling temperatures directly under the panels reach 42–45°C versus 34–35°C under the shaded turtle-shell section.20:28 The practical conclusion: black solar deck panels are no hotter than synthetic teak and significantly cooler-feeling than bare metal at the same measured temperature.16:06
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