We specialize in getting the sun's energy into your batteries.
Premium Marine Solar Panels and Full Solar Systems
Improve your cruising experience with the highest efficiency solar panels available.
"Your customer service has been phenomenal by the way" - B. Nash More Reviews
"Your customer service has been phenomenal by the way" - B. Nash More Reviews
Happy to help design your marine solar system, call 773-965-2546, email [email protected], chat or go here for in depth solar education
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Are you new to solar? Watch our video covering all the basics of marine solar systems go here for solar system design worksheet and info and Call any time with questions 773-965-2546 or email [email protected]
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FAQ
Solar Panel Prices and Stats Products usually ship day after payment domestically. And yes we do ship internationally. 
10% off Lithium Iron batteries with solar system purchase
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155 Watt Shade Tolerant Flexible Bimini Solar Panels
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185 Watt Semi Rigid Walkable Solar Panels 25.4% Sunpower Cells
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250 Watt Rigid Marine Sunpower Solar Panels
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Getting the Sun's Energy into Your Batteries
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Collecting the sun’s energy
Years ago, we started out using off-the-shelf solar panels but soon found they are not up to the job of getting the maximum amount of the sun’s energy into storage batteries. The marine and van environment demands on solar equipment require special features and capabilities. What is unique about the marine environment:
Our solar energy collection units. Getting the energy into the storage batteries Batteries have various profiles for accepting charging power. Solar controllers are devices designed to pull the maximum electrical energy from the solar collectors (panels) and feed it to the storage batteries in an efficient manner that will keep them healthy. At CMP, we offer the best solar controllers on the market and have even designed a controller that will charge both the house bank and the starting bank. Our solar controllers. The storage batteries An essential component of the solar system is a healthy and capable power storage system. At CMP we have developed a generation of high power density storage batteries using LiFePO4 technology to store solar energy efficiently and address the unique demands of the marine and van environment. Our LiFePO4 batteries. Putting it all together We freely share our expertise in getting the sun’s energy into your batteries. We help our customers determine their system requirements, design their solar system and guide them through installation. Articles to assist you. Contact us anytime to discuss you solar and power storage objectives. We can help. That's what we do! |
Simple Solar Collection System
CMP Marine Solar Collectors
Solar Controller to Charge Battery Bank
LiFePO4 Marine Battery Bank
Putting it All Together with CMP
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Ericson 38 with a Pole Mounted 175 Watt Solar Panel
Questions call 773-965-2546
Recreational cruising sailboats and powerboats (and commercial) - Having plenty of electric power on board while cruising can make the difference between a fantastic experience and a marginal one. We know; we are cruising sailors.
If you are considering solar power for your sailboat or powerboat (or camper van) and want to learn more about the technology, check out our overview presentation titled Selecting the Proper Solar System for Your Boat or our Cruiser's Guide to Selecting and Sizing a Solar Charging System under our Handy Info -> Manuals & Info section. Worksheets and tools to help size your system are also found here: Solar System Design & Installation
Marine solar panels are an excellent source of electrical power for your cruising sailboat or power boat (or camper van or houseboat or off-grid home). We at Custom Marine Products have developed numerous approaches to installing marine solar systems easily and cost effectively. Here is our full line of solar panels.
Our solar panels are custom made to our stringent specifications by leading and highly acclaimed PV solar panel manufacturers both in the USA and overseas. The solar cells in our panels are of the highest quality and highest power output (per square inch) available and include SunPower Maxeon A+ Grade Gen III (24.4-25.4% efficiency, USA), PERC and HJT cells. You will see on our solar panel page that our flexible solar panels have comparable performance to our line of walkable and rigid solar panels. This is because we use the same high performance SunPower 24.4-25.4+% efficient solar cells in all of our solar panels. We use the highest efficiency cells commercially available because space on boats is at a premium, our panels deliver maximum power per square foot. We've also added a second line of panels with the same construction quality but with HJT technology cells, which are a bit less efficient (24.1%) and less expensive as the manufacturing of the panel is automated. HJT panels are excellent panels for houseboats that don't have the same space constraints as smaller recreational boats
Commercial Boats and Ships - Solar power is an excellent way to reduce costs on commercial vessels by significantly reducing the load on the onboard power generator. We have designed solar systems to supplement power to the onboard appliances. These systems often include a marine grade solar array, control electronics and highly efficient LiFePo4 battery banks. Contact us for assistance in designing, supplying and implementing a marine solar system on your ship.
Complete Marine Solar System Kits -
Figuring out the size of solar panel(s) you need and matching it up with the various accessories required for a complete high performance solar system can be a daunting task. That is why our engineers have developed easy to install complete solar system kits that contain everything you need for your solar system including: marine solar panels, mounting systems, solar wire, and solar charge controllers. You will find the kits specific to flexible, walkable and rigid glass panels within each panel page. We also supply high performance lithium marine batteries and the full line of Victron products to round out your system. We understand most solar systems on boats are unique. We are always more than happy to help you work through your thoughts and design ideas and walk you through the process however you'd like, on the phone 773-965-2546, chat in the lower right corner, or email [email protected]. Work through as much as you can on your own (lots of support here and a boat solar power calculator tool here) and then give us a call to double check what you've put together will meet your goals, then we can put together a quote for you with a solar system specifically matched to your sailboat / trawler / tugboat / powerboat / yacht / pontoon / houseboat / van / RV / fishing boat / commercial fishing boat / off grid system.
We offer top-of-pole solar panel mounting systems with an optional integrated outboard motor lift crane that are cost effective, easy to install and robust enough for challenging weather conditions. We also offer mounting systems for flexible bimini and dodger mounted solar panels that can be mounted on a canvas bimini, dodger, curved hard top, houseboat roof, or van (or RV) roof rack.
Need help with your solar system installation? Call us or go to our support page listing qualified solar system installation specialists around the country that have installed our solar systems on many boats.
The walkable solar panels are becoming increasingly popular as van solar panels and van solar systems, call any time (773 965 2546) for help if you're a van owner, the design and systems are all the same as for boats. The walkable (semi rigid) panels are especially popular as they maximize roof rack space, you can have your solar and store your gear and sit/stand on top, no compromise needs to be made to accommodate as much solar as you'd like.
Recreational cruising sailboats and powerboats (and commercial) - Having plenty of electric power on board while cruising can make the difference between a fantastic experience and a marginal one. We know; we are cruising sailors.
If you are considering solar power for your sailboat or powerboat (or camper van) and want to learn more about the technology, check out our overview presentation titled Selecting the Proper Solar System for Your Boat or our Cruiser's Guide to Selecting and Sizing a Solar Charging System under our Handy Info -> Manuals & Info section. Worksheets and tools to help size your system are also found here: Solar System Design & Installation
Marine solar panels are an excellent source of electrical power for your cruising sailboat or power boat (or camper van or houseboat or off-grid home). We at Custom Marine Products have developed numerous approaches to installing marine solar systems easily and cost effectively. Here is our full line of solar panels.
Our solar panels are custom made to our stringent specifications by leading and highly acclaimed PV solar panel manufacturers both in the USA and overseas. The solar cells in our panels are of the highest quality and highest power output (per square inch) available and include SunPower Maxeon A+ Grade Gen III (24.4-25.4% efficiency, USA), PERC and HJT cells. You will see on our solar panel page that our flexible solar panels have comparable performance to our line of walkable and rigid solar panels. This is because we use the same high performance SunPower 24.4-25.4+% efficient solar cells in all of our solar panels. We use the highest efficiency cells commercially available because space on boats is at a premium, our panels deliver maximum power per square foot. We've also added a second line of panels with the same construction quality but with HJT technology cells, which are a bit less efficient (24.1%) and less expensive as the manufacturing of the panel is automated. HJT panels are excellent panels for houseboats that don't have the same space constraints as smaller recreational boats
Commercial Boats and Ships - Solar power is an excellent way to reduce costs on commercial vessels by significantly reducing the load on the onboard power generator. We have designed solar systems to supplement power to the onboard appliances. These systems often include a marine grade solar array, control electronics and highly efficient LiFePo4 battery banks. Contact us for assistance in designing, supplying and implementing a marine solar system on your ship.
Complete Marine Solar System Kits -
Figuring out the size of solar panel(s) you need and matching it up with the various accessories required for a complete high performance solar system can be a daunting task. That is why our engineers have developed easy to install complete solar system kits that contain everything you need for your solar system including: marine solar panels, mounting systems, solar wire, and solar charge controllers. You will find the kits specific to flexible, walkable and rigid glass panels within each panel page. We also supply high performance lithium marine batteries and the full line of Victron products to round out your system. We understand most solar systems on boats are unique. We are always more than happy to help you work through your thoughts and design ideas and walk you through the process however you'd like, on the phone 773-965-2546, chat in the lower right corner, or email [email protected]. Work through as much as you can on your own (lots of support here and a boat solar power calculator tool here) and then give us a call to double check what you've put together will meet your goals, then we can put together a quote for you with a solar system specifically matched to your sailboat / trawler / tugboat / powerboat / yacht / pontoon / houseboat / van / RV / fishing boat / commercial fishing boat / off grid system.
We offer top-of-pole solar panel mounting systems with an optional integrated outboard motor lift crane that are cost effective, easy to install and robust enough for challenging weather conditions. We also offer mounting systems for flexible bimini and dodger mounted solar panels that can be mounted on a canvas bimini, dodger, curved hard top, houseboat roof, or van (or RV) roof rack.
Need help with your solar system installation? Call us or go to our support page listing qualified solar system installation specialists around the country that have installed our solar systems on many boats.
The walkable solar panels are becoming increasingly popular as van solar panels and van solar systems, call any time (773 965 2546) for help if you're a van owner, the design and systems are all the same as for boats. The walkable (semi rigid) panels are especially popular as they maximize roof rack space, you can have your solar and store your gear and sit/stand on top, no compromise needs to be made to accommodate as much solar as you'd like.
Ordering is easy. Purchase directly from the store or email us or call 773-965-2546 with your requirements and we are happy to work directly with you to design a custom solar system specific to your needs.
We are quite open to exchanging a solar system on your boat for charter time, just give us a call to discuss and we can work it out.
We are quite open to exchanging a solar system on your boat for charter time, just give us a call to discuss and we can work it out.
We are always researching and designing the best products and technology.
Showing Shade Tolerant Flexible Solar Panels in four quadrants vs two
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SunPower Maxeon Cell - Shade Tolerant Series ***** NEW *****
Solar panel shading is a major issue on many boats. Shading can reduce a standard panel performance by over 60%. Custom Marine Products has developed a series of semi-flexible shade tolerant solar panels that have superior performance when partially shaded by boat equipment or nearby objects. These solar panels have high performance SunPower Maxeon cells. The diagram to the left illustrates how these amazing panels work. The junction box is mounted in the center or the edge of the panel enabling the panel to have four quadrants of solar cells linked in series and isolated with diodes. If one or two quadrants are shaded, the other quadrants perform at normal output. The result is a panel that will provide up to three times the output of a standard panel when shaded. These shade tolerant panels are ideal for bimini and dodger mounting where there is boom, mast and instrument pole shading. Patent pending |
145 Watt Shade Tolerant Flexible Solar Panel
115 Watt Flexible Shade Tolerant Solar Panel
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 Semi-rigid Walkable Solar Panel
*** NEW *** Custom Marine Products has released a new series of marine solar panels. With a strong aluminum backing and very thick ETFE laminate non-skid surface, these panels can be walked on without fear of damaging the solar cells and can conform to a slightly curved surface (~5 degrees). There is no glass and no aluminum frame so these panels are considerably lighter than our rigid panels but heavier and stiffer than our flexible panel series. These panels are ideal for mounting on a slightly curved rigid boat or camper van roof rack or on our top-of-pole mounting system for lighter weight than a rigid panel. We use premium SunPower Gen III solar cells with an efficiency rating of up to 25.4%, the highest efficiency available anywhere.
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Semi-rigid Walk On panels are 1/4" thick.
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190 W PERC Marine Solar Panel
*** NEW *** Custom Marine Products has released a new 190 watt PERC cell rigid monocrystalline solar panel to replace the aging 135 and 145 watt Kyocera solar panels. The Kyocera panels were very popular 10-15 years ago until Kyocera stopped making them. The CMPower 190 watt PERC panel is the same size as the older Kyocera panel so it is an easy drop-in replacement. A narrower 160 watt panel is also available.
*** NEW *** In addition we now offer 24% efficient 420 watt rigid solar panels with HJT cells.
*** NEW *** In addition we now offer 24% efficient 420 watt rigid solar panels with HJT cells.
 Victron Solar Controller
*** NEW *** Custom Marine Products now sells and supports Victron's entire line of electrical equipment including MPPT solar controllers. The Smart Solar series supports Bluetooth monitoring of the complete solar system via Smartphone or tablet. These high performance controllers integrate with the entire Victron product line including inverters, chargers, batteries and battery monitors. We will help you design a complete integrated Victron based electrical system for your boat, van or RV.
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CMPower LiFePO4 Battery with Bluetooth Battery Monitor
*** NEW *** CMPower LiFePO4 Lithium high power density deep cycle marine batteries compatible with most lead acid battery chargers are a powerful drop in replacement for lead acid and AGM batteries.
Our next generation CMPower LiFePO4 High Power Density (HPD) series LiFePO4 batteries are designed for the rigorous and unique power demands of the marine environment. High Power Density means more useable amp hours in a smaller space with less weight. For example, compare our Group 31 size HPD 31 pound battery that offers 150 Ah of usable power to a premium Group 31size 65 pound AGM battery that offers about 60 Ah of usable power. Learn about these next generation batteries on our website in our Batteries section. We are excited to make these unique and powerful batteries available to our customers and we are offering them at a discounted price to get more out there on the water. Learn about LiFePO4 lithium marine batteries with our narrated slide video and see how they performed during testing on our Blog.
Our next generation CMPower LiFePO4 High Power Density (HPD) series LiFePO4 batteries are designed for the rigorous and unique power demands of the marine environment. High Power Density means more useable amp hours in a smaller space with less weight. For example, compare our Group 31 size HPD 31 pound battery that offers 150 Ah of usable power to a premium Group 31size 65 pound AGM battery that offers about 60 Ah of usable power. Learn about these next generation batteries on our website in our Batteries section. We are excited to make these unique and powerful batteries available to our customers and we are offering them at a discounted price to get more out there on the water. Learn about LiFePO4 lithium marine batteries with our narrated slide video and see how they performed during testing on our Blog.
Flexible Solar Panel Mounting Solutions from Potomac Sailmakers
We are working with Potomac Sailmakers to develop innovative solutions for mounting our semi-flexible solar panels on canvas biminis and dodgers.
The many advantages of the Potomac Sailmakers system include: is lightweight, supports flexible solar panels across bows, provides cooling which increases efficiency and panel life longevity, quickly removable, secure in heavy wind and sea conditions, no Leaks, no screw hole penetration through canvas, makes handling and stowage safe (solar affixed to backer as “one” unit), modular and it provides chafe protection.
We are working with Potomac Sailmakers to develop innovative solutions for mounting our semi-flexible solar panels on canvas biminis and dodgers.
The many advantages of the Potomac Sailmakers system include: is lightweight, supports flexible solar panels across bows, provides cooling which increases efficiency and panel life longevity, quickly removable, secure in heavy wind and sea conditions, no Leaks, no screw hole penetration through canvas, makes handling and stowage safe (solar affixed to backer as “one” unit), modular and it provides chafe protection.
Seminars Given To Boat Cruising Club
Marine Solar Seminar
Comprehensive Marine Solar Seminar
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Marine Lithium Battery Seminar
Marine Lithium Battery Seminar
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Pacific Sail & Power Boat Show - Seminar by Tom Trimmer
Selecting the Proper Solar System for Your Boat
Introductions to the basics of marine solar - system components. One below has better sound.
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Our engineers will work with you to design a solar system specific to your needs including Lithium Batteries if you like. (Batteries are 10% off w/ solar system purchase)
Don't hesitate to contact us to discuss how we can assist you with your marine solar equipment needs. We work with a number of boat manufacturers to supply and design their solar systems. The store is here. Email us or call any time: [email protected] 248 705-8337 |
Sample electrical system diagram for a boat / van / RV
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Visit our Gallery of Installations, our Testimonials/Customer Comments and our Blog to learn how fellow mariners have implemented solar systems on their sailboats, trawlers, vans and powerboats and how they've mounted their boat's solar panels. Use our Power Consumption Worksheet or our Solar Sizing Tool to determine what size solar panel(s) is appropriate to your needs.
If you are considering solar power for your boat, Custom Marine Products can help you assemble a system specific to your needs.
If you are considering solar power for your boat, Custom Marine Products can help you assemble a system specific to your needs.