Tamaki Jewel Powers Up
How a smart solar upgrade delivered serious off-grid performance.
Solar power is fast becoming a must-have for Kiwi boaties.
But many with older systems are missing out on the big jump in solar technology that’s happened over recent years. Paul, one of our HMB regulars, was a case in point.
His beloved Tamaki Jewel had originally been fitted with solar back in 2007, but it just wasn’t keeping up anymore, especially with the demands of modern systems and long stays at anchor (particularly over summer).
Paul got in touch and asked if there was a way to get more out of his batteries without actually increasing the size of the battery bank. It’s a question we’re hearing more often, and the answer often comes down to smarter solar rather than just more of it.
We took a look at the original setup and could see straight away that there was room for improvement. We designed a new system that would boost output by around 60%, a serious improvement, all while keeping things compact and efficient.
The old panels were removed, and we installed two high-performance 470-watt panels on the cabin top using HPBC cell technology. These panels punch above their weight, delivering a total of 940 watts of clean, consistent power.
We ran new cabling to a Victron 100/50 Smart Solar Controller, which not only handles the load efficiently but also gives Paul Bluetooth access so he can monitor everything straight from his phone.
Fuses were installed at the base of each panel, and circuit breakers were fitted on either side of the controller, all neatly tucked away in the engine room. We connected the system to his lithium batteries using properly rated cabling and fusing, and after a bit of setup and testing, the system was live and instantly pushing over 30 amps into the battery bank.
The real test came a few days later when Paul took Tamaki Jewell away for a week in the Coromandel. The verdict? The system worked exactly as intended.
"The solar upgrade has completely lived up to our expectations. When we're anchored, there's no need to run the engine to recharge the batteries, which means less diesel being used and less noise, which is something my wife appreciates! And with the Victron system I can easily check battery levels on my phone, more out of curiosity as it’s so efficient," said Paul.
Even with overnight loads like the fridge, standby electronics, and the anchor light, the batteries now stay in the healthy zone the whole time. No warnings, no stress.
"GT and the HMB Marine team have been looking after my boats for a long time now, and I have complete trust in their recommendations and how they deliver them. I honestly couldn’t be happier with their latest work."
For us, it’s a great reminder that with the right gear and a good plan, you can get real performance gains without having to overbuild the system.
Paul didn’t want more batteries. He just wanted more time on the water without worrying about power, and that’s exactly what he got.
Removed the original 2007 solar system
Installed 2x 470W HPBC solar panels (940W total)
Routed new cabling to a Victron 100/50 Smart Controller
Integrated Bluetooth monitoring for easy system tracking
What We Did:
Removed the original 2007 solar system
Installed 2x 470W HPBC solar panels (940W total)
Routed new cabling to a Victron 100/50 Smart Controller
Integrated Bluetooth monitoring for easy system tracking
