How to Install a Solar Bimini With 200W Panels and Lithium Power
Installing a solar bimini for RIB offers a clever way to generate electricity without sacrificing shade or storage space.
But there’s a catch. A bimini isn’t a flat, rigid surface where you can simply screw solar panels into place.
So how do you make it work o a Highfield Sport 390?
This DIY project combined a folding BougeRV bimini with integrated 200W solar panels and a 100Ah Redodo lithium battery.
The installation started with assembling the aluminium frame and applying corrosion protection to its fittings.
The new solar bimini fits the existing mounting points without modifications.
Better still, the solar panels fold with the canopy, allowing the Highfield RIB to be stored normally.
Next came the battery upgrade. The new lithium battery replaced the original lead-acid unit, offering considerably more usable capacity while still delivering enough current to start the 60 hp outboard.
The first engine-starting tests with the Suzuki DF60A succeeded. The solar bimini worked.
The remaining job involved connecting the solar panels to a charge controller and measuring their actual charging performance.
This video was published on the Captain Rick Moore YouTube channel.
If you’re a handyman or handywoman, you will like these DIY videos as well.
Proud to share that Highfield is a good Friend of RIBs ONLY.
The Editor’s View
The best videos don’t just show you something interesting. They solve a real problem.
And that’s exactly what this nearly 15-minute guide delivers. No marketing talk, no sales pitch.
Just a genuine, hands-on demonstration that shows you how to get the job done.
Related reading: What Is a Rigid Inflatable Boat? · How Does a RIB Work? · RIB Buying Guide · Buying a Used RIB: Complete Inspection Guide
Specs
| Model | Highfield Sport 390 |
|---|---|
| Length overall | 3.90 m |
| Internal length | 2.50 m |
| Beam overall | 1.92 m |
| Internal beam | 0.92 m |
| Deadrise | 20° |
| Tube diameter | 47 cm |
| Tube compartments | 3 |
| Maximum load | 716 kg |
| Maximum persons | 7 |
| Dry weight | 226 kg** |
| Fuel capacity | 30 l |
| Maximum engine power | 60 hp |
| Engine shaft length | L |
| Design category | C* |
* discover what this means
** boat and console only
Karel, RIB Advocate
Karel Overlaet is owner, founder, and editor-in-chief of RIBsONLY.com, Home of the Rigid Inflatable Boat. A passionate RIB owner himself, he curates the web’s largest collection of RIB news and videos. What started as a passion project has grown into a knowledge hub with lots of news and 50+ in-depth guides for beginners and experts alike. He also created RIBManufacturerList, a unique global directory of all active RIB brands.
