Solar Battery Charger

[ppem45]

I am having some serious thoughts about installing a Solar Battery Charger and have never installed or used one before. I know nothing about them and woiuld like to have one that would keep 2 battery's charged totally automatically. I have looked thru all the old posts and got ideas but I would like to get a complete package with everything I need to do the install. Any suggestions? :lol:

 

[dcunniff]

I had a simple one two boats ago when I had a sailboat on a mooring in the early nineties.

Better ones now, lower price, more output choices.

To charge batteries, you can still pick relatively low amp output ones. This is assuming you want to just keep them topped off.

If you want to be using battery draw at the same time then you upsize to cover the amp hours you would use.

You get a blocking diode too with a panel, stops reverse flow of current out of the battery.

You get some output even on overcast days, maximum output is mid-day. If the boat is fixed in place, usually aim to south sun. If boat rotates, like on a mooring you can slightly tilt it or stay flat and let it work.

There is more, look at the sizes and outputs made. Then you need to find a safe place to mount one or them. You don't want to walk on it, you don't want light blocked, and you want to keep it clean.

Dana

 

[Catfish]

PPEM 45

I cant answer your question directly but I can say that I had an older gentleman as a customer where I used to work as a mechanic had one of the smaller ones laying on his dashboard. I had to move everything out of the way one day and he said make sure I put it back or his battery would go dead. His truck was 5 years old and had 3.250 miles on it. He said it did a wonderful job, that before he bought it his battery would always run down. It was a small one that plugged into the cigarette lighter. West Marine has a line of them on sale now in a flyer in our area. Ill send you the link. It looks like the 150 model is all you need for maintnance. Hope this helps.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/st ... assNum=592

 

[ppem45]

Thanks, I ended up getting the SE 500. I haven't had the nerve to drill a hole in the roof yet so I just plug it into my lighter socket on the side of the dash and leave it on the bench seat and the battery switch on both. I am buying 2 new batteries tomorrow.

 

[Parker 2310]

I am going to buy a solar charger as well now that the dock electric is off to keep them topped off. I have a two battery system with a selector switch. How has yours worked out over the past few months. any problems.

thanks

 

[maark1]

Thanks, I ended up getting the SE 500. I haven't had the nerve to drill a hole in the roof yet so I just plug it into my lighter socket on the side of the dash and leave it on the bench seat and the battery switch on both. I am buying 2 new batteries tomorrow.

If your lighter socket is connected through your battery selector switch, your going to have to leave your battery selector on to have the panel charge the batteries.