Best solar panel for my 2 battery boat??

[richg99]

Looks like I am going to be able to keep my little aluminum boat in the (fresh TN )water. That will allow me to use it a lot more. I am excited about that.

I am adding a float switch to my bilge pump. I am also considering adding a small solar panel to keep the two 12 volt batteries topped off and charged. One is a standard WalMart deep cycle and the other a regular starting battery.

Anyone with real experience with this sort of arrangement? Any info appreciated. Watts; controllers; lots of sunshine up here most of the time. I'm on top of the Cumberland Plateau and the air is clear.

I have kept boats in the water before. I don't have to worry about salt water. The boat bottoms here on this clear water lake get some sort of rusty appearance on their aluminum tubes...but...every one of a hundred or so boats have had this condition for 25 or more years. No big deal to me.

I can haul the boat out in ten minutes if needed for cleaning or full time charging if needed.

Any info appreciated. regards, richg99

 

[Al U Minium]

A small 12x12 panel of good quality and a charge controller to match will give you about 1 amp charge in good sun. It will keep batteries up and help to offset the effects of loss of voltage with time as a battery loses voltage from contamination and temperature cycling. The main job of heavy current charging remains the duty of the engine alternator and shore power.

 

[Catch Release Repeat]

I had the same idea rich we'll sort of. I wanted to run a on board charger off of a solar panel and after researching it and reading literally hundreds of hundreds of reviews because I could t find a legitimate answer I came to the conclusion a panel wouldn't be strong enough to make it work.


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[richg99]

Well, I received some good news on the subject over the weekend.

The new slip, where I will keep my boat, is within 100 feet of a shore-outlet. I will be able to charge my batteries without moving the boat using shore power. That is a better arrangement than I had when I kept her on a trailer in the same area.

No solar needed for now.

richg99