Solar Panel Charging - Will this thing work and which battery do I connect it to?

[Fish]

Could kindly use some help from the folks here. I have searched the threads and really can't find the answer I'm looking for (sorry in advance if there is one I didn't; see).

I have the solar panel model in the picture below. I heard of someone using this (placing it on top of the boat cover) while the boat is parked at the dock to keep the batteries charged and you can keep the auto bilge pump on.

1) Will this model work?

2) If so, which of the two batteries do you connect it to (2017 242 LTD S with two batteries)?
... 2a) Also which battery is the house battery and the starter battery?

I live in southern CA so there will be plenty of sunshine in the summer while the boat is docked in the slip.

Sorry for the VERY elementary question and being so inexperienced on this topic.

Thanks in advance for anyone that can help!

 

[Fish]

Any body have any experience with the solar panels in my above post?

Thanks

 

[Mike Cardillo]

I have not used that particular unit but I believe it should work fine. The key is that it is a trickle charger/maintainer. You want to be sure that the unit won't OVERCHARGE your battery especially if you are leaving it on the system. Maintainers have over charge protection but I would check that in the description. I have a solar charger that is does not have overcharge protection. I put it on the battery when I am sitting for periods of time and using stereo - so it is only on the system when there is current draw. That works fine but I would not leave it on with no current draw since it could overcharge the battery and damage it.

 

[ripler]

I see a few issues with this.

1. Using a single charger for 2 batteries isn't the best solution. The charger senses the voltage from the batteries for charging and if 1 of the batteries is at full capacity and the second one isn't the charger will never know because it thinks the batteries are full.

2. This charger is only capable of putting out 0.6 amps at full sun, depending on your bilge type it may not keep up.

3. If this doesn't already have one, you need some type of solar controller. I read the description and it didn't mentioned a controller.

 

[zipper]

I have never been a fan of "battery maintainers". For reasons said above. Possible overcharge/gas the battery, lack of charge controller and a .66 amp max. output. If you don't have 120vac available for a battery charger then I would buy a Victron MPPT charge controller and a 20-50w flexible solar panel with at least 2-3 amps of output. It is certainly more money, but a far better set-up for the intended use.

SunPower Flexible Solar Panels

Solar panels are not just for your roof. Buy portable SunPower flexible solar panels to power your next adventure.

us.sunpower.com

Solar Charge Controllers - Victron Energy

Get the highest attainable efficiency from sunlight, even if it is limited, with the solar charge controllers from Victron Energy. Find a dealer nearby.

www.victronenergy.com

Victron Energy MPPT Solar Charge Controllers with Bluetooth

Victron Energy MPPT Charge Controllers offer bluetooth connection with your Smart phone or other bluetooth-enabled devices. 5 Year Warranty.

www.altestore.com

This 50w SunPower panel is higher quality than cheaper Renogy panels.

Amazon.com : SunPower 50 Watt Flexible Monocrystalline High Efficiency Solar Panel : Garden & Outdoor

Amazon.com : SunPower 50 Watt Flexible Monocrystalline High Efficiency Solar Panel : Garden & Outdoor

www.amazon.com

I would do something like this and have a quality solar charging system that will not hurt the battery and allow you to play the music longer at the sandbar. You can find similar Renogy equipment cheaper. But you cannot beat that charge controller for the price and the panels are made in Hawaii not China. I ripped out the Renogy charge controller and rigid panel then I installed a Victron MPPT charge controller and currently in the process of mounting/sewing (2) removable SunPower 110w panels (12 amps) on the bimini.

Edit: I know you already have the one above, but this one with a charge controller will do a better job than the one you have.

Amazon.com : SUNER POWER Upgraded 12V Waterproof Solar Battery Charger & Maintainer Pro - Built-in Intelligent MPPT Charge Controller - 18W Solar Panel Trickle Charging Kit for Car, Marine, Motorcycle, RV, etc : Garden & Outdoor

Amazon.com : SUNER POWER Upgraded 12V Waterproof Solar Battery Charger & Maintainer Pro - Built-in Intelligent MPPT Charge Controller - 18W Solar Panel Trickle Charging Kit for Car, Marine, Motorcycle, RV, etc : Garden & Outdoor

www.amazon.com

 

[Dean P]

Any body have any experience with the solar panels in my above post?

Thanks

I had a solar panel to trickle charge 2 batteries in both the Yamaha and the Chaparral. Long story short, don't waste your money. Constant use of these boats draw more than these solar panels can provide. IMO trickle charge units are meant for batteries (in cars or boat, etc.) that sit for long periods of time; not for active activities. Investing in an on-board charging system is $$ well spent.

 

[Fish]

I have not used that particular unit but I believe it should work fine. The key is that it is a trickle charger/maintainer. You want to be sure that the unit won't OVERCHARGE your battery especially if you are leaving it on the system. Maintainers have over charge protection but I would check that in the description. I have a solar charger that is does not have overcharge protection. I put it on the battery when I am sitting for periods of time and using stereo - so it is only on the system when there is current draw. That works fine but I would not leave it on with no current draw since it could overcharge the battery and damage it.

Thanks for taking the time to pass on the info. It does say that it as an overcharge protection and good idea to use it when you're sitting and using the stereo, etc.

 

[Fish]

I see a few issues with this.

1. Using a single charger for 2 batteries isn't the best solution. The charger senses the voltage from the batteries for charging and if 1 of the batteries is at full capacity and the second one isn't the charger will never know because it thinks the batteries are full.

2. This charger is only capable of putting out 0.6 amps at full sun, depending on your bilge type it may not keep up.

3. If this doesn't already have one, you need some type of solar controller. I read the description and it didn't mentioned a controller.

Thanks for taking the time to respond with the issues you see. Good points and need to look up solar controllers. Not familiar with them. Thanks again!

 

[Fish]

I have never been a fan of "battery maintainers". For reasons said above. Possible overcharge/gas the battery, lack of charge controller and a .66 amp max. output. If you don't have 120vac available for a battery charger then I would buy a Victron MPPT charge controller and a 20-50w flexible solar panel with at least 2-3 amps of output. It is certainly more money, but a far better set-up for the intended use.

SunPower Flexible Solar Panels

Solar panels are not just for your roof. Buy portable SunPower flexible solar panels to power your next adventure.

us.sunpower.com

Solar Charge Controllers - Victron Energy

Get the highest attainable efficiency from sunlight, even if it is limited, with the solar charge controllers from Victron Energy. Find a dealer nearby.

www.victronenergy.com

Victron Energy MPPT Solar Charge Controllers with Bluetooth

Victron Energy MPPT Charge Controllers offer bluetooth connection with your Smart phone or other bluetooth-enabled devices. 5 Year Warranty.

www.altestore.com

This 50w SunPower panel is higher quality than cheaper Renogy panels.

Amazon.com : SunPower 50 Watt Flexible Monocrystalline High Efficiency Solar Panel : Garden & Outdoor

Amazon.com : SunPower 50 Watt Flexible Monocrystalline High Efficiency Solar Panel : Garden & Outdoor

www.amazon.com

I would do something like this and have a quality solar charging system that will not hurt the battery and allow you to play the music longer at the sandbar. You can find similar Renogy equipment cheaper. But you cannot beat that charge controller for the price and the panels are made in Hawaii not China. I ripped out the Renogy charge controller and rigid panel then I installed a Victron MPPT charge controller and currently in the process of mounting/sewing (2) removable SunPower 110w panels (12 amps) on the bimini.

Edit: I know you already have the one above, but this one with a charge controller will do a better job than the one you have.

Amazon.com : SUNER POWER Upgraded 12V Waterproof Solar Battery Charger & Maintainer Pro - Built-in Intelligent MPPT Charge Controller - 18W Solar Panel Trickle Charging Kit for Car, Marine, Motorcycle, RV, etc : Garden & Outdoor

Amazon.com : SUNER POWER Upgraded 12V Waterproof Solar Battery Charger & Maintainer Pro - Built-in Intelligent MPPT Charge Controller - 18W Solar Panel Trickle Charging Kit for Car, Marine, Motorcycle, RV, etc : Garden & Outdoor

www.amazon.com

Thanks for taking the time to respond! Good info and need to look further into what it takes but I appreciate you steering me in the right direction with the products - even if I end up getting a better version of the solar panel I had in my post! Thanks again!

 

[Fish]

I had a solar panel to trickle charge 2 batteries in both the Yamaha and the Chaparral. Long story short, don't waste your money. Constant use of these boats draw more than these solar panels can provide. IMO trickle charge units are meant for batteries (in cars or boat, etc.) that sit for long periods of time; not for active activities. Investing in an on-board charging system is $$ well spent.

Thanks for the reply and the info. I really only want to keep the batteries charged when it's sitting in the slip between uses (a week to two weeks at a time) to keep the auto bilge going.

 

[Compatico]

I concur with the above comments - most solar charging systems are intended for maintaining, not recharging. I use solar panels and charge controllers for winter maintaining of my boat batteries. But I would never use them to ensure my bilge pump is working in a slip. If you develop a leak, you need a good supply of power to keep the boat's bilge pumping, and solar panels just don't have the juice to keep your boat from taking on too much water. A few days of the bilge going on and off day and night, and the batteries would eventually run out. Hopefully someone would notice and let the marina know so they can contact you - but there's no guarantee of that especially during inclement weather when no one is hanging around.

 

[Fish]

I concur with the above comments - most solar charging systems are intended for maintaining, not recharging. I use solar panels and charge controllers for winter maintaining of my boat batteries. But I would never use them to ensure my bilge pump is working in a slip. If you develop a leak, you need a good supply of power to keep the boat's bilge pumping, and solar panels just don't have the juice to keep your boat from taking on too much water. A few days of the bilge going on and off day and night, and the batteries would eventually run out. Hopefully someone would notice and let the marina know so they can contact you - but there's no guarantee of that especially during inclement weather when no one is hanging around.

Thanks for the response and that makes sense - especially if it's sitting for a long time. Mind if I ask a very uneducated question? You said your solar panels and charge "controllers".... What are the controllers you're talking about and what function do they provide? Again, sorry I'm not familiar with that.
Thanks!

 

[Compatico]

What are the controllers you're talking about and what function do they provide? Again, sorry I'm not familiar with that.

Solar panels are simple devices and typically only contain the panels wired to a diode to prevent back current drain (when it's dark out they can draw from your battery - the diode prevents that) and then output DC voltage directly. Often the voltage they generate is 16-24v or higher depending on size and configuration which is too high for car/marine batteries.

The charge controllers are voltage regulators to maintain a constant 14.4v charging voltage to the battery (lead-acid batteries like car and marine are typically 13.8v so 14.4 is perfect to charge quickly). Once the battery is fully charged, they cut the voltage down to 13.8v to prevent over-charging the battery, and then cut off completely once float level is achieved at about 13.6v. If the battery level drops, they will start charging again to keep them topped off. During the winter months, my solar panels will come on daily in the morning for a while to top up the batteries. A lead-acid battery is very "lossy" compared to a lithium-ion like in your cell phone and will give up electrons and loose charge level at about 4% a week or about half a percent a day, so they need to be maintained with a daily or weekly top up.

 

[Fish]

Solar panels are simple devices and typically only contain the panels wired to a diode to prevent back current drain (when it's dark out they can draw from your battery - the diode prevents that) and then output DC voltage directly. Often the voltage they generate is 16-24v or higher depending on size and configuration which is too high for car/marine batteries.

The charge controllers are voltage regulators to maintain a constant 14.4v charging voltage to the battery (lead-acid batteries like car and marine are typically 13.8v so 14.4 is perfect to charge quickly). Once the battery is fully charged, they cut the voltage down to 13.8v to prevent over-charging the battery, and then cut off completely once float level is achieved at about 13.6v. If the battery level drops, they will start charging again to keep them topped off. During the winter months, my solar panels will come on daily in the morning for a while to top up the batteries. A lead-acid battery is very "lossy" compared to a lithium-ion like in your cell phone and will give up electrons and loose charge level at about 4% a week or about half a percent a day, so they need to be maintained with a daily or weekly top up.

Thank you so much @Compatico for taking the time to explain it - and in terms I can understand!
My sincere thanks!

 

[marcham]

1. Bilge pump

On my boat, the bilge pump is always connected to the battery, irrespective of the position of the battery switch. Have you tried triggering the float with the battery switch off? To determine which battery it is connected to, you can use an multimeter and set it in current mode. Disconnect the red wire from the battery then have some turn the pump on and off with the multimeter bridging the red wire and battery positive terminal.

I presume you have a 1 2 off battery switch or do you have an on off switch with an ACR or VSR to combine the batteries? A picture of that area of the boat would be helpful.

How dry is you bilge? Do you get a lot of rain?

2. Solar panel

Due to the size of the battery (group 24 or 27?) and the low amperage of the panel, it will not overcharge or boil the battery. You could test it by leaving it plugged in all day and then verifying the battery voltage around 3pm.

That size panel is designed to maintain a battery which has no load, just to prevent self discharge. It would o be suitable for use if your bikge pump runs every hour.

If you have to turn on the battery switch for the auto bilge pump to work (which imho is an unsafe design) then you will probably have other phantom loads will will further draw down the battery. You are also at risk of lights and stereo being left on and further drawing things down. This would not keep up with nav lights being accidentally left on for a week.

 

[Fish]

1. Bilge pump

On my boat, the bilge pump is always connected to the battery, irrespective of the position of the battery switch. Have you tried triggering the float with the battery switch off? To determine which battery it is connected to, you can use an multimeter and set it in current mode. Disconnect the red wire from the battery then have some turn the pump on and off with the multimeter bridging the red wire and battery positive terminal.

I presume you have a 1 2 off battery switch or do you have an on off switch with an ACR or VSR to combine the batteries? A picture of that area of the boat would be helpful.

How dry is you bilge? Do you get a lot of rain?

2. Solar panel

Due to the size of the battery (group 24 or 27?) and the low amperage of the panel, it will not overcharge or boil the battery. You could test it by leaving it plugged in all day and then verifying the battery voltage around 3pm.

That size panel is designed to maintain a battery which has no load, just to prevent self discharge. It would o be suitable for use if your bikge pump runs every hour.

If you have to turn on the battery switch for the auto bilge pump to work (which imho is an unsafe design) then you will probably have other phantom loads will will further draw down the battery. You are also at risk of lights and stereo being left on and further drawing things down. This would not keep up with nav lights being accidentally left on for a week.

Thanks for the response @marcham and the advice. The boat is in storage for another month and I'l dig into the tips you gave me (I have yet to get it on the lake and dying of anticipation for day 1) . I do have two batteries with a on/off for each (house and starter). I'm in southern CA and don't get much rain but I know the bilge goes on automatically every few min. I wanted to have the charger so when it sat in the slip for a week or two without use that it would keepteh battery charged (which ever battery the bilge is drawing from). I'm not sure if you need to keep the battery switch on for the bilge - maybe someone can chime in on this one.
Thanks again for taking the time to respond! I appreciate it!

 

[Nfinlay1]

Amazon.com : SUNER POWER Upgraded 12V Waterproof Solar Battery Charger & Maintainer Pro - Built-in Intelligent MPPT Charge Controller - 18W Solar Panel Trickle Charging Kit for Car, Marine, Motorcycle, RV, etc : Garden & Outdoor

Amazon.com : SUNER POWER Upgraded 12V Waterproof Solar Battery Charger & Maintainer Pro - Built-in Intelligent MPPT Charge Controller - 18W Solar Panel Trickle Charging Kit for Car, Marine, Motorcycle, RV, etc : Garden & Outdoor

www.amazon.com

[/QUOTE]

I just bought this to use while we are at the sandbar, we’re usually out for 8+ hours playing music. I have an AR240 with just the stock headunit and 4 speakers. Will this be able to keep up with the discharge of the house battery while playing music? I don’t have power at my marina so I’m pulling the house battery every few weeks to charge it at home currently.

 

[Lawman25]

I have not used that particular unit but I believe it should work fine. The key is that it is a trickle charger/maintainer. You want to be sure that the unit won't OVERCHARGE your battery especially if you are leaving it on the system. Maintainers have over charge protection but I would check that in the description. I have a solar charger that is does not have overcharge protection. I put it on the battery when I am sitting for periods of time and using stereo - so it is only on the system when there is current draw. That works fine but I would not leave it on with no current draw since it could overcharge the battery and damage it.

What kind of solar panel is it and how well does it work? I've been looking for a solar setup to help keep my batteries charged while I'm running my stereo all day at the sand bar.

 

[Fish]

What kind of solar panel is it and how well does it work? I've been looking for a solar setup to help keep my batteries charged while I'm running my stereo all day at the sand bar.

Not sure how it would do for maintaining the battery for an afternoon on the sandbar (might do well with that size unit), but I use mine (8W) while the boat is sitting in the slip to keep the battery charged for the bilge pump when we're gone. I'm in So Cal so really no rain to worry about, but mainly for safely in the case water somehow starts getting in the boat. I know there are as lot of knowledgable people here that would be able to provide a better answer for you. Sorry I can't be of more help!