How do I replace the built in deck mounted solar charger and is it worth it? I amnot sure what power output I get from it so maybe that's a better question. If it is NOT useful, then any way to fill the gap when it's removed?
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Solar Panel
Scott, Herewith a reply I posted to Franklin in April 2005. I found it in the archives on this site. To remove the panel one just unscrews the fixings and the surround simply lifts off exposing the panel. The original was a flexible panel and suffered from water penetration. I replaced it with a similar sized panel but it came on a stainless steel backing plate. The size was a little different, for reasons explained below, so I had to leave the moulded surround off. The unit has a 5 amp fuse on the side of one of the master battery switches. Removing this fuse will stop the unit charging/overcharging the batteries. As originally installed it only replenished the engine start battery. I modified this using two diodes so it now does both house and engine batteries and I find the panel keeps my batteries topped off well enough. My boat lies on a river mid-stream mooring and so does not have shore power. What the panel will NOT do is to replace a weekend's use of the refrigerator in the following week before the next weekend. For this the engine needs to be run and I have a smart alternator regulator. Franklin, My 376 from June 1996 came with a solar panel just in front of the sliding hatch. The panel failed within 2 years and then I discovered that the manufacturer in Mexico had been taken over by another company and they had "rationalized" the ranges produced. This particular size was dumped. More recently I think I have seen panels offered in that size but I had to buy a German made panel which was oversize. Then I filled the original recess with a piece of plywood liberally epoxied and simply screwed the new panel over the top.
Scott, Herewith a reply I posted to Franklin in April 2005. I found it in the archives on this site. To remove the panel one just unscrews the fixings and the surround simply lifts off exposing the panel. The original was a flexible panel and suffered from water penetration. I replaced it with a similar sized panel but it came on a stainless steel backing plate. The size was a little different, for reasons explained below, so I had to leave the moulded surround off. The unit has a 5 amp fuse on the side of one of the master battery switches. Removing this fuse will stop the unit charging/overcharging the batteries. As originally installed it only replenished the engine start battery. I modified this using two diodes so it now does both house and engine batteries and I find the panel keeps my batteries topped off well enough. My boat lies on a river mid-stream mooring and so does not have shore power. What the panel will NOT do is to replace a weekend's use of the refrigerator in the following week before the next weekend. For this the engine needs to be run and I have a smart alternator regulator. Franklin, My 376 from June 1996 came with a solar panel just in front of the sliding hatch. The panel failed within 2 years and then I discovered that the manufacturer in Mexico had been taken over by another company and they had "rationalized" the ranges produced. This particular size was dumped. More recently I think I have seen panels offered in that size but I had to buy a German made panel which was oversize. Then I filled the original recess with a piece of plywood liberally epoxied and simply screwed the new panel over the top.
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