I have a solar panel from a previous boat. It is only about 6 inches square. Does anyone have any idea how I could get a watt reading on it. My plan was to put battery clamps on the wires and just clamp it to the battery. I was going to put a switch of the positive side so when I was not using it I would shut it off. I have looked at a 5 watt panel and I guess a regulator. When I bought the boat it has a starting marine battery and not a deep cycle. I am not sure how old. It was fine the beginning of the summer but is dead now. I brought it home and was going to trickle charge it for a couple days, then put it back and try this small panel. I have a camper with a 15 watt panel and it runs the starting of the refrig, alarms, and other things that can not be turned off. It maintains the battery for a week with no problem. I do not need anything that big as all I am running is the VHF radio and a light every once in awhile. Any idea were to get a 5 watt panel and regulator cheap. Also, what advantage is there to a gel battery. I have looked and they seem to be pretty pricey.
solar panel and battery
- Thread starter teacher63
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Solar power on boats
Your wattage can be calculated if you know both volts and amps at any one time by Watts = Volts*Amps. That would be panel output not something else. Do it with a more than 25% discharged battery.
With that said, your 6" square panel is not going to need a regulator as it will only provide a trickle charge at best. You just need a switch (and fuse) in the circuit to be able to turn it off at night. Some will say you need a diode to save you the trouble of turning it off at night but they suck out a volt or more of your output. With such a small panel you need every volt and watt you can get.
Your wattage can be calculated if you know both volts and amps at any one time by Watts = Volts*Amps. That would be panel output not something else. Do it with a more than 25% discharged battery.
With that said, your 6" square panel is not going to need a regulator as it will only provide a trickle charge at best. You just need a switch (and fuse) in the circuit to be able to turn it off at night. Some will say you need a diode to save you the trouble of turning it off at night but they suck out a volt or more of your output. With such a small panel you need every volt and watt you can get.
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