I was wondering if a solar panel is a good investment to keep my battery charged? I do not have a charger on my outboard, and do not have access to shore power (Mooring). I wanted to overnight in some of the bays onthe lake I sail. How much is the battery drained by leaving an anchor light on dusk to dawn? This year, I would also like to try sailing at night. Last year I conserved power and did not have any problems. Took the battery out and charged/stored it over the winter. Itching to spend some spring $$ but wonder how much to spend. Flexible or fixed? What size (both dimensions and charging capabilities)? Mounting suggestions? I could always spend the the money on something else and just pull the battery for a charge whenever it gets too low. Looking forward to my second season, sv/ Winter Solace
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Daniel Lawrence
Let the sun shine
I have a H240 and last year put on a Uni-Solar Solar Battery Charger, model USF-5. This is good to maintain a 12 volt battery. It works great. I never ran the battery dead, however, I don't have a lot of electrical stuff on board. Just the cabin lights, and normal mast and running lights. I do sail a fair amount at dusk or evening times. The solar panal sits on the cabin seats while the boats in the slip, and I slip it back by the gas tank when sailing. Good investment!! Good luck and good winds. S/V Endeavor
I have a H240 and last year put on a Uni-Solar Solar Battery Charger, model USF-5. This is good to maintain a 12 volt battery. It works great. I never ran the battery dead, however, I don't have a lot of electrical stuff on board. Just the cabin lights, and normal mast and running lights. I do sail a fair amount at dusk or evening times. The solar panal sits on the cabin seats while the boats in the slip, and I slip it back by the gas tank when sailing. Good investment!! Good luck and good winds. S/V Endeavor
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Cliff Ruckstuhl
Let there be SUN
Jay A solar panel is a all win deal. We sail on Lake Erie and it keeps the battery charged all weekend long. We sail a 25.5 and mounted the solar panel to the stern rail so it is out of the way. It is charging all the time so and you won't have any trouble with draining it down. We use a Lantern for a anchor light hoisted up the forstay. So go for the sun. Cliff
Jay A solar panel is a all win deal. We sail on Lake Erie and it keeps the battery charged all weekend long. We sail a 25.5 and mounted the solar panel to the stern rail so it is out of the way. It is charging all the time so and you won't have any trouble with draining it down. We use a Lantern for a anchor light hoisted up the forstay. So go for the sun. Cliff
Catching the sun
Solar panels are the best thing that happened to sailing since rum. If you're like me and have no dock with shore power, say goodbye to hauling your battery ashore after every siling trip to recharge it. I bought a flexible Uni-Solar 10-watt panel last fall for my H23 and I gotta tell ya, it is money well spent. OK, there is one drawback. The 10W panel only puts out about 0.6 amp in bright sunshine, so don't expect it to recharge a dead battery in a hurry. The trick is not to run the battery down past 50% of its capacity, which you can do with careful energy management. Find out what your running lights, anchor light and other electrial loads draw in watts. If you know how long you left each item on, you can figure out what your total power draw is each night. Then you can calculate how long it will take for the panel to bring the battery back up to full charge. After trying several different locations on the boat, I ended up hanging the panel (with the electrical connector up) in the clasp of the padlock securing my sliding hatch. I then tied a piece of light nylon line into the other upper grommet to pull the panel level and make the setup look a little neater. The other end of this line is tied to one of the teak rails on the port side of the main hatch. The electrical wire goes under the left rear corner of the sliding hatch, over the hatchbopard, past the stove/sink and through the bulkhead to the battery. The wires end in eyes that fit right over the battery terminals and tighten down with the wing nuts. What could be simpler? I sail in the late afternoon and into the night a lot and I always have power for the running lights and radio. I don't use the cassette player or the cabin lights much. I use a hanging 6V lantern that does a far better job of illuminating the cabin, and I have an oil lamp that I hang off the end of the boom to illuminate the cockpit when I am anchored. Much nicer than electric. As far as anchor lights go, you might want to try a Davis Mega-Light, which draws a lot less current than a regular bulb. Tape it to the end of a yardstick and hoist it using the main halyard in a hole at about the 12-inch mark so the light gets above the top of the mast. Don't forget to include a downhaul on the lower end of the yardstick.... Peter s/v Raven
Solar panels are the best thing that happened to sailing since rum. If you're like me and have no dock with shore power, say goodbye to hauling your battery ashore after every siling trip to recharge it. I bought a flexible Uni-Solar 10-watt panel last fall for my H23 and I gotta tell ya, it is money well spent. OK, there is one drawback. The 10W panel only puts out about 0.6 amp in bright sunshine, so don't expect it to recharge a dead battery in a hurry. The trick is not to run the battery down past 50% of its capacity, which you can do with careful energy management. Find out what your running lights, anchor light and other electrial loads draw in watts. If you know how long you left each item on, you can figure out what your total power draw is each night. Then you can calculate how long it will take for the panel to bring the battery back up to full charge. After trying several different locations on the boat, I ended up hanging the panel (with the electrical connector up) in the clasp of the padlock securing my sliding hatch. I then tied a piece of light nylon line into the other upper grommet to pull the panel level and make the setup look a little neater. The other end of this line is tied to one of the teak rails on the port side of the main hatch. The electrical wire goes under the left rear corner of the sliding hatch, over the hatchbopard, past the stove/sink and through the bulkhead to the battery. The wires end in eyes that fit right over the battery terminals and tighten down with the wing nuts. What could be simpler? I sail in the late afternoon and into the night a lot and I always have power for the running lights and radio. I don't use the cassette player or the cabin lights much. I use a hanging 6V lantern that does a far better job of illuminating the cabin, and I have an oil lamp that I hang off the end of the boom to illuminate the cockpit when I am anchored. Much nicer than electric. As far as anchor lights go, you might want to try a Davis Mega-Light, which draws a lot less current than a regular bulb. Tape it to the end of a yardstick and hoist it using the main halyard in a hole at about the 12-inch mark so the light gets above the top of the mast. Don't forget to include a downhaul on the lower end of the yardstick.... Peter s/v Raven
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Mike Epp
ChargeSaver
I use the little (8" round), Charge Saver by Siemens (avail from West Marine). It's not a big charger so intended to maintain a slow drain on a new battery. But it works for me. I put it out in the cockpit while boat is docked and stow it while sailing. I burn only nav, masthead and cabin lights. I did buy a Davis Mega light and now have a marine radio so we'll see how well it does this summer.
I use the little (8" round), Charge Saver by Siemens (avail from West Marine). It's not a big charger so intended to maintain a slow drain on a new battery. But it works for me. I put it out in the cockpit while boat is docked and stow it while sailing. I burn only nav, masthead and cabin lights. I did buy a Davis Mega light and now have a marine radio so we'll see how well it does this summer.
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Jim Kolstoe
B;ess that solar panel
Jay, During my first season, I lugged my battery home for recharging, generally after discovering that I did not have electrial power when I wanted it. I invested in an inexpensive 5w panel, and have never suffered that problem since. That panel has gotten old and stepped on (its rigid construction) and I will probably replace it this summer, with a flexible panel in the 5w -10w range. Flexible for durability. Possible increase in wattage to speed up the recharge rate. Issues I was told to be aware of include over-charging your battery - which is flat impossible with the low wattage I've got, but possible if you get up to 18w or more. Therefore, ask yourself, "am I going to be checking on this often enough to avoid problems?" You should be sure to install a diode to prevent discharge of the battery through the panel at night. Secure it against theft, some people are less than honest. I've seen some essentially permanent installations, but I put a stee; cable on mine which I run through the hatch hasp when I lock up. Won't stop anyone with good wire-cutters, but it slows down the would-be opprotunist, and lets me stow it when we're on board. I was given and will pass on a good suggestion on installation: cut a short 3-prong extension cord and connect the wires on female end to your battery. Then connect the wires on the male end to you solar panel wires. Make sure that polarity is correct all the way from the solar panel to the battery. Now, to connect your panel, just plug in the extension plugs, or unplug to disconnect.. Using 3-prong ensures that it will always be the correct polarity This allows us to stow the panel out of the way when we're using the boat. I ran mine from the battery up next to the electrical panel. The rest of the length is on the panel wires, giving flexibility in placing the panel. When I lock up the boat, I connect the panel, put it on top of the slider and lock it with the hatch. Live without a solar panel? Not on your life. Jim Kolstoe
Jay, During my first season, I lugged my battery home for recharging, generally after discovering that I did not have electrial power when I wanted it. I invested in an inexpensive 5w panel, and have never suffered that problem since. That panel has gotten old and stepped on (its rigid construction) and I will probably replace it this summer, with a flexible panel in the 5w -10w range. Flexible for durability. Possible increase in wattage to speed up the recharge rate. Issues I was told to be aware of include over-charging your battery - which is flat impossible with the low wattage I've got, but possible if you get up to 18w or more. Therefore, ask yourself, "am I going to be checking on this often enough to avoid problems?" You should be sure to install a diode to prevent discharge of the battery through the panel at night. Secure it against theft, some people are less than honest. I've seen some essentially permanent installations, but I put a stee; cable on mine which I run through the hatch hasp when I lock up. Won't stop anyone with good wire-cutters, but it slows down the would-be opprotunist, and lets me stow it when we're on board. I was given and will pass on a good suggestion on installation: cut a short 3-prong extension cord and connect the wires on female end to your battery. Then connect the wires on the male end to you solar panel wires. Make sure that polarity is correct all the way from the solar panel to the battery. Now, to connect your panel, just plug in the extension plugs, or unplug to disconnect.. Using 3-prong ensures that it will always be the correct polarity This allows us to stow the panel out of the way when we're using the boat. I ran mine from the battery up next to the electrical panel. The rest of the length is on the panel wires, giving flexibility in placing the panel. When I lock up the boat, I connect the panel, put it on top of the slider and lock it with the hatch. Live without a solar panel? Not on your life. Jim Kolstoe
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Philip Teter
Short Circuit Protection
I think most everthing has been covered EXCEPT fuse the line to the solar panel. Size the fuse over the maximum output of the solor panel and less than the battery can supply. Mine is 10 amps. This will protect you from starting a fire by shorting the wireing between the solar panel and the boat's fixed wiring. I have a fused and switched power outlet, cigarette lighter type below my distrobution (fuse) panel. My solor panel is connected to the outlet's wiring terminals so without adding equipment my panel is switched and fused. The blocking diode is located where I made the connection to the outlet. If you don't want a permenant installation you could plug the solar panel into an outlet (cigeratte lighter type). Phil (Force 1)
I think most everthing has been covered EXCEPT fuse the line to the solar panel. Size the fuse over the maximum output of the solor panel and less than the battery can supply. Mine is 10 amps. This will protect you from starting a fire by shorting the wireing between the solar panel and the boat's fixed wiring. I have a fused and switched power outlet, cigarette lighter type below my distrobution (fuse) panel. My solor panel is connected to the outlet's wiring terminals so without adding equipment my panel is switched and fused. The blocking diode is located where I made the connection to the outlet. If you don't want a permenant installation you could plug the solar panel into an outlet (cigeratte lighter type). Phil (Force 1)
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Chane Lee
Solar Panel
A small solar panel will help your battery fully charge if you are using the boat less than once a week. A small solar panel with the connecing parts costs around $100.00, and that will serve the purpose for the regular recharge. If you are looking for the extended crucing, a larger panel with protecter should be considered. Depending on your home port, the solar charger may or may not perform to what you expected.
A small solar panel will help your battery fully charge if you are using the boat less than once a week. A small solar panel with the connecing parts costs around $100.00, and that will serve the purpose for the regular recharge. If you are looking for the extended crucing, a larger panel with protecter should be considered. Depending on your home port, the solar charger may or may not perform to what you expected.
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Gary Bridi
Solar Panel Mounting Any Comments?
I have a 92 H23 and recently purchased (January)a panel from Radio Shack with a charge conrtoller for about $100. I usually have the radio/CD player running when I sail which is why I bought a 15W panel. My boat is in winter storage, so I am just guessing where I plan to mount it. The panel is about 36" x 16". I am thinking about hanging it permanently from the split backstay and running the wire down the backstay to a thru-hulll connector on the transom to the battery. Any comments about this idea or another place to mount it? Unfortunately, I do not have stern rails.
I have a 92 H23 and recently purchased (January)a panel from Radio Shack with a charge conrtoller for about $100. I usually have the radio/CD player running when I sail which is why I bought a 15W panel. My boat is in winter storage, so I am just guessing where I plan to mount it. The panel is about 36" x 16". I am thinking about hanging it permanently from the split backstay and running the wire down the backstay to a thru-hulll connector on the transom to the battery. Any comments about this idea or another place to mount it? Unfortunately, I do not have stern rails.
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