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Solar chargers?
#12475250
10/23/17 01:27 AM
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 108
Jtunnell
OP
Outdoorsman
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OP
Outdoorsman
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 108 |
Does anyone here use solar panels to charge your cranking or trolling batteries? I have an onboard charger but live in an apartment complex and they don't have outlets for covered parking. I tried googling some alternative solutions but didn't come up with much.
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Re: Solar chargers?
[Re: Jtunnell]
#12475432
10/23/17 07:51 AM
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Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 4,724
Flippin-Out
TFF Team Angler
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TFF Team Angler
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 4,724 |
I'd venture to say you're going to need quite a bank of cells to get enough amperage to accomplish any meaningful charge progress. For the batteries many of us use in bass boats, a recommended charge rate capacity is easily 10 amps - for best health of properly charging the battery. Ten amps at 13.5 volts is 135 watts. The solar cell on Amazon provides 5 watts. That's possibly OK to maintain a charged battery (but not charge a depleted one).
If you had enough cells to provide several amps, you'd still be able to charge only one battery at a time. I see no reasonably viable solar cell option for what we need to charge boat batteries.... My solution was an enclosed storage bay with power - until I owned a home with ample garage space.
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