"Jeff" wrote in message
. ..
Roger Long wrote:

I know it's theoretically better to keep batteries on a
trickle charge
and warm over the winter but it costs me $70 to have
them taken out of
the boat and stored by the yard. (Nevermind the reasons
why I don't
want to take them out myself and home to my basement.)

...
I would vote in the "no-problem" camp. The self discharge
rate of
AGM's is very low, and in the winter temps should be a
quarter of the
summer rate, or less. If you're able to visit the boat a
few times,
you should check the voltage to make sure nothing as gone
awry. And a
small solar panel might not be a bad investment

In my case, I have a solar panels (150W) under the
shrinkwrap that
keeps a small charge on the large flooded house bank. The
AGM starter
bats (Optima red top) can fend for themselves.


*Under* the shrink wrap? I though solar panels had to get
direct sunlight.

SBV

Scotty wrote:


*Under* the shrink wrap? I though solar panels had to get
direct sunlight.

There is certainly some attenuation. But if direct sunlight can give
me 8 Amps, its not unreasonable to get one Amp with the cover on.

If you had a small portable panel, it should obviously be mounted
outside the wrap.