Anybody ever used solar panels for...
 

H the K wrote:
Tom Francis - SWSports wrote:
On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:12:56 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:02:05 -0400, Gene
wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:51:30 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports penned the
following well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

|recharging trolling motor batteries?

No... but I'd like to hear other folks experiences using solar float
charging...
Solar float charging seems to work well. I haven't tried it myself
but have heard a lot of success stories. A small, inexpensive panel
is all you need unless there is a lot of leakage in the electrical
system.

Recharging a trolling motor is a different matter since serious amps
are required. You have to calculate how many amp-hours need to be
replaced, and how much daylight time you have available. Most people
also recommend derating the panel capacity by at least 50% to allow
for all the inefficiencies that creep in to the process.

I found a few websites - look the figures from my 24Vdc motor, added a
few things up and it comes to roughly $4,000 and that's conservative.

Think I'm going in a different direction. :)

A $100 battery charger? :)



Run it off the generator. Yup! Thats the ticket. WAFA&WAM

Anybody ever used solar panels for...
 

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:04:21 -0400, wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:54:22 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:12:56 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:02:05 -0400, Gene
wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:51:30 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports penned the
following well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

|recharging trolling motor batteries?

No... but I'd like to hear other folks experiences using solar float
charging...

Solar float charging seems to work well. I haven't tried it myself
but have heard a lot of success stories. A small, inexpensive panel
is all you need unless there is a lot of leakage in the electrical
system.

Recharging a trolling motor is a different matter since serious amps
are required. You have to calculate how many amp-hours need to be
replaced, and how much daylight time you have available. Most people
also recommend derating the panel capacity by at least 50% to allow
for all the inefficiencies that creep in to the process.

I found a few websites - look the figures from my 24Vdc motor, added a
few things up and it comes to roughly $4,000 and that's conservative.

Think I'm going in a different direction. :)

It really depends on how often you use the motor and how much sunshine
you have between uses. Base that against how much money you are
willing to spend.

Dollar for dollar, it is very hard to compete with utility power, no
matter what you do and copper, averaged over it's life, is cheap.
Running shore power down to the dock is usually the cheapest option,
even if it is pretty far away. Solar is for those who can't do that.

This is more a matter of where the boat is located at the moment -
it's on a trailer stored in a marina and it's a distance from any
electrical power. I thought that I'd be able to at least put a little
juice into the batteries by using solar, but the dollar cost just
isn't viable.

I've heard mixed results with the on-board chargers - some like them
some don't.

Anybody ever used solar panels for...
 

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:27:25 -0400, NotNow wrote:

Tom Francis - SWSports wrote:
On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:12:56 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:02:05 -0400, Gene
wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:51:30 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports penned the
following well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

|recharging trolling motor batteries?

No... but I'd like to hear other folks experiences using solar float
charging...
Solar float charging seems to work well. I haven't tried it myself
but have heard a lot of success stories. A small, inexpensive panel
is all you need unless there is a lot of leakage in the electrical
system.

Recharging a trolling motor is a different matter since serious amps
are required. You have to calculate how many amp-hours need to be
replaced, and how much daylight time you have available. Most people
also recommend derating the panel capacity by at least 50% to allow
for all the inefficiencies that creep in to the process.

I found a few websites - look the figures from my 24Vdc motor, added a
few things up and it comes to roughly $4,000 and that's conservative.

Think I'm going in a different direction. :)

Yeah, like a Wal-Mart battery charger!!!!!

Well, that's kind of the problem - no power to run the charger. I
have an on-board charger.

Anybody ever used solar panels for...
 

Tom Francis - SWSports wrote:
On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:27:25 -0400, NotNow wrote:

Tom Francis - SWSports wrote:
On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:12:56 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:02:05 -0400, Gene
wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:51:30 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports penned the
following well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

|recharging trolling motor batteries?

No... but I'd like to hear other folks experiences using solar float
charging...
Solar float charging seems to work well. I haven't tried it myself
but have heard a lot of success stories. A small, inexpensive panel
is all you need unless there is a lot of leakage in the electrical
system.

Recharging a trolling motor is a different matter since serious amps
are required. You have to calculate how many amp-hours need to be
replaced, and how much daylight time you have available. Most people
also recommend derating the panel capacity by at least 50% to allow
for all the inefficiencies that creep in to the process.
I found a few websites - look the figures from my 24Vdc motor, added a
few things up and it comes to roughly $4,000 and that's conservative.

Think I'm going in a different direction. :)
Yeah, like a Wal-Mart battery charger!!!!!

Well, that's kind of the problem - no power to run the charger. I
have an on-board charger.


Buy a Honda generator.

--
Birther-Deather-Tenther-Teabagger:
Idiots All

Anybody ever used solar panels for...
 

"Tom Francis - SWSports" wrote in
message ...
On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:04:21 -0400, wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:54:22 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:12:56 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:02:05 -0400, Gene
wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:51:30 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports penned the
following well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

|recharging trolling motor batteries?

No... but I'd like to hear other folks experiences using solar float
charging...

Solar float charging seems to work well. I haven't tried it myself
but have heard a lot of success stories. A small, inexpensive panel
is all you need unless there is a lot of leakage in the electrical
system.

Recharging a trolling motor is a different matter since serious amps
are required. You have to calculate how many amp-hours need to be
replaced, and how much daylight time you have available. Most people
also recommend derating the panel capacity by at least 50% to allow
for all the inefficiencies that creep in to the process.

I found a few websites - look the figures from my 24Vdc motor, added a
few things up and it comes to roughly $4,000 and that's conservative.

Think I'm going in a different direction. :)

It really depends on how often you use the motor and how much sunshine
you have between uses. Base that against how much money you are
willing to spend.

Dollar for dollar, it is very hard to compete with utility power, no
matter what you do and copper, averaged over it's life, is cheap.
Running shore power down to the dock is usually the cheapest option,
even if it is pretty far away. Solar is for those who can't do that.

This is more a matter of where the boat is located at the moment -
it's on a trailer stored in a marina and it's a distance from any
electrical power. I thought that I'd be able to at least put a little
juice into the batteries by using solar, but the dollar cost just
isn't viable.

I've heard mixed results with the on-board chargers - some like them
some don't.

Unless you are using the batteries everyday, you do not need a 45 amp panel.
A 6 amp from Harbor freight is about $200.

Anybody ever used solar panels for...
 

Calif Bill wrote:
"Tom Francis - SWSports" wrote in
message ...
On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:04:21 -0400, wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:54:22 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:12:56 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:02:05 -0400, Gene
wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:51:30 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports penned the
following well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

|recharging trolling motor batteries?

No... but I'd like to hear other folks experiences using solar float
charging...
Solar float charging seems to work well. I haven't tried it myself
but have heard a lot of success stories. A small, inexpensive panel
is all you need unless there is a lot of leakage in the electrical
system.

Recharging a trolling motor is a different matter since serious amps
are required. You have to calculate how many amp-hours need to be
replaced, and how much daylight time you have available. Most people
also recommend derating the panel capacity by at least 50% to allow
for all the inefficiencies that creep in to the process.
I found a few websites - look the figures from my 24Vdc motor, added a
few things up and it comes to roughly $4,000 and that's conservative.

Think I'm going in a different direction. :)
It really depends on how often you use the motor and how much sunshine
you have between uses. Base that against how much money you are
willing to spend.

Dollar for dollar, it is very hard to compete with utility power, no
matter what you do and copper, averaged over it's life, is cheap.
Running shore power down to the dock is usually the cheapest option,
even if it is pretty far away. Solar is for those who can't do that.
This is more a matter of where the boat is located at the moment -
it's on a trailer stored in a marina and it's a distance from any
electrical power. I thought that I'd be able to at least put a little
juice into the batteries by using solar, but the dollar cost just
isn't viable.

I've heard mixed results with the on-board chargers - some like them
some don't.

Unless you are using the batteries everyday, you do not need a 45 amp panel.
A 6 amp from Harbor freight is about $200.



$200?

Anybody ever used solar panels for...
 

NotNow wrote:
Tim wrote:
On Sep 9, 11:27 am, NotNow wrote:
Tom Francis - SWSports wrote:





On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:12:56 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:
On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:02:05 -0400, Gene
wrote:
On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:51:30 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports penned the
following well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:
|recharging trolling motor batteries?
No... but I'd like to hear other folks experiences using solar float
charging...
Solar float charging seems to work well. I haven't tried it myself
but have heard a lot of success stories. A small, inexpensive panel
is all you need unless there is a lot of leakage in the electrical
system.
Recharging a trolling motor is a different matter since serious amps
are required. You have to calculate how many amp-hours need to be
replaced, and how much daylight time you have available. Most people
also recommend derating the panel capacity by at least 50% to allow
for all the inefficiencies that creep in to the process.
I found a few websites - look the figures from my 24Vdc motor, added a
few things up and it comes to roughly $4,000 and that's conservative.
Think I'm going in a different direction. :)
Yeah, like a Wal-Mart battery charger!!!!!- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You mean one 'o them thar "Treenkle" chargers?

?;^ Q


Exactly!!

There are different kinds. Some know when to shut off - others don't.

Anybody ever used solar panels for...
 

On Wed, 9 Sep 2009 14:04:06 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:

Unless you are using the batteries everyday, you do not need a 45 amp panel.
A 6 amp from Harbor freight is about $200.

I believe that would be for a 12 volt battery. For a 24 volt battery
you'd need two panels in series and a 24 volt charge controller.

http://store.solar-electric.com/ss-20l.html

Anybody ever used solar panels for...
 

"D 2" wrote in message
...
Calif Bill wrote:
"Tom Francis - SWSports" wrote in
message ...
On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:04:21 -0400, wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:54:22 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports
wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:12:56 -0400, Wayne.B
wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:02:05 -0400, Gene
wrote:

On Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:51:30 -0400, Tom Francis - SWSports penned
the
following well considered thoughts to the readers of rec.boats:

|recharging trolling motor batteries?

No... but I'd like to hear other folks experiences using solar float
charging...
Solar float charging seems to work well. I haven't tried it myself
but have heard a lot of success stories. A small, inexpensive panel
is all you need unless there is a lot of leakage in the electrical
system.

Recharging a trolling motor is a different matter since serious amps
are required. You have to calculate how many amp-hours need to be
replaced, and how much daylight time you have available. Most
people
also recommend derating the panel capacity by at least 50% to allow
for all the inefficiencies that creep in to the process.
I found a few websites - look the figures from my 24Vdc motor, added a
few things up and it comes to roughly $4,000 and that's conservative.

Think I'm going in a different direction. :)
It really depends on how often you use the motor and how much sunshine
you have between uses. Base that against how much money you are
willing to spend.

Dollar for dollar, it is very hard to compete with utility power, no
matter what you do and copper, averaged over it's life, is cheap.
Running shore power down to the dock is usually the cheapest option,
even if it is pretty far away. Solar is for those who can't do that.
This is more a matter of where the boat is located at the moment -
it's on a trailer stored in a marina and it's a distance from any
electrical power. I thought that I'd be able to at least put a little
juice into the batteries by using solar, but the dollar cost just
isn't viable.

I've heard mixed results with the on-board chargers - some like them
some don't.

Unless you are using the batteries everyday, you do not need a 45 amp
panel. A 6 amp from Harbor freight is about $200.

$200?

Was going from memory of last trip to HF. Was a 45 watt panel for $219.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90599

Anybody ever used solar panels for...
 

"Wayne.B" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 9 Sep 2009 14:04:06 -0700, "Calif Bill"
wrote:

Unless you are using the batteries everyday, you do not need a 45 amp
panel.
A 6 amp from Harbor freight is about $200.

I believe that would be for a 12 volt battery. For a 24 volt battery
you'd need two panels in series and a 24 volt charge controller.

http://store.solar-electric.com/ss-20l.html

Or an inverter to your charger.