Hi, Could I leave my 30 watt solar charger and controller hooked up (and all
electrical) for the winter to keep the batteries topped u? It gets cold
here but not alot of snow so the batteries should stay topped up, or is the
cold more of a problem on the batteries?
Thanks Richard

Cold is not a problem IF the batteries stay topped off. This shouldn't be a problem, but
there are a lot a variables left unsaid, like how big are the batteries? Are they
flooded, gel, or AGM? Are there more than one? is there a combiner? What's the sun angle
to the panels (or how far north are you and are the panels tilted South)? Can you get on
once a month and run a charger for a few hours?

I've left my batteries on solar panels for the last several winters, but I did loose a
starter battery because the combiner wasn't combining. Last winter was rather severe, and
was effectively impossible to get on board to monitor what was going on. I've replaced
the start bats with AGMs which should do better if unattended.

-jeff



"Richard" wrote in message ...
Hi, Could I leave my 30 watt solar charger and controller hooked up (and all
electrical) for the winter to keep the batteries topped u? It gets cold
here but not alot of snow so the batteries should stay topped up, or is the
cold more of a problem on the batteries?
Thanks Richard

As long as you have a good regulator and a decent solar panel (more than 30
watts) I can't see you having a problem.

Without the regulator you could over cook the batteries.

A friend of mine told me the best way to keep your batteries alive during
long periods of inactivity is to leave a light burning on your boat, but not
one that is more powerful than your solar panel.
This way the battery is continually cycling. During the night the light
burns energy out of the battery and during the day the solar panel puts the
charge back into the battery.

It just keeps it going constantly.

I don't know if it is a good thing or not, but it is what I was told.

Best regards
--
Garry Beattie
Ocean Spirit Trailer Sailer &
Small Yacht Cruising Emagazine
www.ocean-spirit.com


"Richard" wrote in message
...
Hi, Could I leave my 30 watt solar charger and controller hooked up (and
all
electrical) for the winter to keep the batteries topped u? It gets cold
here but not alot of snow so the batteries should stay topped up, or is
the
cold more of a problem on the batteries?
Thanks Richard