I noticed these new solar battery chargers in some of the catalogs I just
received. Being that I like to shut the engine down and listen to the radio,
leave the fish finder on, and use other electronics, would putting up one of
these solar gizmos be a good idea? It supposedly has some electronics so it
doesn't over charge.

Also - since we are on the battery topic, my current battery is 3 years old,
and I do not want to take a chance for the next season. I need to buy a new
one. What marine battery brand is considered really good? I would like to go
to a local store, so they can take my old one. Are the Die Hards good? I am
not even sure if they make a marine version.


Thanks!

"Dan J.S." wrote in message
...
I noticed these new solar battery chargers in some of the catalogs I just
received. Being that I like to shut the engine down and listen to the
radio, leave the fish finder on, and use other electronics, would putting
up one of these solar gizmos be a good idea? It supposedly has some
electronics so it doesn't over charge.


I doubt any solar charger that you could fit on a boat will ever overcharge
a marine battery. But, to answer your question, yes a solar charger will
maintain a charge or, depending on how much stuff you leave on, extend the
time it takes to discharge the battery.

The electronics are usually associated with a display of array current and a
diode to prevent the battery from being discharged by the solar panel at
night.

To give you some idea, I had an RV with a solar panel rated at "50 watts".
In bright sunlight the most array current I witnessed was just under 3 amps.

Eisboch

Harry Krause wrote:

I'll respond to the second part of your query, since I know nothing
about solar panels.

I like AGM batteries for small boats.

Any idea how they work on fabulous 36' Zimmermanlike lobstaboats?

--
Skipper

"Skipper" wrote in message
...
Harry Krause wrote:

I'll respond to the second part of your query, since I know nothing
about solar panels.

I like AGM batteries for small boats.

Any idea how they work on fabulous 36' Zimmermanlike lobstaboats?

--
Skipper

LOL...or how about on board a 65 knot Parker with a sat-com down link?

--
-Netsock

"It's just about going fast...that's all..."
http://home.columbus.rr.com/ckg/

The fish finder might be your big ticket item in the power department.
Unless you have a 900 watt stereo system. Most of these solar panels are
going to be limited to a few amps.

I do the same thing, every three years I replace the battery just so I don't
have to worry about it. Since I know i'm only using the battery 3 years I
go cheap and big, wally world group 27 or if you can get it to fit a group
29.

"Dan J.S." wrote in message
...
I noticed these new solar battery chargers in some of the catalogs I just
received. Being that I like to shut the engine down and listen to the
radio, leave the fish finder on, and use other electronics, would putting
up one of these solar gizmos be a good idea? It supposedly has some
electronics so it doesn't over charge.

Also - since we are on the battery topic, my current battery is 3 years
old, and I do not want to take a chance for the next season. I need to buy
a new one. What marine battery brand is considered really good? I would
like to go to a local store, so they can take my old one. Are the Die
Hards good? I am not even sure if they make a marine version.


Thanks!

JamesgangNC wrote:

The fish finder might be your big ticket item in the power department.
Unless you have a 900 watt stereo system. Most of these solar panels are
going to be limited to a few amps.

I do the same thing, every three years I replace the battery just so I don't
have to worry about it. Since I know i'm only using the battery 3 years I
go cheap and big, wally world group 27 or if you can get it to fit a group
29.

"Dan J.S." wrote in message
...
I noticed these new solar battery chargers in some of the catalogs I just
received. Being that I like to shut the engine down and listen to the
radio, leave the fish finder on, and use other electronics, would putting
up one of these solar gizmos be a good idea? It supposedly has some
electronics so it doesn't over charge.

Also - since we are on the battery topic, my current battery is 3 years
old, and I do not want to take a chance for the next season. I need to buy
a new one. What marine battery brand is considered really good? I would
like to go to a local store, so they can take my old one. Are the Die
Hards good? I am not even sure if they make a marine version.


Thanks!


Mine is 1.5 amps and the thing fried a deep cycle battery in 3 days of
moderate sunlight. I now have an amp meter to shut it off.