Solar battery charger

[Ryan818]

This question is more for us crazy people who leave their boat in the water for the summer. I have a '09 230 SP w/ 430hp. Usually I will go to the boat once a week if I don't get it out and start it up for about 30 min. to charge the battery for the bilge. I was thinking of hooking up a solar panel to keep it charged just in case. Anybody hook up a solar charger?

 

[LouDoo]

Sounds like a great idea, I have had experience with a solar battery charger, not on a boat. They work great as a battery maintainer, I don't see any reason that it wouldn't work on a boat.

I have an automatic bilge pump on my SeaDoo and am always worried the battery will discharge, I have been leaving it on shore power, but I think this is a better idea.

Lou

 

[Sako7STW]

I have been thinking about doing the same thing. I thought about mounting one or 2 small ones to the top of my wakeboard tower so they keep chargeing through the day and then I am also installing a 3 bank (I will have 3 batteries) onboard 4 stage battery charger with a shore connect so when I fire up the generator I can put a hard charge to the batteries for the next day.

 

[Ryan818]

I never thought, but this would also be good when anchored and the radidio is on. What would be the benefit of 1 or 2 extra batteries if you had the solar charger on?

 

[LouDoo]

I would have 2 batteries, one for the necessities, the starter(s) and bilge pump, the other for audio, and toys.

On my SeaDoo I only have 1 battery.

Lou