solar charging of boat battery

On 18 Nov 2003 23:53:38 -0800, edwinvangorp.TakeThisOut@wanadoo.nl (Edwin Antonius
van Gorp) wrote:

 >Since I'm new to the field of solar energy I've got a few questions:
 >
 >We have a boat which is propulsed by an electric outboard. Of course
 >after a few hours the battery starts getting flat.
 >The idea is to mount some solar panels on the boat, but I have no idea
 >how many or what equipment to use.
 >
 >My questions are:
 >
 >-- How many and which solar panels do I use?
 >-- What kind of a battery charger do I need?
 >-- What other equipment do I need?
 >
 >The motor is a 12 V Motorguide outboard
 >
 >Looking forward to seeing some answers.
 >
 >Thanks
 >
 >Eddy
 >South of Spai
Without knowing anything about the motor, how you use it, where you
live, etc, it's not posible to give a definitive answer. If you'e
looking for something that will give you the ability to use the motor
continuously, it's probably not possible, but let's do the math.

Let's assume the battery is 100 amp hours, for simplicity's sake.
Let's also assume that "flat" means 50% discharged and we can say
you've used something like 50 amp hours. To replace 50 amp hours in a
typical full *day* of sunshine in the southern half of the US, I'd
probably want 150-200 watts of solar panels. Go on the web and search
for solar power companies like <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.solar-electric.com" target="_blank">www.solar-electric.com</a> or manufacturers
like Kyocera or Siemens (now Shell Solar, I think) and check out the
size and weight (and cost!) of 200 watts worth of panels. I think
you'll be impressed.

____________________________________________________________
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To reply, lose the capitals and do the obvious.

Take a look at cpRepeater, my NMEA data integrator, repeater, and
logger at <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.worldwidewiley.com/" target="_blank">http://www.worldwidewiley.com/</a><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: solar charging of boat battery 

Well Eddy, so far none of the replies have been of much encouragement ......
for me either. I was contemplating utilizing a 12 volt marine battery in
my ..... canoe so that when those long stretches of wind in my face
flat-water occurred, I could just get a boost.
Then when the battery got low I figured to use a solar charger to reload the
battery. Looks like a bad plan.
Jerry
 >> Stay informed about: solar charging of boat battery 

Not a bad plan. It just takes a LOT of patience.

JerryS wrote:
 > Well Eddy, so far none of the replies have been of much encouragement ......
 > for me either. I was contemplating utilizing a 12 volt marine battery in
 > my ..... canoe so that when those long stretches of wind in my face
 > flat-water occurred, I could just get a boost.
 > Then when the battery got low I figured to use a solar charger to reload the
 > battery. Looks like a bad plan.
 > Jerry
 >
 >
 >

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.rutuonline.com" target="_blank">http://www.rutuonline.com</a>
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 >> Stay informed about: solar charging of boat battery 

Well ... up here in the woods , you backpack your canoe, trolling motor,
solar charger etc into the lake ... and basically trickle charge the battery
when it's not in use, while drinking beer and so on ... it's the only way.
Maybe your only way will be to carry a dozen batteries or so to get you
through the day.


"Edwin Antonius van Gorp" <edwinvangorp.TakeThisOut@wanadoo.nl> wrote in message
news:247b9259.0311182353.441ff8fc@posting.google.com...
 > Since I'm new to the field of solar energy I've got a few questions:
 >
 > We have a boat which is propulsed by an electric outboard. Of course
 > after a few hours the battery starts getting flat.
 > The idea is to mount some solar panels on the boat, but I have no idea
 > how many or what equipment to use.
 >
 > My questions are:
 >
 > -- How many and which solar panels do I use?
 > -- What kind of a battery charger do I need?
 > -- What other equipment do I need?
 >
 > The motor is a 12 V Motorguide outboard
 >
 > Looking forward to seeing some answers.
 >
 > Thanks
 >
 > Eddy
 > South of Spai<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: solar charging of boat battery 

Thanks to all you guys..

The battery is an 100 Ah marine deep cycle battery and We are using
the motors for fishing purposes. The boats are sometimes for 2 or 3
hours on one location in full sun in the south of Spain. Even if the
battery would be charged for a 1/4th of the full capacity that would
be great.

Eddy


Glenn Ashmore <gashmore.TakeThisOut@mindspring.com> wrote in message news:<oDSub.9601$0K4.7152@lakeread04>...
 > Not a bad plan. It just takes a LOT of patience.
 >
 > JerryS wrote:
  > > Well Eddy, so far none of the replies have been of much encouragement ......
  > > for me either. I was contemplating utilizing a 12 volt marine battery in
  > > my ..... canoe so that when those long stretches of wind in my face
  > > flat-water occurred, I could just get a boost.
  > > Then when the battery got low I figured to use a solar charger to reload the
  > > battery. Looks like a bad plan.
  > > Jerry
  > >
  > >
  > ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: solar charging of boat battery 

That may be enough patience but how much real estate do you want to take up?

At least we have a goal now. A 110 watt panels will probably give you
are reliable 6 or 7 amps per hour so a pair will give you about 1/4
charge in 2 hours of full sun but 110 watt panels are about 22" x 50"
(56cm x 128cm) and about $500 each.

The only sucessful solar powered boat I have seen was a 19' Elco fantail
launch with 6 4D batteies. The awning was covered in 600 watts of
panels and it could cruise at 4 knots for about 5 hours a day without
pluging in the charger if it stayed sunny. Half that with any cloud cover.

Edwin Antonius van Gorp wrote:
 > Thanks to all you guys..
 >
 > The battery is an 100 Ah marine deep cycle battery and We are using
 > the motors for fishing purposes. The boats are sometimes for 2 or 3
 > hours on one location in full sun in the south of Spain. Even if the
 > battery would be charged for a 1/4th of the full capacity that would
 > be great.
 >
 > Eddy
 >
 >
 > Glenn Ashmore <gashmore.TakeThisOut@mindspring.com> wrote in message news:<oDSub.9601$0K4.7152@lakeread04>...
 >
  >>Not a bad plan. It just takes a LOT of patience.
  >>
  >>JerryS wrote:
  >>
   >>>Well Eddy, so far none of the replies have been of much encouragement ......
   >>>for me either. I was contemplating utilizing a 12 volt marine battery in
   >>>my ..... canoe so that when those long stretches of wind in my face
   >>>flat-water occurred, I could just get a boost.
   >>>Then when the battery got low I figured to use a solar charger to reload the
   >>>battery. Looks like a bad plan.
   >>>Jerry
   >>>
   >>>
   >>>

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.rutuonline.com" target="_blank">http://www.rutuonline.com</a>
Shameless Commercial Division: <a style='text-decoration: underline;' href="http://www.spade-anchor-us.com" target="_blank">http://www.spade-anchor-us.com</a><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: solar charging of boat battery 

I have photovoltaic panels over my house.
Don't remember exactly the size but is in the 10 square meters range (around
100 square foot, more or less).
The panels, placed at the correct angle, direction south, produces 1500
Watt (no typo, about 2 Hp) at noon in summer sunny day.
Disregarding efficency, if you have used 2 hp for 1 hour, you need 1hour of
sun at right angle...
Here, in Italy, the price is in the 10000-15000 $ range maybe in USA is
a bit less, but not so much...
You can compute from this...

Paolo

 > My questions are:
 >
 > -- How many and which solar panels do I use?
 > -- What kind of a battery charger do I need?
 > -- What other equipment do I need?
 ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: solar charging of boat battery 

Maybe I should give up guys.......

It seems to me that I need an oiltanker size boat to get enough power
for our 4 meter aluminium dinghy.

Any other suggestions?

Eddy




"Paolo Zini" <Paolo.Zini.RemoveThis@cnuce.cnr.it> wrote in message news:<bphtna$qld$1@atlantis.cu.mi.it>...
 > I have photovoltaic panels over my house.
 > Don't remember exactly the size but is in the 10 square meters range (around
 > 100 square foot, more or less).
 > The panels, placed at the correct angle, direction south, produces 1500
 > Watt (no typo, about 2 Hp) at noon in summer sunny day.
 > Disregarding efficency, if you have used 2 hp for 1 hour, you need 1hour of
 > sun at right angle...
 > Here, in Italy, the price is in the 10000-15000 $ range maybe in USA is
 > a bit less, but not so much...
 > You can compute from this...
 >
 > Paolo
 >
  > > My questions are:
  > >
  > > -- How many and which solar panels do I use?
  > > -- What kind of a battery charger do I need?
  > > -- What other equipment do I need?
  > ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: solar charging of boat battery 

Edwin Antonius van Gorp wrote:
 >
 > Since I'm new to the field of solar energy I've got a few questions:
 >
 > We have a boat which is propulsed by an electric outboard. Of course
 > after a few hours the battery starts getting flat.
 > The idea is to mount some solar panels on the boat, but I have no idea
 > how many or what equipment to use.
 >
 > My questions are:
 >
 > -- How many and which solar panels do I use?
 > -- What kind of a battery charger do I need?
 > -- What other equipment do I need?
 >
 > The motor is a 12 V Motorguide outboard
 >
 > Looking forward to seeing some answers.
 >
 > Thanks
 >
 > Eddy
 > South of Spai

A bimini type sun shade overhead made from solar cells could
provide a steady charge for a deep cycle battery while providing
some relief from the sun. If you get to the point where it's hot,
and you are a long way up the creek with no juice left, perhaps
you would think that one of those tiny 2 cycle genset battery
chargers, about the size of a breadbox and about 10 pounds, would
provide a means to get home, as well as providing a useful genset
for other purposes? For instance, a gas furnace doesn't use much
power, it only needs to drive the fan, really.

--
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pvovb DeleteThis @paarhqyhk.net<!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: solar charging of boat battery 

Hmmm...lessee.

Requirement:
1/4 capacity of 100 Ah battery in 3 hours,
is 25 Amp hrs in 3 hrs
is 8 amps at 14 volts

Supply:
a 1 amp 12 volt solar cell might cost $40 if you were lucky.
So 8 amps might cost $3200 if you were very lucky.

(Unsure of the current efficiencies.... let's say solar = 3%
efficient)

Solar constant say 700 watts /m^2
at 3% efficiency for say 100 watts
= 100/(700 X 3/100) = 5 sq meters

Find a surface 17 feet long and 3 feet wide and cover it with
$3200 of solar cells

(My figures are probably rather optimistic....)

Brian




On 20 Nov 2003 02:09:08 -0800, edwinvangorp RemoveThis @wanadoo.nl (Edwin Antonius
van Gorp) wrote:

 >Thanks to all you guys..
 >
 >The battery is an 100 Ah marine deep cycle battery and We are using
 >the motors for fishing purposes. The boats are sometimes for 2 or 3
 >hours on one location in full sun in the south of Spain. Even if the
 >battery would be charged for a 1/4th of the full capacity that would
 >be great.
 >
 >Eddy
 >
 >
 >Glenn Ashmore <gashmore RemoveThis @mindspring.com> wrote in message news:<oDSub.9601$0K4.7152@lakeread04>...
  >> Not a bad plan. It just takes a LOT of patience.
  >>
  >> JerryS wrote:
   >> > Well Eddy, so far none of the replies have been of much encouragement ......
   >> > for me either. I was contemplating utilizing a 12 volt marine battery in
   >> > my ..... canoe so that when those long stretches of wind in my face
   >> > flat-water occurred, I could just get a boost.
   >> > Then when the battery got low I figured to use a solar charger to reload the
   >> > battery. Looks like a bad plan.
   >> > Jerry
   >> >
   >> >
   >> ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: solar charging of boat battery 

Row?
DF
"Edwin Antonius van Gorp" <edwinvangorp RemoveThis @wanadoo.nl> wrote in message
news:247b9259.0311200638.1ae9dddb@posting.google.com...
 > Maybe I should give up guys.......
 >
 > It seems to me that I need an oiltanker size boat to get enough power
 > for our 4 meter aluminium dinghy.
 >
 > Any other suggestions?
 >
 > Eddy
 >
 >
 >
 >
 > "Paolo Zini" <Paolo.Zini RemoveThis @cnuce.cnr.it> wrote in message
news:<bphtna$qld$1@atlantis.cu.mi.it>...
  > > I have photovoltaic panels over my house.
  > > Don't remember exactly the size but is in the 10 square meters range
(around
  > > 100 square foot, more or less).
  > > The panels, placed at the correct angle, direction south, produces 1500
  > > Watt (no typo, about 2 Hp) at noon in summer sunny day.
  > > Disregarding efficency, if you have used 2 hp for 1 hour, you need
1hour of
  > > sun at right angle...
  > > Here, in Italy, the price is in the 10000-15000 $ range maybe in USA
is
  > > a bit less, but not so much...
  > > You can compute from this...
  > >
  > > Paolo
  > >
   > > > My questions are:
   > > >
   > > > -- How many and which solar panels do I use?
   > > > -- What kind of a battery charger do I need?
   > > > -- What other equipment do I need?
   > > ><!-- ~MESSAGE_AFTER~ -->
 >> Stay informed about: solar charging of boat battery