Does anyone have any tips for using solar to keep power bo..

tomdownard wrote:
> What are the best panels. What is the best battery configuration. What
> is the cost vs. staying with shore power charger?
>

My setup probably won't help you very much.
I don't have a huge power budget aboard.

The only thing I run is my nav lights at night (2 or 3 hours)
and my VHF (Apollo 55) to get the weather report -
not transmitting much - if at all.

Single house battery
Single 5 watt solar panel from Harbor Freight - on sale for $30.

So I haven't hooked up to shore power now for the last three months
and the battery is in better shape than ever. (adn my shore power
is free with the slip.

My cabin lights are mostly Sylvania Dot-Its.
These are powered by 3 AAA cells each - which I recharge via an iSun
BattPak - plugged into the solar panel - when needed.
I can recharge 9 AAA cells at a time with this rig.
The Hand Held and CD player use AA cells - recharged the same way.

Don't have GPS, Loran, or a color chart plotter.
Don't have a TV or refrigerator.
Don't have an air conditioner either.

Like I said, I doubt my se up will work for many people here.
But it works fine for me.

For what it's worth...


Richard