Has anyone ever tried solar panels to keep batteries topped off?
 

Hello,

During a weekend shopping trip to Northern Tool I came across these 15 watt solar panels. http://www.northerntool.com/shop/too...Product%20Page

I was wondering how well (or if at all) they would work to keep the boat batteries charged. My boat is rack stored and I do not have ac power close to the rack so my maintenance charging options are moving the boat to run the engines, move the boat and plug in charger, or bring batteries home to charge.

Has anyone tried something similar? My thought was to rig one of these panels and any needed control boxes next to the storage rack and keep these plugged in when not regularly using the boat. I'm thinking maintenance charging not recharging a dead battery...

Like Myth Busters- Plausible or Busted?

Thanks,
Rick

They work pretty good actually. I used one from Harbor Freight to do the same thing a couple of years ago during the winter in Atlanta and it worked fine.

Now, if you thought you were going to use it to run the stereo, busted.

Had a friend that kept his boat on a mooring for a summer, seemed to work pretty well actually.

My motor coach has them built in. They will keep 4, 6 volt house, and 2, 12 volt chassis batterys topped off with no problem.


Darrell.

Will work very well.

House boats use solar panels all the time, so I don't see why they wouldn't work for you to maintain the batteries. Sounds like a great idea for your situation.

I have a battery in the tool box on my trailer for the electric jack and assist for the brakes, and I use a solar panel to keep it charged and it works great.