Solar trickle charger question

[Emeraldsnake]

Hello guys. I use a solar power trickle charger that plugs into my ciggy lighter socket by the dashboard. It's meant to put a steady 4volts into the battery to keep it topped up with power. My question is this. As I have an isolater switch that I turn off when I leave my boat, does this then stop my battery actually getting any charge from the solar panel?

 

[joe009]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

it will,the isolator does just that.it isolates the battery from the rest of the boat.you should connect the charger to the battery. i use a battery minder.it keeps the battery charged and desulfates the battery also

 

[Emeraldsnake]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

Gotcha. It only came with a cigarette lighter socket charger though. Will this still work as long as I keep the isolator switch kept on?

 

[glenn property of pam]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

you can add a female power socket (cig) to the battery with a fuse then plug the panel in there. The panel has to put out 13.5v min or the battery will never charge. your quote of "It's meant to put a steady 4volts into the battery to keep it topped up with power" probably means that the panel will be putting out 16v in full sun light. (that's 3 times a year in Portsmouth :laugh

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

4 volts will not charge a flashlight much less a boat battery. If you meant four Watts at 12 volts thats a different story.

 

[Emeraldsnake]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

Yes sorry, 4 watts.

 

[bruceb58]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

4W might maintain your battery at full charge but it will not significantly charge it at all. Since those chargers are rated @ 17 to 16V the amount of current may be as low as 250mA.

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

I added a 15 watt to mine earlier this year and its been a big help.

 

[Emeraldsnake]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

I have ordered a 10w 12v solar charger now to replace the lower rated one. The new one will also connect straight to the battery, and claims to be able to power the light, CD player, GPS, ship to shore etc on its own in sunny weather. I'm hoping this will be the better one.
http://bit.ly/19RYNfU

Thanks your invaluable help so far. Mike.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

Good luck with that. 10 watts is less than 1 amp.. One small light bulb draws more than that.

 

[achris]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

I have ordered a 10w 12v solar charger now to replace the lower rated one. The new one will also connect straight to the battery, and claims to be able to power the light, CD player, GPS, ship to shore etc on its own in sunny weather. I'm hoping this will be the better one.
http://bit.ly/19RYNfU

Thanks your invaluable help so far. Mike.

Good luck with that. 10 watts is less than 1 amp.. One small light bulb draws more than that.

I was going to say, their claims are a little exaggerated! 10W is not enough to power the 'ship to shore' on transmit.... GPS, maybe. Lights, no way! (the average festoon is 12W). CD player, yes, but not the amplifier (so you could watch the discs going round and round, but don't try to listen the music on them....)....

Try hooking 4 or 5 of those 10w panels up and you might be getting somewhere... Oh, England... It will still work, but only on the morning you have summer... :lol:....

Chris..........

 

[Emeraldsnake]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

It's just to keep the battery topped up when I'm away from the boat for a bit. I didn't realise these forums promoted the abuse and p!ss taking of others country's. Living in the far south of England means I have just had 8 weeks of 30 degree weather. Never guaranteed over here, I grant you that, but really? All tongue in cheek I'm sure.

 

[achris]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

It's just to keep the battery topped up when I'm away from the boat for a bit. I didn't realise these forums promoted the abuse and p!ss taking of others country's. Living in the far south of England means I have just had 8 weeks of 30 degree weather. Never guaranteed over here, I grant you that, but really? All tongue in cheek I'm sure.

Absolutely... Just for keeping batteries topped up, yeah no problems... besides, you know what it's like between you lot and us aussies .... We love to love you, or is that hate to love you? I can never remember.... :lol:

Chris.......

 

[Emeraldsnake]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

Well, seeing that my mother hails from Perth, I'm half Aussie, also, my father is Canadian, and I'm English born. So get your head around that one! :lol:

 

[achris]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

Well, seeing that my mother hails from Perth, I'm half Aussie, also, my father is Canadian, and I'm English born. So get your head around that one! :lol:

Nope, head's still spinning....

I once worked for a UK agency who hired me to a French owned Italian company, working on a Luxembourg registered Norwegian built vessel. I was paid in US dollars, into a Singapore bank. We mobilised in Ivory Coast and sailed into Nigerian waters.... Does that count?

Cheers.....

 

[Emeraldsnake]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

I have a headache...........:lol:

 

[achris]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

I have a headache...........:lol:

Panadeine?

 

[Emeraldsnake]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

Near a Winchelsea road if memory serves. A long time ago though. Your Perth right? A long shot, but Mary Gale was mums name at the time...........

 

[achris]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

Errr, yeah... no.. Don't know a Mary Gale. Winchelsea road is in Nollamara, which is on the other side of Perth to me... Sorry :noidea:

 

[Emeraldsnake]

Re: Solar trickle charger question

Worth a shot. Would of been weird, what with all the help you have been given me. Maybe one day we will meet and have a drink together. I sure owe you! All the best mate. M.:joyous: