Outer Limits 4x4 Board

i currently have a 150AH battery and 40AH battery on board my yacht but im looking at other options to charge them..
currently i can get 4A out of the outboard whilst underway (average 1-2hrs then at anchor for the rest) and also 1-2A from a solar panel.


what id like to do is leave the solar panel connected permanently but im worried about over charging the batteries..

now when i leave her at the mooring, i leave a small .5a panel to top the batteries up but obviously thats not really enough so im looking at options to leave the larger panel hooked up to take care of things while im away..



im also looking at changing the (AUX) 40AH battery to a 100AH battery.





any ideas??

There are solar controllers available which will regulate your battery charging very nicely. It's only money.

also considering using a 100AH as a 3rd battery and not connect it into the current (2) circuits..
ie just use it for the fridge,phone chargers or external lighting etc....

but that still leaves me with the issue of charging..

-Scott- wrote: It's only money.

how much approximately? any links?


would they work with 3 seperate batteries?

-Scott- wrote:It's only money.

Not many people know this, but 'boat' is actually an acronym -

Bring
Out
Another
Thousand


However you'll probably get out of this one much cheaper.
The solar panel regulator is probably the most sensible solution. Regulators go from $79 (6 amp) to $169 (20 amp) from Whitworths Marine. They'll work with 3 separate batteries as long as the output current of the solar panel doesn't exceed the rating.

There's lots of other options out there (towing generators, wind generators, gensets, solar panels, prop generators, wave action generators, and then some...), but obviously not every one will suit your situation (none are perfect and have to decide which is the best compromise for you).

The most efficient and best (in my mind), as far as power generation goes , is a wind generator. I get the feeling (from the outboard power and having only 3 batteries) it's a reasonably small yacht, so this probably isn't for you - they're big, expensive and can be noisy, but great for long distance cruising with high power consumption.

The only other way I can think of is to upgrade the charging system so that it's charged by the time you're back on the mooring and doesn't need any topping up. Again, the outboard probably discounts this option as far as alternators go.


Just out of interest, what sort of yacht is it?

Spimon_NH wrote:

-Scott- wrote:It's only money.

Not many people know this, but 'boat' is actually an acronym -

Bring
Out
Another
Thousand



i know what you mean..

its the same as 4x4 in uppercase = $x$

However you'll probably get out of this one much cheaper.
The solar panel regulator is probably the most sensible solution. Regulators go from $79 (6 amp) to $169 (20 amp) from Whitworths Marine. They'll work with 3 separate batteries as long as the output current of the solar panel doesn't exceed the rating.

i hope so..

the panel wont proivide any more than 2A so no probs there... and of course it wont be at full output for the whole day...
if i mount it on the hatch where im thinking of (no other sensible option) then it will work well except for the middle of the day ( when the boom is in the way and covering the cells)


There's lots of other options out there (towing generators, wind generators, gensets, solar panels, prop generators, wave action generators, and then some...), but obviously not every one will suit your situation (none are perfect and have to decide which is the best compromise for you).

Just out of interest, what sort of yacht is it?

Jim Young designed, home made built in my backyard...
started in 1982 i think..


here is a couple quick pics..
excuse the condition.. she has been neglected for the past 10+ years




the panel is in that pic...
its about as old as the yacht...

j-top paj wrote:

-Scott- wrote: It's only money.

how much approximately? any links?


would they work with 3 seperate batteries?

http://www.solaronline.com.au/cgi/index ... 1107143923

Just a random google result, not a business I've bought from, to give you an idea of some of the products out there.

chimpboy wrote:

j-top paj wrote:

-Scott- wrote: It's only money.

how much approximately? any links?


would they work with 3 seperate batteries?

http://www.solaronline.com.au/cgi/index ... 1107143923

Just a random google result, not a business I've bought from, to give you an idea of some of the products out there.

I've been looking at solar setup's for the old boy to atm. Jaycar sell some reasonably priced regulators too but all they say is for a 12V system. Nothing on the actual output voltage. All well and good if you get 12V out but that wont actually charge your battery. The ones mentioned above I've found a pdf for that show charging voltages but anyone know what brand or type the jaycar ones are. Maybe I should just ring them

Pdf for the 5amp unit above.
http://store.altenergystore.com/mmsolar ... Manual.pdf

Seems like you enjoy building your own stuff. Maybe this would do the job for you.

http://secure.oatleyelectronics.com//pr ... e3b0a0356f