Boat Solar setup...

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RW Sailor
RW Sailor Registered Users Posts: 1
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
Hello everybody,
I am pretty new to solar besides reading quite a bit around... but here is what I have in mind, without having an idea how to make it reality.
The whole setup will be on a sailboat as a first thing to keep in mind, so what I want to do is:

Having two batteries, one for the engine to start up, one for other supplies (Nav lights, lighting, music etc) - which will be a bigger battery. And I want to set up a solar system of about 400 Watts (probably 4 panels). So the idea is to make the panels charge the in use battery only and the starter battery only if the other one is full.
Also I've been told it is better to hook up two panels per charge controller, so can I just hook up 4 panels on 2 charge controllers and connect them in parallel to the ig battery? And then use the dump laod for the starter battery!?

Sorry about all the questions, I was looking for plans how to set this up but couldn't find any.
Also I would like to watch over the overall consumption of energy on the boat at all times (day counter?) is there a proper way of doing that?
And what is the price range for all of this that I am looking into? Given that the batteries are in place, but everything else needs to be bought?
Thank you already for your help!
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  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    #2
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    Re: Boat Solar setup...

    Welcome to the forum.

    There are quite a number of different approaches you could take. All of which depend on what size those batteries are and what sort of loads are used, as that will determine whether you can mount enough solar for a complete recharge or only enough to slow the discharge.

    There are in fact charge controllers designed to charge two separate (but same Voltage/type and common negative) batteries. One example: http://www.solar-electric.com/modubachco251.html

    As to whether the panels should be two in series or two in parallel and how many to a charge controller ... again a number of factors come in to play. Mainly which panels, how they can be laid out on the boat, and again what the batteries are.
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  • PNjunction
    PNjunction Solar Expert Posts: 762 ✭✭✭
    #3
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    Re: Boat Solar setup...

    In addition to NAWS, for more extensive specific marine solar hardware tips you may want to look at the batteries/generators & solar forum at CruisersForum . com.
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