Solar recharger

I have been looking at a 15 watt solar charger and would like to know if
there would be enough daylight Monday through Friday that could make this a
worthwhile purchase. ($150.00 US) I was thinking of mounting it somewhere
on the boat permanent and never unplugging it, even while fishing and using
the battery. It has an overcharge module built in to it too. Am I getting
too hopeful? What wattage *would* be worth getting exited about?
I use a taper charger and an overnight charge (9:00 pm till 5:00 am) always
brings the battery back to a full charge.
--
Stony




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Steve wrote:
a 15 watt solar charger


If you used the battery you're charging to run a clock radio or something,
it might be enough. For a trolling motor battery, a 15 watt charger is a
joke. A typical 10 amp charger uses about 200 watts on the input side to
produce about 150 on the output side.

RichZ©
www.richz.com/fishing

Thank you muchly sir!! Rich could I ask you another unrelated question to
the charger Q? You know those low voltage garden lights that have a
transformer? (120 v down to 12 v) My question is; what is the difference
of burning a 20 watt halogen
12 volt light bulb as compared to burning a 20 watt 120 volt light bulb?
--
Stony
"RichZ" wrote in message
...
Steve wrote:
a 15 watt solar charger


If you used the battery you're charging to run a clock radio or something,
it might be enough. For a trolling motor battery, a 15 watt charger is a
joke. A typical 10 amp charger uses about 200 watts on the input side to
produce about 150 on the output side.

RichZ©
www.richz.com/fishing



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Actually, lower voltage @ same wattage = higher current draw. (W=V*I)

Say it takes X amount of watts to create Y amount of light. If you use 120v
to do it, you will draw only 20% of the current you would draw creating the
same amount of light with 24v. The amount of power consumed is the same,
but the current is higher. In general terms, higher current = more energy
lost as heat instead of light (lower efficiency) and more electrical 'wear
and tear' on contacts and switches.

So WHY do they use low voltage for these things? Mostly for 'code
satisfaction'. 120 needs to be in sub surface grade conduit if it's going
to be buried. The low voltage stuff doesn't. The transformer that's
stepping it down will only pass X amount of wattage before toasting itself.
It's made to satisfy the lighting needs and a little margin for error.
Short the circuit out, or otherwise try to increase the current draw, and
before it reaches a 'dangerous level', the whole thing shuts down.

That's why the homeade 'de-squirrelizer' on the post holding out bird
feeder runs on 12 volts. Max current flow through the line is 4 amps.
Enough to stop a squirrel, but not enough to knock down a person (as I can
attest)

RichZ©
www.richz.com/fishing

Thanks again Rich!
--
Stony

"RichZ" wrote in message
...
Actually, lower voltage @ same wattage = higher current draw. (W=V*I)

Say it takes X amount of watts to create Y amount of light. If you use
120v



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A 15 watt charger should be able to produce about 1 amp at 12 volts. I have
thought about doing something like this to keep my batteries topped off
while the boat sits in storage. Yes, I know, a boat should never sit idle,
but some of us have to work for a living. :-) I do not think you could
expect to keep your batteries charged while using your trolling motor on the
water. At high speed, my 12V trolling motor can draw up to 30+ amps.

Jeff

"Steve & Chris Clark" wrote in message
...
I have been looking at a 15 watt solar charger and would like to know
if
there would be enough daylight Monday through Friday that could make this
a
worthwhile purchase. ($150.00 US) I was thinking of mounting it somewhere
on the boat permanent and never unplugging it, even while fishing and
using
the battery. It has an overcharge module built in to it too. Am I
getting
too hopeful? What wattage *would* be worth getting exited about?
I use a taper charger and an overnight charge (9:00 pm till 5:00 am)
always
brings the battery back to a full charge.
--
Stony




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That was my intention too Jeff. The boat doesn't move all week till Sat.
morning. I was wondering if 15 w was enough to recharge the depletion on
the battery while the boat did nothing all week long. Just set it on top
off the mooring cover and walk away for the week, oh well ;-/
--
Stony

"Jeff Durham" wrote in message
...
A 15 watt charger should be able to produce about 1 amp at 12 volts. I
have
thought about doing something like this to keep my batteries topped off
while the boat sits in storage. Yes, I know, a boat should never sit
idle,
but some of us have to work for a living. :-) I do not think you could
expect to keep your batteries charged while using your trolling motor on
the
water. At high speed, my 12V trolling motor can draw up to 30+ amps.

Jeff

"Steve & Chris Clark" wrote in message
...
I have been looking at a 15 watt solar charger and would like to know
if
there would be enough daylight Monday through Friday that could make
this
a
worthwhile purchase. ($150.00 US) I was thinking of mounting it
somewhere
on the boat permanent and never unplugging it, even while fishing and
using
the battery. It has an overcharge module built in to it too. Am I
getting
too hopeful? What wattage *would* be worth getting exited about?
I use a taper charger and an overnight charge (9:00 pm till 5:00 am)
always
brings the battery back to a full charge.
--
Stony




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The big problem is, it's 15watts in full, direct sunlight. How many hours
of full, direct sunlight do you actually get in the average week? Without
being there to reposition the collector.

Take it to the bank that in the real world, the average output will be more
like 1/4 amp than 1 amp. Then try to figure out how much of that $150 price
tag the end result is really worth.

RichZ©
www.richz.com/fishing

Thanks Rich, I had given up on the idea after your post. I was just
agreeing with Jeff as it seemed like a good idea, er, uh, dream ;-) I have
forgotten the charger and moved on to a new rod or reel, hmmm.
--
Stony

"RichZ" wrote in message
...
The big problem is, it's 15watts in full, direct sunlight. How many hours
of full, direct sunlight do you actually get in the average week? Without
being there to reposition the collector.

Take it to the bank that in the real world, the average output will be
more
like 1/4 amp than 1 amp. Then try to figure out how much of that $150
price
tag the end result is really worth.

RichZ©
www.richz.com/fishing



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Dang, Dr. Rich strikes again. You breadth of knowledge never ceases to amaze me........

--
Sandy Joren
You sound reasonable ... Time to up my medication.....
"RichZ" wrote in message ...
Actually, lower voltage @ same wattage = higher current draw. (W=V*I)

Say it takes X amount of watts to create Y amount of light. If you use 120v
to do it, you will draw only 20% of the current you would draw creating the
same amount of light with 24v. The amount of power consumed is the same,
but the current is higher. In general terms, higher current = more energy
lost as heat instead of light (lower efficiency) and more electrical 'wear
and tear' on contacts and switches.

So WHY do they use low voltage for these things? Mostly for 'code
satisfaction'. 120 needs to be in sub surface grade conduit if it's going
to be buried. The low voltage stuff doesn't. The transformer that's
stepping it down will only pass X amount of wattage before toasting itself.
It's made to satisfy the lighting needs and a little margin for error.
Short the circuit out, or otherwise try to increase the current draw, and
before it reaches a 'dangerous level', the whole thing shuts down.

That's why the homeade 'de-squirrelizer' on the post holding out bird
feeder runs on 12 volts. Max current flow through the line is 4 amps.
Enough to stop a squirrel, but not enough to knock down a person (as I can
attest)

RichZ©
www.richz.com/fishing