Recommendation for panel, battery and charge controller for boat

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  • kitkats
    Junior Member
    • Aug 2022
    • 0
    #1

    Recommendation for panel, battery and charge controller for boat

    Hi there

    I am looking for advice on choosing battery, solar panel and a charge controller for my houseboat. The boat is permanently moored. The idea is to have an automated bilge pump so it will pump itself out if there is a downpour while I'm away, and in the summer, when we stay overnight, we can maybe charge our phones and usb lights etc.

    The panel will be installed on the roof of the boat, facing up to the sky. The boat is located in Norfolk, UK

    The loads are as follows:
    Bilge Pump switch : 0.06 watts - constant, 365 days a year.
    Bilge Pump pump : 42 watts - dependent on rain but I estimate it could run for approximately 2 minutes every week in the winter, at worst (the boat is covered)
    USB Charger : 18 watts - runs for approximately 1 hour every week in the summer, almost never in the winter (this is to charge up lights, phone etc)

    It would be great to have a charge controller that could show how much charge (Ah) is left in the battery but this is not essential.

    I have been looking at Renogy products on amazon and they look good but I'm not sure what type of battery I should go for given my circumstances. I would prefer to spend less and get a lead battery over a Lithium one if practicable.

    Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
    Tags: None
    • Ampster
      Solar Fanatic
      • Jun 2017
      • 3650
      #2
      There are some active forums specifically oriented to the solar boating community. I have not seen much commentary here from mobile users.
      9 kW solar, 42kWh LFP storage. EV owner since 2012

        Comment

        • bscott.raven
          Junior Member
          • Aug 2022
          • 3
          #3
          Originally posted by kitkats
          Hi there

          I am looking for advice on choosing battery, solar panel and a charge controller for my houseboat. The boat is permanently moored. The idea is to have an automated bilge pump so it will pump itself out if there is a downpour while I'm away, and in the summer, when we stay overnight, we can maybe charge our phones and usb lights etc.

          The panel will be installed on the roof of the boat, facing up to the sky. The boat is located in Norfolk, UK

          The loads are as follows:
          Bilge Pump switch : 0.06 watts - constant, 365 days a year.
          Bilge Pump pump : 42 watts - dependent on rain but I estimate it could run for approximately 2 minutes every week in the winter, at worst (the boat is covered)
          USB Charger : 18 watts - runs for approximately 1 hour every week in the summer, almost never in the winter (this is to charge up lights, phone etc)

          It would be great to have a charge controller that could show how much charge (Ah) is left in the battery but this is not essential.

          I have been looking at Renogy products on amazon and they look good but I'm not sure what type of battery I should go for given my circumstances. I would prefer to spend less and get a lead battery over a Lithium one if practicable.

          Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
          I've been very happy with my Renogy products. This Renogy system would be more than enough. Your on-board lead acid deep cycle battery would also be fine. There are number of inexpensive battery monitors (< $20), but you could just keep an eye on the voltage with the Renogy charge controller.

            Comment

            • chrisski
              Solar Fanatic
              • May 2020
              • 553
              #4
              I am a user of Victron products.

              Really need a kWh requirement and max draw.

              If this is truly just to run the two items you mentioned while a seperate battery runs the boat, A small panel and battery would run this. Because this is located in England which is not known as a great area for solar, I would try to install a 100 watt panel and a lead acid deep cycle battery. A

              I can't say a specific battery, but a Trojan SC200 is a deep cycle 115 ah at the 20 hour rate flooded battery. If you can get to the boat monthly to monitor the fluid levels awesome. If you can't check fluid levels for a little more money, an AGM Battery like the Trojan 24-AGM is 75 ah at the 20 hour rate.

              The batteries I mentioned are overkill to run a negligible draw switch, with a 42 watt bilge pump a couple times a month for only a couple minutes; however, I could not resist the urge to put more on the circuit is why I mention going bigger.

              This could be powered by a 10 amp SCC. Reliability to me with SCCs means Victron so this means a 75 volt 10 amp SCC which is $120 delivered to my door in the states. Monitoring is done via bluetooth, with an option (at a bit of an extra cost) to get it sent over the internet if your boat is equipped.

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