[C320-list] Portable Solar Panel Connection

[Mike Ott]

Following up to my earlier email.  
I installed a PowerFilm 14watts rollable solar charger to the top of my Bimini. Tied it to the four railings and positioned it aft of the boom.  Ran the cord down a Bimini rail with tie-wraps and plug into a cigarette lighter adapter on the side of the engine instrument panel.  The cigarette lighter adapter had been installed by a previous owner, it had shorter out and I replaced and rewired it.  As I left the boat today in partly cloudy skys I was getting 0.5 amps (measured from my Link 20) into battery bank #2.  Let see what I accumulate by next weekend,  when I visit the boat again.
Mike
'Amanda Lu'
#508

--- On Sat, 6/26/10, Scott Thompson <surprise at thompson87.com> wrote:


From: Scott Thompson <surprise at thompson87.com>
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Portable Solar Panel Connection
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Date: Saturday, June 26, 2010, 11:51 AM


I have the same issue, but do not have the adapter in the engine pod.  I am interested in hearing more generally about solar options that people have used successfully to keep the batteries topped off.  Ideally I'd like something I could use at anchor, but keeping the batteries charged on the mooring (or over the winter) is the priority.  Anything that let's me hang on the anchor longer without starting an engine is bonus.

Mike Ott wrote:
> Hello all,
> Our boat is on a mooring, so gaining a few amps of electricity from the Sun would be a nice offset to running the engine for the first few hours on weekend cruises.  I would like to put a flexible solar panel on top of my Bimini and plug it into a cigarette lighter adapter on my engine instrument panel.  The adapter is for my search light and draws power from the engine harness wiring.  Would this system work ?  Would it create any problems with the engine harness wiring or the alternator to run power back through the harness to the batteries ?  would I have to leave the main battery selector swith on ? I know this is not the best way to proceed but I'm just looking for a temporary fix for our short sailing season here in New England.
> Regards,
> Mike
> 'Amanda Lu'
> #508
>  

-- Scott Thompson
Surprise, #653