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Thread: solar trickle charge

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    Default solar trickle charge

    i have a boat that i want to keep the battery topped
    up when not being used. I dont want to have to take
    the battery out to trickle charge so wondering if anyone
    can recommend a solar setup that will do it without
    killing the battery over time.



Look Here ->
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    I use this to keep my batteries trickle charged - 12v 12w charger... I'm sure there are better chargers but that's what works for me.



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    I use regular household solar panels with a voltage limiting board I get off scambay. They are about $8 ea or were, way things are going might be $25 Now.
    I just set them to the voltage I want to float the battery at and that's it. I have several running off a panel on my Dads shed roof for the tractor, mowers and other machinery. Been working perfectly for some months now.

    This is one type but there are others with Digital readouts you can set the output with. I just use a multi meter although the digital types are a bit less fiddling around. Once you set them to what you want, 13.5V I use, then you don't have to adjust them again.



    This is another of the same sort of thing.



    House panels have plenty of grunt and will charge a battery with these controllers if need be as well as keep one topped up.
    They are also plentiful and easy to get for free. Throw them on the shed roof (Or on top of the boat) and you have a low cost, free to run charger or power supply. Don't have to take the battery out or run power leads.

    Put a couple on the brother in laws Battle ship for this exact Job which keeps the start and the house battery's topped up.

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    thanks fellas , i just found one of these laying around that i got ages ago so i might just grab a cheap
    panel of gumtree and hook it all up







    Last edited by fandtm666; 09-06-20 at 05:37 PM.

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    Just check the float voltage on that controller. From the factory they tend to be set notoriously high.
    I wouldn't be floating the battery at 14.5 which they are normally around myself.
    13.5 - 13.8 will keep the thing plenty happy and not cook it long term. A lot of people have cooked battery's not resetting the voltage on these controllers.

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    thanks will check it out

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    Quote Originally Posted by Johnno View Post
    I use this to keep my batteries trickle charged - 12v 12w charger... I'm sure there are better chargers but that's what works for me.


    I have one of these trickle charging the Prado , cos its not a daily driver. works well but the ciggy plug output in that photo needs to be hardwired across the battery to be effective.

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    Yep, that is what I did also, removed the cig adapter and added alligator clamps directly attaching them to the battery..
    I have a few vehicles that have one each attached keeping them charged. Seem to work well and cheap.

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    ive got a 320 watt panel controlled a cetek dual controller in my ute.

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