over your years of HB-ing, what has worked best for your battery usage,

set up,size, style, make up of the your favorite system,

we new ones really need your expertise here, understanding our consumption issues all vary, overall info on this topic would be a a huge help

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"Come OOON Back............

Question's nearly imposible to answer without knowing the needs of the specific system.

Bob

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I carry a gun because it's too tiring carrying a cop.

thats why I tried to ask what you found to worked best, should have added what your system takes care of sorry

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"Come OOON Back............

Personally I think Golf batteries are the most cost-effective and easiest to handle; I use Trojan T-105s. Generally, the more the merrier if weight is not a problem; they last longer if you don't overload them. I can anchor in overcast weather for two days without recharging or pulling the batteries down more than 50%. Clear sunny days there's no limit.

A good battery monitor IMO is ESSENTIAL. A simple voltmeter is NOT enough. I have a Trimetric 2020. It has a digital display that continuously displays my battery condition. If it gets below about 70% charge I evaluate and decide what to do. I have never had it go below 50%.

Figure out what your load is expected to be in amp-hours between recharges. Double it. Size your battery bank accordingly. Allow room for more batteries.

My electrical load is about 150 amp hrs/day, most of which goes to the fridge. I have 6 golf batteries in a single bank for the "house". 660 amp hrs total. When they die I'm thinking of installing 10.

Big fuses right at the batteries to protect the circuits. 1 for "house" 1 for the inverter, and 1 for "vitals"(pumps, bilge alarms, solar, etc). More smaller fuses at the switch panels. The "house" circuit has a "main" switch; the "vitals" circuit has no switch, so it cannot be accidentally turned off.

One gp 31 starting battery for my single engine, it runs ONLY the engine and instruments; with a remote crossover solenoid to the house bank for emergencies. No "selector switch".

340w of solar panels charge the house bank; if they're fully charged the controller will trickle charge the starting battery. 95 amp engine alternator charges both through an isolator. I have a 2-circuit charger but rarely use it; the solar panels take care of battery charging at the dock. I do not have a generator.

That's what I do. It works for me, but there are other ways to skin a cat.

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Willie
She's a tired old barge but she's paid for! http://s71.photobucket.com/alb...p;current=ef324993.pbw

They're cheaper than most folks think. I have about $2500 invested in it, NOT counting the batteries.

Panels today are about $5 a watt; get the biggest you can, they're cheaper. Controller is another 300-500. Only other things you need is some wire, and a breaker. (and of course the batteries)

For $3k I think you could have 500 watts, with controller. Another k would buy you a boatload of batteries. Hooking them up is pretty simple (read the directions). Here's the site, you can price your own: http://www.windsun.com

(4) Kyocera 130 watt panels $2390
50 amp Blue Sky Controller $431
Trimetric 2020 Monitor (opt) $140
500 amp shunt for above $27
50 amp Marine Breaker(est) $25
Wire (est) $100
total $3113 (ok I lied)

Freight???
Labor? You can do it yourself in a weekend. Pay someone else, WHY??

Batteries? Lessee 10 golf cart batteries for about $75 each (est)

Maintenance? Wash the salt off with a hose from time to time, and check electrical connections. Aside from hurricane, hail, or lightning damage, no "wear and tear" to worry about.

Solar panels these days have a 20-25 year warranty, too. I have a small panel I bought second hand in 1980 or thereabouts... it's still good.

No fuel, no oil & filter changes, no moving parts, no CO, and NO NOISE!

Only downside is you can't run an AC off them. Well you can, but the panels and batteries required would NOT be cheap.

HOWEVER: Most of us could install the 10 batteries, a 50 amp or so shore-power charger, and forget the solar panels. Save about $3000.

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Willie
She's a tired old barge but she's paid for! http://s71.photobucket.com/alb...p;current=ef324993.pbw

Edited: 11/27/2007 at 08:10:00 AM by stmbtwle

Let's use DaleHollow's boat as an example (he asks the most questions):

He has a propane fridge so his requirements are probably lower than mine. As he doesn't want to buy a battery monitor and find out exactly what they are I'll take a WAG and say not over 100 amp hrs / day. I'll guess he's a working stiff and never gets to take the boat out for more than a weekend, or 3 days. That would be 300 amp hours total. To avoid damaging the batteries you need AT LEAST double that, or 600 amp hrs. A PAIR of golf batteries is rated for 220 amp hrs, so that is three pair or 6 batteries, which should get him through a long weekend without ANY charging.

Now he gets back to the dock and plugs in. He's used about 300 amp hours; a 30 amp charger can recharge them in 24 hrs, easily. A 50 or 60 amp charger might be better, but in either case by next weekend he's ready to rock. Any charging he gets from the engine alternator while moving around is gravy.

So all he REALLY needs is 6 golf batteries ($500), a charger ($500) and that battery monitor ($167) $1167 total.

Now let's say he keeps the boat on a mooring and there's no shore power. Now he needs solar. He uses 300 amp hours per week, or 1200 per month. That's 1440 watt/hours or 15 kwh. I'll guess he lives in Kentucky (lots of houseboats there)
Using this site: http://store.altenergystore.co...rs/off_grid_calculator TWO 100 watt panels will do the job.

Of course if he uses the boat less he'll need less/smaller panels. If he runs the engine more he'll need less/smaller panels. If the panels are mounted FLAT he'll need MORE/LARGER panels. If he lives further south he'll need LESS.
There are a whole lot of variables I can't calculate.

Anyway; (2) 125watt panels and a 25 amp controller are about $1500 vs about $500 for the battery charger.

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Willie
She's a tired old barge but she's paid for! http://s71.photobucket.com/alb...p;current=ef324993.pbw