Power Alternative

[sneak_e_pete]

Hi there, hoping someone can help me with a suggestion.

 

On my boat, I have a 24 volt setup for my Terrova with a charger on board. The trailer park I am at says I can no longer run an extension cord in the boat yard to charge my batteries as it is a trip hazard.

 

I definitely dont want to lug the batteries in and out each time. Thought about hooking into starting battery and letting the main motor charge them, but I really dont run the main very much.

 

Will a portable power pack be enough to do the job (I dont understand all the amp hour, watt stuff).

 

Any info suggestions appreciated.

[cheaptackle]

Solar Panel(s). Lots of places to get them including Canadian Tire, Kijiji etc. Worth looking into.

 

Michael

[Nipfisher]

Ask your park if you can dig a small trench approx. 2-3" deep and bury the cord in it? You can buy a heavy duty cord and it can stay ther until you leave the park.

[davey buoy]

Hi there, hoping someone can help me with a suggestion.

 

On my boat, I have a 24 volt setup for my Terrova with a charger on board. The trailer park I am at says I can no longer run an extension cord in the boat yard to charge my batteries as it is a trip hazard.

 

I definitely dont want to lug the batteries in and out each time. Thought about hooking into starting battery and letting the main motor charge them, but I really dont run the main very much.

 

Will a portable power pack be enough to do the job (I dont understand all the amp hour, watt stuff).

 

Any info suggestions appreciated.

 

I would use a 5 watt panel with controller which will stop the panel from overcharging the battery. Some you can fold up when not in use if space is a concern on the water.

[woodenboater]

This may be overkill but I wonder if park management would accept these. I've seen these types of things all over Toronto at film sets bridging roads etc.. May not be as cheap as another battery but it should present less or possibly eliminate the trip hazard (I'm thinking they're concerned about liability).

 

http://www.cabletiesandmore.ca/CTAM-heavy-duty-rubber-cable-protectors.php

[sneak_e_pete]

Does anyone know if one of the power packs from CT would work? Not sure by reading it if it would have enough juice to charge the batteries. At least I could easily take that back to the trailer to re-charge.

 

Unfortuneatelu burrying the cord is not an option.... parked in a paved lot at the trailer in the boat yard.

[davey buoy]

Does anyone know if one of the power packs from CT would work? Not sure by reading it if it would have enough juice to charge the batteries. At least I could easily take that back to the trailer to re-charge.

 

Unfortuneatelu burrying the cord is not an option.... parked in a paved lot at the trailer in the boat yard.

 

No,boost to get started only.Panel and controller your best option IMO.I used a 5 watt panel on my 40hp for two years with only a first time charge for the season.No charge from my motor.

Edited July 30, 2012 by davey buoy

[Terry]

yes the power packs would work, somewhat

the 2 batteries would equalize but could never fully charge

but in my opinion that would be better then trying little solar panels

5 watts = 0.417 amperes

 

so it would take 200 hours of sunlight to charge a 100 amp battery that was right low

 

 

just get a pick or a shovel and bury it yourself

 

1 inch. deep will do

[bucktail]

Terry is exactly right, amps is everything for deep cycles and i havnt seen a portable solar setup that can deliver enough amps yet.

 

 

 

D

[bigbuck]

Solar panel if you only use the boat once every couple of weeks. Otherwise, yes, you will have to pull the batteries out for charging. I go thru the same thing, I don't even have the option of an extension cord out to the boat, its pull, charge ,and lug back a few times each summer. They just finished charging this afternoon and will go back in the boat tomorrow.

[BillM]

Buy a small Honda generator and put it in the boat and let it run until it dies. That's what we do a few times a year when we are in the middle of nowhere and we've gotta charge the batteries.. Quiet as well.

[DRIFTER_016]

Buy a small Honda generator and put it in the boat and let it run until it dies. That's what we do a few times a year when we are in the middle of nowhere and we've gotta charge the batteries.. Quiet as well.

 

Yep, or buy one of the cheap Chinese ones (you know, the ones that sound like a 747 on takeoff) and run it all night to charge your batteries. That should get the point across to the mgmt.

[DanD]

Maybe a 12 volt power inverter connected to your tow vehicle. Plug your on board charger into the inverter and charge the boat’s battery bank as you drive?

Match the electrical draw of the battery charger to the output of the inverter and it should work fine. It'll mean connecting an extension cord securely between the boat and tow vehicle; but what's one more thing to plug in?

But then again I don’t know how far you tow; but it would still work anytime the tow vehicle is running.

 

Dan.

[lew]

Can you leave your boat in the water all season Pete ??

 

I was in a Kawartha trailer park for 36 year and we each had our own dock and I had the owner of the park install an electrical outlet right at the end of my dock.

 

Just come in at the end of the day, plug in the boat, and it's all ready for the next time I'd go out.

[Terry]

do they have hydro poles or trees

run it over head if that's what it takes