Andy135 Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 I went down to the boat earlier this week and found the House battery flat and the bilge almost full of rainwater. Guess the auto-bilge pump had been doing overtime and had drained the battery. At least on the drystack I never need to worry about her sinking. What solar panel type chargers can the Outlaws recommend to keep my House battery topped up and my bilge dry? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 Why on earth is that much water getting in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 Because my deck drains into the bilge. The boat has no scuppers. So all the rainwater that falls on the deck collects in the bilge and has to be pumped out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 35 minutes ago, Andy135 said: Because my deck drains into the bilge. The boat has no scuppers. So all the rainwater that falls on the deck collects in the bilge and has to be pumped out. Oh ? Why don’t you buy some scuppers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 Could you Hotwire your bilge pump to a sacrificial leisure battery when you are out of town? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzook12 Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 43 minutes ago, Andy135 said: Because my deck drains into the bilge. The boat has no scuppers. So all the rainwater that falls on the deck collects in the bilge and has to be pumped out. Can't they stack it the other way up? 🤣 Geoff 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 7 minutes ago, JonC said: Oh ? Why don’t you buy some scuppers? Good plan Batman... 🤦♂️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 1 minute ago, suzook12 said: Can't they stack it the other way up? 🤣 Let me ask them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 7 minutes ago, JonC said: Could you Hotwire your bilge pump to a sacrificial leisure battery when you are out of town? I'm contemplating this, but what happens when it's flat, and how would it get recharged? As a fit and forget solution a solar panel charger with controller hooked up to the House battery seems to be the most practical solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 1 minute ago, suzook12 said: Can't they stack it the other way up? 🤣 It doesn’t need to be all the way upside down, just on its side will do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suzook12 Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 MPPT controllers are the way to go...... Prob around a 20A panel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegaByte Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 If you're dry stacked can't you leave the bung out, that's what I did when I was dry stacked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 2 minutes ago, MegaByte said: If you're dry stacked can't you leave the bung out, that's what I did when I was dry stacked. No bung. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MegaByte Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 Just now, Andy135 said: No bung. That won't work then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 Just now, MegaByte said: That won't work then. I like where you're going with that question though. I would consider installing a bung, but for the fact that the majority of the bilge seems to be lower than the lowest point on the transom that I could install a bung in, so water would still pool in the transom up to a point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 Get a rain cover if you don’t have self draining decks. You ain’t going to get much sunshine this time of year but you will get a lot of rain.... JonC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 I think you should consider re fitting the deck so that it drains out through a pair of scuppers. is your existing deck above the water line? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odyssey Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 1 minute ago, JonC said: I think you should consider re fitting the deck so that it drains out through a pair of scuppers. is your existing deck above the water line? Agree.... Most modern boats are self draining. What happens when you get hit by a big green one over the bow? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 Just get a cover made. I can give you the number of a good local guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 So... about this solar charger then... no recommendations anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saintly Fish Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 3 minutes ago, Andy135 said: So... about this solar charger then... no recommendations anyone? Where’s BK when you need him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 3 minutes ago, Saintly Fish said: Where’s BK when you need him? Busy googleing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonC Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 8 minutes ago, Andy135 said: So... about this solar charger then... no recommendations anyone? 1 minute ago, JonC said: I think you should consider sorting the deck out to be self draining Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 14 minutes ago, JonC said: I think you should consider sorting the deck out to be self draining Agree, but that's not a job for now. And let's face it, I'm a fair weather angler and I'm very unlikely to go out or be caught out in the sort of conditions that would make fitting scuppers worthwhile. Plus I don't know if the deck is above the water line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy135 Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 So, solar charger recommendations?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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