My 35-2 is similar to Len's 37+, except that I just have an A/B/both switch to join two banks of two 6V golf cart batteries each, no start battery. The solar controller is connected via a 30A fuse to the main positive busbar after the A/B switch. There is space for a 3rd bank, but I have removed the extra battery switch (use an on/off switch to isolate engine power instead), and use the space for a charger and Gr 24 battery for the dinghy that charges off an inverter. All of this was powered by 155W of solar and ran the fridge from May-Oct with no issues. This month I upgraded to 340W solar to allow for the extra load of charging the dinghy battery. Yesterday after a test run, I put the battery on charge at 15A and saw 18A on the solar controller, which is the highest I've seen yet, mainly because my banks are nearly always full. I have shore power, but the boat doesn't have an AC charger, and has been running on solar for about 20 years. I might upgrade to a Victron controller eventually, but the cheap PWM Amazon unit has been working fine so far. I also have a cheap battery meter and shunt that allows me to see my current voltage and current drawn from the batteries, along with cumulative consumption. With mostly LED lights, the fridge (and now the battery charger/inverter) are the only significant consumers (the windlass generally only runs under engine power).
-- Shawn Wright shawngwri...@gmail.com S/V Callisto, 1974 C&C 35 https://www.facebook.com/SVCallisto On Mon, Jun 22, 2020 at 9:50 AM Len Mitchell via CnC-List < cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: > Charlie, I will add to Edd’s post. I have a different system and would > suggest you find the closest place to connect to power. Battery, battery > switch, ACR or other. You need to make sure the connection is solid, fused > and that the wire is appropriately sized. I am running a power share > relay/monitor system of 90s vintage that works like an ACR. I have a 250 > watt panel on Davits. I never plug into shore power and have been running > solar in two boats for more than 20 years without any problems. I have 4 > deep cycle golf cart batteries and a 12 volt inverter only battery, (no > dedicated start battery). The ice box fridge freezer runs May to September. > There is probably a “best” location to connect but this works for me worry > free. My battery bank is in the share mode before I make morning coffee > unless it’s raining of course. There is an added bonus that batteries seem > to last many years this way and mine are connected 24/7/365. > As a side note anyone doing any wiring on a boat should also consider > fusing the positive battery leads. > Len Mitchell > Crazy Legs > 1989 37+ > Midland On. > > Sent from my iPad > > _______________________________________________ > > Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each > and every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - > use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray > >
_______________________________________________ Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each and every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray
