Without a marine solar panel battery charger, your boat will be fully reliant on its onboard batteries for electrical power, which can have some negative impacts and implications for your battery and could finally lead to battery death.
It is very important to have your marine solar panel battery charger in place to get a continuous electric flow in your boat.
However, I’d like to explain three aspects of the marine solar panel battery charger in this post.
How to choose the appropriate marine solar battery charger size, what is the size of the charger, and place the marine solar panel battery charger.
For more on marine solar panels battery chargers, you can also learn the best marine solar panels here.
How To Choose Marine Solar Battery Charger Size
The importance of having a dependable and long-lasting power supply for your boat batteries cannot be overstated.
You will want steady electricity to make your maritime adventure comfortable and usable.
To discover the specific sort of marine battery charger you will want, you must first establish the type of battery you require.
The charger’s voltage must also match the battery’s output voltage. A 24v charger is required if your boat has a 24v battery.
The same is true for two 24v batteries connected in parallel—the voltage does not double in this configuration, but you will still require a 12v battery charger.
If you use two 24v batteries in series, the output voltage is now doubled to 48v, and you will require a 24v charger.
Remember to follow the procedures without trying to pass a shortcut when choosing the right marine solar panel.
Using a 48v charger on a 24v battery will inevitably ruin it and risk a fire.
However, the amp settings are largely dependent on the size and kind of your battery.
A greater amp rating indicates that the charging process will be substantially faster. When 6 amps per bank equals 10 to 12 hours of charging time
Ten amps per bank equals 4-6 hours of recharge, whereas fifteen amps per bank equals 3-5 hours.
It would be best to do some simple arithmetic to determine what amp charger you require.
Assume you have a Group 48 battery with an 85-amp hour rating. 170 multiplied by 10% is 17. This implies you need at least a 17-amp charger to recharge this battery.
What Is the Size Of Solar Panel For Marine Battery Charging
Marine battery charging solar panel size depends on the boat’s power needs and space.
The typical range is 50 to 300 watts or more.
The size of your boat, battery, and power needs were already mentioned. It doesn’t matter if your boat’s DC power supply works sometimes or always.
All these must be considered before deciding the solar panel size for marine solar battery charging.
If your boat is tiny, a single 100-watt solar panel should be enough to keep a marine battery charged quickly.
However, larger panels will be required for bigger boats or those with higher power demands.
The solar panel you select should provide enough charge to recharge the energy stored in your marine battery fully.
Solar panels with power ratings 30% greater than the current drain of your batteries are often adequate for charging them.
Different batteries can withstand varying currents during bulk charging. Flooded batteries may be charged to 20%, gel batteries to 30%, and AGM batteries to 40%.
Consider sailing weather while choosing a solar screen for boat battery charging.
A larger solar panel may be needed to compensate for less sunlight when sailing in cloudy conditions.
A smaller screen may be sufficient if you sail in bright circumstances.
The Common Type Of Marine Solar Battery Chargers
The most frequent form of solar battery charger for boats is trickle charging.
Because of the delayed charging and low power, the charger is typically used for low-power electric boats that are not regularly utilized.
It’s ideal for temporarily charging your boat’s battery while it’s docked and works in bright and gloomy weather.
Trickle charges are intended to keep a battery charged for an extended time. Making them perfect for use in low-power applications such as powering infrequently used boats.
They keep your batteries charged, letting you use all your gadgets even while you’re not sailing.
These low-voltage charges are intended to increase the health and life of batteries.
Because all batteries self-discharge, a trickle charger can keep your boat’s battery completely charged when it’s on a trailer, moored, or parked at her slip.
They are ideal for charging electronic devices such as phones, tablets, and cameras.
High-power charging is appropriate for ships that often use or demand a lot of electricity, such as luxury yachts outfitted with TVs and coffee makers.
This charger generates more power than light chargers, allowing you to swiftly recharge your boat’s batteries after intense use or inactivity.
This sort of charger, however, requires additional equipment and on-board connections to function effectively.
However, most people today utilize solar generators, which have a large power production, produce little noise, and are simple to run.
High-output solar chargers are intended for simultaneously charging several batteries or powering big appliances, lighting systems, and other heavy-duty equipment.
They can provide significant power outputs. It is perfect for usage in isolated off-grid settings where standard power sources are unavailable.
How Long Does It Take to Charge A Marine Battery With A Solar Panel?
Solar panel charging time for marine batteries varies greatly.
Depending on your battery and weather, it can take 4–12 hours or more to charge.
Based on size and efficiency, you may need 120-watt solar panels.
Sunlight intensity, battery capacity, and charged battery capacity.
The charging rate from the solar panel to the battery is measured in amps, which affects charging time.
I recommend charging a battery at 10-20% capacity, as mentioned earlier
You can now use the following calculation to calculate the charging time.
Battery (Ah) / Charging Current (Amps) = Charging Time (Hours)
Let’s do some math here, assuming you have a 100Ah marine battery. And a solar panel with a charging current of 10 amps.
It might take roughly 10 hours to charge the battery, assuming all other conditions are good, fully the battery, assuming all other conditions are good.
Note: you must monitor the charging progress and make any adjustments whenever needed.
What Does a 100-Watt Solar Panel Charge A Marine Battery Take?
The charging time of a solar panel battery might range from a few hours to many days. However, some factors determine the precise time that is involved.
Such as the amount of sunlight available, battery capacity, and solar panel efficiency all have an impact on charging time.
A 12v 50Ah lead acid deep cycle battery will charge in 4 hours from a 100-watt solar panel at 50% depletion.
A 100-amp battery takes 5 hours to charge at 12 volts and 20 amps.
Multiple 20 amps by 12 volts yield 240 watts; thus, use one 300-watt or three 100-watt solar panels.
A solar panel battery charges in 4–8 hours under ideal conditions. On gloomy or low-light days, charging may take longer.
Remember that solar panel battery charging times vary by kind.
How Many Amps Should I Charge My Marine Battery At?
When choosing the right charger voltage/amps. Check your battery’s Ah rating to determine amps.
The amp rating shouldn’t exceed your battery’s amp hour rating. A high-amp charger might harm your battery.
The bank charger can charge numerous batteries simultaneously.
Marine battery charging rates, like other batteries, depend on the battery’s capacity (Ah) and the charger’s amperage output.
Charge current should be 10-20% of the battery’s capacity to calculate the correct charging rate.
We may explore this using the fast and the slower charge process:
Rapid charging rate: Use a charger that charges at 20% of the battery’s capacity to charge the battery quickly. A 100Ah marine battery may be charged at 20 amps.
Slow charging: Charge the battery at 10% capacity to lengthen its longevity. This charges the 100Ah battery at 10 amps.
The point is not to overcharge your battery, which might harm it and cause overheating.
Use a marine battery charger built for marine batteries, which often have many charging phases (bulk, absorption, and float) for safe and appropriate charging.
Final Thought
Now that you’ve learned about maritime solar panel battery chargers. I want to draw your attention to correct solar battery charger maintenance.
To avoid damage to the charger, all connections and cabling should be checked for signs of corrosion; appropriate ventilation should be provided around the charger.
Check for overcharging and deep discharging as well. This is excellent practice if you desire a long battery life.
Here are also the best marine flexible solar panels that can also be used.
