diy solar

diy solar

Getting the water out of my bilge!

Northwester

New Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2021
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1
Oh dear, I bet this question is asked almost daily. I am Gloucester MA based. I can flip a light switch, otherwise electricity eludes me. In short my story: 30-foot daysailer, large cockpit, no cockpit cover because I use the boat so often. I own a thunderstorm catch basin. Is it fair to just ask for proper components names and I will hook up? My failing system at the moment:

12V Diehard 70 tc52 Gold battery
Sea Choice 14403 controller and a fuse
9W 12V 14371 Sea Choice panel
Rulemate 12V pump w/built in trip switch.

Battery keeps dying.

I was told to buy a Lensun 30W panel. It just arrived. It is 18V. I will likely burn everything up including me. My incompetence is costing me money. Help?
 
Sounds like nice setup. I will ask, how old is battery and have you taken it to an auto parts store and have it tested? This would be my go to. On a top notch kit like this it’s likely the battery(ies) you can run multiples on this setup
 
The 18 volt panel is a perfect choice to be routed through a SOLAR CHARGE CONTROLLER to reduce that to the correct at the time charging voltage and amperage. I am assuming the controller you mentioned does not do that.

A30 watt pan could float the system and keep the battery from dying when in storage. To see if it will charge the bilge as needed, you need a power requirement. Most bilge pumps I dealt with are small but draw 6 amps at 1000 gallons per hour. A 30 watt panel would be good for occasional usage, but won’t recharge the battery if constantly ran.
 
Does your boat leak? Where is the water getting in? Deck from rain, or holes in the hull? How much does it need to run a. My v-hull houseboat had terrible deck rot, and would fill every rain, and 3 bilge pumps on a deep cycle battery tied to a 10W panel never let the battery get low.
 
Your charge controller is capable for up to 500W of solar panels. The new panel will work fine. The old 9W panel is too small, and at 12V volt probably wasn't high enough voltage for the controller to work properly. 18V is perfect.
 
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