What's going on with my battery/ fridge?

[MtB]

16 minutes ago, Rumsky said:

I'll check the next time and report back, if my memory will let me. 

 

Write it down. 

 

The palest ink is better than the strongest memory, or summink like that they say....

 

 

 

[trackman]

You mentioned getting solar panels. Do it. They will charge your batteries when you're not there, even in winter.

In summer a decent set up will run your fridge and keep the batteries charged.

The size of bank you'll need will depend on your electrical power consumption. I have 200W and it's fine but we have a 12V fridge, no TV and all our lights are LED.

[MtB]

3 minutes ago, trackman said:

You mentioned getting solar panels. Do it. They will charge your batteries when you're not there, even in winter.

 

Not in my experience it won't.

 

I have 560W of solar and output on a grey winter's day would typically be 0.1A or 0.2A. Less than useless.

 

Come March though, the solar turns on like a switch and provides 100% of my electricity for about 9 months until next winter when it turns off again.

[Sea Dog]

1 hour ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Not in my experience it won't.

 

I have 560W of solar and output on a grey winter's day would typically be 0.1A or 0.2A. Less than useless.

 

Come March though, the solar turns on like a switch and provides 100% of my electricity for about 9 months until next winter when it turns off again.

My experience has been rather different due to our different needs and circumstances. I leave my aux batteries isolated at the switch and my 300w panels quite happily maintain a float voltage for each and every period I'm away even in the depths of winter.  I suspect that would do for many of us but, of course, it's little help to anyone like yourself drawing power from the batteries. I suspect  this sort of application is what @trackman was referring to.

[MtB]

15 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

My experience has been rather different due to our different needs and circumstances. I leave my aux batteries isolated at the switch and my 300w panels quite happily maintain a float voltage for each and every period I'm away even in the depths of winter.  I suspect that would do for many of us but, of course, it's little help to anyone like yourself drawing power from the batteries. I suspect  this sort of application is what @trackman was referring to.

 

Yes I agree with that. The solar on my two hobby boats keeps self-discharge of unused batteries at bay through the winter. But it does little more than that. 

 

 

 

[Sea Dog]

26 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Yes I agree with that. The solar on my two hobby boats keeps self-discharge of unused batteries at bay through the winter. But it does little more than that. 

 

 

 

Agreed. It is, as you say, enough for me to leave the boat tucked up without having to have a shore power connection to look after the batteries, which is the winter aim. Even with a GI fitted, I see the absence of a shore connection as a positive thing.

[TheBiscuits]

3 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

Even with a GI fitted, I see the absence of a shore connection as a positive thing.

It can be a negative thing too ...

 

 

[MtB]

Absence of a negative thing, I was thinking!

 

 

[TheBiscuits]

8 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Absence of a negative thing, I was thinking!

? You've got to accentuate the positive ... ?

[Sea Dog]

7 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

It can be a negative thing too ...

 

 

 

6 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

Absence of a negative thing, I was thinking!

 

 

You two just had to get on your high horses right when I was  talking about staying grounded... 

[trackman]

On 19/05/2019 at 18:42, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Not in my experience it won't.

 

I have 560W of solar and output on a grey winter's day would typically be 0.1A or 0.2A. Less than useless.

 

Come March though, the solar turns on like a switch and provides 100% of my electricity for about 9 months until next winter when it turns off again.

What I tried to say was that when the boat is left for a few days in winter the panels will keep the batteries from self discharging. It only takes a tiny charge to do this &even in winter we find it works.

I'd never claim the panels are much use in winter for real use.

In summer it's very different, and even our 200W means very little engine running on our boat.