elr37418 Posted August 12, 2019 Report Share Posted August 12, 2019 I have an inverter/charger fitted to my boat - Should it be left on all the time when I am away from the boat? and if switched off will it affect any power gathered from my solar panels Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col_T Posted August 12, 2019 Report Share Posted August 12, 2019 Depends on whether you can connect to shore-based electricity. If you can, then leaving the charger should charge the batteries - assuming it is connected to them, of course! If you cannot connect to shore power then leave the inverter charger turned off, which shouldn't affect solar power - as you may well have a solar controller which charges the battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elr37418 Posted August 12, 2019 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2019 Thanks Col_T - still getting my head around this canal boat lark !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewbacka Posted August 12, 2019 Report Share Posted August 12, 2019 1 hour ago, elr37418 said: I have an inverter/charger fitted to my boat - Should it be left on all the time when I am away from the boat? and if switched off will it affect any power gathered from my solar panels Is this an inverter with a solar charger, mains charger or both? if it is your solar charger it is best left on in summer, but if solar is by a different charger it is best turned off. That said, does your boat have a 12v or mains powered fridge, because if mains powered then you may need to leave the inverter on., otherwise your fridge is getting warm......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard10002 Posted August 12, 2019 Report Share Posted August 12, 2019 2 hours ago, elr37418 said: I have an inverter/charger fitted to my boat - Should it be left on all the time when I am away from the boat? and if switched off will it affect any power gathered from my solar panels If you provide the make and model of the charger, better advice can be given. I have a Sterling inverter charger, (Pro Combi S I think), bought in 2011. If I connect to shore power to charge the batteries, leave the boat, and the shore power fails, the unit reverts to inverter mode. If away for more than a few days, my batteries would be flattened, and they definitely wouldnt be charged as I expected on my return. Some makes have a facility to set their models to charger only, but my Sterling doesnt have this.. I dont have shore power for charging, but I still use a separate battery charger to charge from my genny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Featured Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now