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Solar charger for beach use?
http://www.hobie.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=60915		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Jim_MI [ Fri Jun 30, 2017 8:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Solar charger for beach use?
I am outfitting my wife's Outback for occasional fishing. The yak is kept on a rack at the beach where we have no electric power for charging a fish finder battery. Lugging a SLA battery back-and-forth to the house for charging after each trip sounds like no fun. A lightweight LiFePO4 battery would be easier to move. For about the same cost, however, I could get a cheap deep cycle 12V 9Ah SLA/AGM battery with a small solar charger (www.homedepot.com/p/Coleman-6-Watt-12-V ... 241530-_-N). We live at the 45th latitude with moderate sun, but would probably only be taking the Outback out for fishing once or twice a week. Any advice on "cheap SLA + Solar Charger" vs "Expensive lightweight Lithium" battery solutions in this situation?

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Author:  Jim_MI [ Wed May 23, 2018 7:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Solar charger for beach use?
No advice was provided so I went the cheap SLA + Solar Panel route. Solar prices dropped a bit and I was able to get a 10W panel for a very good price. So far it is working well and keeping the ff battery topped-off.

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Author:  pmmpete [ Fri May 25, 2018 7:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Solar charger for beach use?
I'm glad to hear that your solar recharging system is working. However, you could have made an easily transportable box for your battery for a lot less cost than a solar system, and you wouldn't need to worry about somebody stealing the solar system. For example, here is a link to a post I did which describes an inexpensive waterproof battery box which connects to my fish finder or a battery charger with a SAE two-pin panel-mounted connector. http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/in ... #msg191025 .

If you're fishing from your Outback, carrying your fish finder battery to and from your kayak is the least of your problems. You probably also need to carry the fish finder head, rod holders, a stringer, and tools like a knife, fish bonker, and pliers, and lures and other tackle. I bought a plastic tool box and use it to transport all my fishing equipment in my vehicle, and to carry that equipment between my vehicle and the shore or boat ramp when I'm loading and unloading my kayak. The tool box keeps all that gear together, and makes it easy to carry. My battery box is just one of many items of equipment in the tool box.
Author:  Jim_MI [ Fri May 25, 2018 8:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Solar charger for beach use?
pmmpete wrote:
I'm glad to hear that your solar recharging system is working. However, you could have made an easily transportable box for your battery for a lot less cost than a solar system, and you wouldn't need to worry about somebody stealing the solar system. For example, here is a link to a post I did which describes an inexpensive waterproof battery box which connects to my fish finder or a battery charger with a SAE two-pin panel-mounted connector. http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/in ... #msg191025 .

If you're fishing from your Outback, carrying your fish finder battery to and from your kayak is the least of your problems. You probably also need to carry the fish finder head, rod holders, a stringer, and tools like a knife, fish bonker, and pliers, and lures and other tackle. I bought a plastic tool box and use it to transport all my fishing equipment in my vehicle, and to carry that equipment between my vehicle and the shore or boat ramp when I'm loading and unloading my kayak. The tool box keeps all that gear together, and makes it easy to carry. My battery box is just one of many items of equipment in the tool box.
PmmPete - Thanks for the follow-up. Your battery box would certainly make moving the battery around easier. But I had previously been lugging a box of battery + gear between the garage and the beach (we live on a lake) and just wanted to lighten the load some. Leaving the battery in the rear hatch and connected to the solar panel helps quite a bit in that regard. Fortunately, we live in an area where theft of the panel (or the yak, for that matter!) is unlikely. Now i just have to skinny-down the other stuff in the box.Image

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Author:  ronbo613 [ Sat May 26, 2018 11:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Solar charger for beach use?
Let us know if someone steals the solar panel and leaves the kayak.
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