Solar Power Charging Solution - My Build / Thoughts?

[ralphsmithiii]

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on building my own solar panel charging solution for my AR240 since my boat is dry stored with no power. I have a group 24 and now 1 group 31 AGM battery to power my aftermarket stereo. Although I have a Promariner 3 bank charger, I'm very limited to where and when I can plug in it. I believe the following parts will allow me to have a really solid solution for a while, but, I'm looking for conformation and or suggestions/critiques before I order the parts.

Solar panel Mount - Amazon.com : WindyNation Side of Pole Solar Panel Mount Rack for 30W to 120W Solar Panel : Garden & Outdoor
$82.99

Duo Battery Charge Controller - Amazon.com : Temank Dual Battery Solar Charge Controller 20A 12V 24V Duo-Battery Solar Controller for RVs Caravans and Boats : Garden & Outdoor
$33.99

100w Solar Panel - Amazon.com : HQST 100 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Panel : Garden & Outdoor
$99.99
I could save a few bucks with a polycrystalline panel as well.

10AWG power/ground w/ring terminals and fuses to run from controller to batteries - Amazon.com: YETOR SAE to O Ring Terminal Harness, with 15A Protection Fuse for Safety, 2-Pin Quick Disconnect Plug,SAE Battery Extension Cable with 2FT 10AWG for Motorcycle Cars.: Automotive
$11.99 x 2

10ft 10AWG Solar Extension Cable to connect panel to controller - Amazon.com: BTSKY 10 Feet 10AWG Solar Extension Cable with MC4 Female and Male Connector Solar Panel Adaptor Kit Tool (10FT Red + 10FT Black): Garden & Outdoor
$19.98

DVSR Mod - Free + some spare wire/crimps.

Total-ish: $260.93

I plan on mounting the solar panel holder into a PVC pipe which I can slide over one of the trailer guides when charging.

Thoughts on this setup? If there is a cheaper solution or other parts I should consider I'm open. Boat is located in Florida so we get plenty of sun, however, I don't expect to run the boat all the time. I'm wondering if I can get away with a simpler solution that would charge the batteries to full over the span of 1-2 weeks versus this solution that should do that in a much faster time. But, I feel this setup will be a solid build for the money.

 

[zipper]

You should be fine for it's intended use. You are not living aboard and depending on high output day after day. We recently took off our heavy 100w Renogy rigid panel and the Renogy charge controller from the bimini of our Beneteau when we had a new bimini made and decided to install a much lighter flexible 110w SunPower panel and charge controller that will handle 150% more than the single panel output, in case we want to add more in the future. Having had solar panels on my house since 1995 I will say watch out for the cheap Chinese cells being put into panels by some companies. I have read on some sailing forums that people wanting 4 panels, will buy 6 panels, test the outputs and send back the 2 lowest amperage outputs. They will all be different. I am not saying buy Solbian Energie Alternative - Solbian way too expensive for me. But in the end you get what you pay for. We chose Shop SunPower Marine Flexible Solar Panels | Sun Powered Yachts because they were not Chinese cells and the panels were assembled in Hawaii. Not trying to change your mind due to your intended use, but there is a lot of information on the web about underperforming panel outputs. Good luck with your setup, just putting information out there.
This is the SunPower panel and charge controller.

 

[zipper]

I know your intended use is different than these, but here is more information from an article in the Sept. 2019 issue of Sail magazine.

 

[JayZ2012]

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on building my own solar panel charging solution for my AR240 since my boat is dry stored with no power. I have a group 24 and now 1 group 31 AGM battery to power my aftermarket stereo. Although I have a Promariner 3 bank charger, I'm very limited to where and when I can plug in it. I believe the following parts will allow me to have a really solid solution for a while, but, I'm looking for conformation and or suggestions/critiques before I order the parts.

Solar panel Mount - Amazon.com : WindyNation Side of Pole Solar Panel Mount Rack for 30W to 120W Solar Panel : Garden & Outdoor
$82.99

Duo Battery Charge Controller - Amazon.com : Temank Dual Battery Solar Charge Controller 20A 12V 24V Duo-Battery Solar Controller for RVs Caravans and Boats : Garden & Outdoor
$33.99

100w Solar Panel - Amazon.com : HQST 100 Watt 12 Volt Monocrystalline Solar Panel : Garden & Outdoor
$99.99
I could save a few bucks with a polycrystalline panel as well.

10AWG power/ground w/ring terminals and fuses to run from controller to batteries - Amazon.com: YETOR SAE to O Ring Terminal Harness, with 15A Protection Fuse for Safety, 2-Pin Quick Disconnect Plug,SAE Battery Extension Cable with 2FT 10AWG for Motorcycle Cars.: Automotive
$11.99 x 2

10ft 10AWG Solar Extension Cable to connect panel to controller - Amazon.com: BTSKY 10 Feet 10AWG Solar Extension Cable with MC4 Female and Male Connector Solar Panel Adaptor Kit Tool (10FT Red + 10FT Black): Garden & Outdoor
$19.98

DVSR Mod - Free + some spare wire/crimps.

Total-ish: $260.93

I plan on mounting the solar panel holder into a PVC pipe which I can slide over one of the trailer guides when charging.

Thoughts on this setup? If there is a cheaper solution or other parts I should consider I'm open. Boat is located in Florida so we get plenty of sun, however, I don't expect to run the boat all the time. I'm wondering if I can get away with a simpler solution that would charge the batteries to full over the span of 1-2 weeks versus this solution that should do that in a much faster time. But, I feel this setup will be a solid build for the money.

Did you get it completed? I have a solar set up at my dock that charges my boat batteries and gives me power for two lifts. If you're interested I'll share my setup.

 

[ralphsmithiii]

Did you get it completed? I have a solar set up at my dock that charges my boat batteries and gives me power for two lifts. If you're interested I'll share my setup.

I did build it and so far it works pretty well. I've been using it on and off for maybe the past 3 months and so far it's done what it's supposed to do. I'm not sure yet if it's having any negative effect on my new G31 AGM's as I've heard some solar controls can sometimes crap out and destroy batteries.

Only "issue" with it is I'm using a 100W panel which isn't heavy but it's large and when mounted to PVC pipe that I stick in the table top pool holder on the transom, it's fairly large and cumbersome. Not a huge deal for me to manage because I'm a bigger than average guy but when I take the boat out, I put that in the back of my pickup truck and it takes up quite a bit of room. I'd leave it where I park/store the boat and although its a nice spot and secure, it still could "walk away".