Solar for kayak - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Yakly · 07-02-2013, 06:57 PM

Anyone currently using solar of any sorts on their yaks to keep the battery charged? Been thinking and researching different panels ( some small enough) to keep the live well and chartplotter charged for a full day. Any suggestions or comments????

guamboas · 07-02-2013, 07:21 PM

I use Goal Zero charger for my phone and radio it works really well, it is a 12v charger so if i needed it, it would charge my battery

danjor · 07-02-2013, 07:30 PM

In my opinion the only time I see solar on a kayak practical is if you were lost at sea. Otherwise due to salt water environment and price of solar it would be better to just use the money and invest in a good LiFePo4 battery system if you are concerned about running out of battery or the weight of carrying a spare SLA battery otherwise the simple solution is to carry a spare SLA in a drybag

Yakly · 07-02-2013, 07:33 PM

I'm not very electronic/battery savvy so I wasn't sure exactly how many watts/ma etc..... I needed to recharge the battery. I'm new to this but my thoughts is that I wouldn't get a full day out of using the live well and fish finder constantly. If I'm heading in the wrong direction please let me know. All of these battery charging terms have my head spinning and I definitely don't want to fry a new battery.

Yakly · 07-02-2013, 07:36 PM

I asked OEX about Lipo's... They said a few guys were running those but they didn't have allot of info. i guess the weight of another battery isn't a big deal.

easyday · 07-02-2013, 07:52 PM

Ive thought about hooking up my tank solely to run on a solar panel from what I foud it would be feasible.

Yakly · 07-02-2013, 08:02 PM

If you have any ideas please share. I'm interested but don't understand allot about what I need in regards to panel power output.

beef78 · 07-02-2013, 08:41 PM

My suggestion is just get a little bit bigger 12 volt battery with more amp hours. Makes much more since when it comes to having fewer wires/parts and being cheaper. Batteries plus in San Diego is where I got mine. They are reasonable priced and pretty nice. The best way to go would be to buy one of the battery boxes that comes pre-wired and with a battery box from the online store attached to this website.

http://www.kayakfishingsupplies.com/...e-Power/Detail

lowprofile · 07-02-2013, 08:42 PM

so you want a shopping list? or better yet a solar bait tank ready to go?

the solar kit and pump wired up will run around $300. could go all the way to $700 depending on the equipment.

Yakly · 07-02-2013, 09:32 PM

My boat has a 12v system running the livewell and fish finder/chartplotter. It's a 12v 10amp battery and I want to (I guess) have solar to ensure the battery stays charged for all day use. I don't want to have to put the live well on a timer and be able to leave the finder on all day as I'm moving from spot to spot. In this case I'm assuming I need some type of trickle charger to keep the already topped off battery at full capacity. I think?????? Or at least keep up with the discharge. Again I'm new to this so if I'm heading down the wrong path and this doesn't make since, I'm all ears.

Yakly · 07-02-2013, 09:34 PM

I have that same battery box from OEX but how long will that keep the electronic running?

ful-rac · 07-02-2013, 09:34 PM

Save your money and headaches, just charge your batteries at home.

beef78 · 07-02-2013, 11:39 PM

Eh, maybe it helps if you actually do the math...

PattiNorton · 11-01-2013, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yakly

Anyone currently using solar panels of any sorts on their yaks to keep the battery charged? Been thinking and researching different panels ( some small enough) to keep the live well and chartplotter charged for a full day. Any suggestions or comments????

Hello friend have you got the solar panels or charger? I am trying to use solar energy for charging battery so please help me with your experience..Waiting for reply thanks in advance

07-02-2013, 06:57 PM	#1
Yakly Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Ventura Area Posts: 65	Solar for kayak Anyone currently using solar of any sorts on their yaks to keep the battery charged? Been thinking and researching different panels ( some small enough) to keep the live well and chartplotter charged for a full day. Any suggestions or comments????

07-02-2013, 07:21 PM	#2
guamboas Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 47	I use Goal Zero charger for my phone and radio it works really well, it is a 12v charger so if i needed it, it would charge my battery __________________ PA 12 Dune NAVY CHIEF PETTY OFFICER (RET)

07-02-2013, 07:52 PM	#6
easyday Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Oceanside Posts: 1,470	Ive thought about hooking up my tank solely to run on a solar panel from what I foud it would be feasible. __________________

07-02-2013, 08:41 PM	#8
beef78 Large Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: San Diego Posts: 316	My suggestion is just get a little bit bigger 12 volt battery with more amp hours. Makes much more since when it comes to having fewer wires/parts and being cheaper. Batteries plus in San Diego is where I got mine. They are reasonable priced and pretty nice. The best way to go would be to buy one of the battery boxes that comes pre-wired and with a battery box from the online store attached to this website. http://www.kayakfishingsupplies.com/...e-Power/Detail __________________ "I shall not tiptoe through life to arrive safely at death."

07-02-2013, 08:42 PM	#9
lowprofile #1 on fishstick's hitlist Join Date: May 2011 Location: Sea level Posts: 1,478	so you want a shopping list? or better yet a solar bait tank ready to go? the solar kit and pump wired up will run around $300. could go all the way to $700 depending on the equipment. __________________ MLPA- My Largest Poaching Area

07-02-2013, 07:30 PM	#3
danjor Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Riverside CA Posts: 673	In my opinion the only time I see solar on a kayak practical is if you were lost at sea. Otherwise due to salt water environment and price of solar it would be better to just use the money and invest in a good LiFePo4 battery system if you are concerned about running out of battery or the weight of carrying a spare SLA battery otherwise the simple solution is to carry a spare SLA in a drybag

07-02-2013, 07:33 PM	#4
Yakly Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Ventura Area Posts: 65	I'm not very electronic/battery savvy so I wasn't sure exactly how many watts/ma etc..... I needed to recharge the battery. I'm new to this but my thoughts is that I wouldn't get a full day out of using the live well and fish finder constantly. If I'm heading in the wrong direction please let me know. All of these battery charging terms have my head spinning and I definitely don't want to fry a new battery.

07-02-2013, 07:36 PM	#5
Yakly Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Ventura Area Posts: 65	I asked OEX about Lipo's... They said a few guys were running those but they didn't have allot of info. i guess the weight of another battery isn't a big deal.

07-02-2013, 08:02 PM	#7
Yakly Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Ventura Area Posts: 65	If you have any ideas please share. I'm interested but don't understand allot about what I need in regards to panel power output.

07-02-2013, 09:32 PM	#10
Yakly Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Ventura Area Posts: 65	My boat has a 12v system running the livewell and fish finder/chartplotter. It's a 12v 10amp battery and I want to (I guess) have solar to ensure the battery stays charged for all day use. I don't want to have to put the live well on a timer and be able to leave the finder on all day as I'm moving from spot to spot. In this case I'm assuming I need some type of trickle charger to keep the already topped off battery at full capacity. I think?????? Or at least keep up with the discharge. Again I'm new to this so if I'm heading down the wrong path and this doesn't make since, I'm all ears.

07-02-2013, 09:34 PM	#11
Yakly Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Ventura Area Posts: 65	I have that same battery box from OEX but how long will that keep the electronic running?

07-02-2013, 09:34 PM	#12
ful-rac Emperor Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buena Park Posts: 3,649	Save your money and headaches, just charge your batteries at home. __________________ There's nothing colder than yesterday's hotdog.

07-02-2013, 11:39 PM	#13
beef78 Large Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: San Diego Posts: 316	Eh, maybe it helps if you actually do the math... __________________ "I shall not tiptoe through life to arrive safely at death."