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Wednesday, February 19, 2020

Boat Solar



My sailboat has a very small solar panel and a cheap charge controller. I go with cheap ones as the marine environment is tough on electronics. Expensive ones seem to fry just as easily as cheap ones -unless I buy one of the silly expensive marine units. Since it’s a cheap controller there’s no voltage meter included. Now and then I just test the voltage with a meter. That’s how I discovered the battery wasn’t taking a charge.

Chasing electrical issues on a boat is always fun. My lovely wife volunteered to climb in and help me chase wires. She fits into tight places a lot better than I do. She’s a darn fine first mate.

It took a bit of doing, but eventually the problem was traced to a corroded connection. Only then did I remember having done a quick “temporary” field repair, about 7 years ago. This time the connection was made with proper crimp connectors.

I’m glad that’s all it was. Fixing it while the boat is on the trailer is much easier than when in the water.

-Sixbears

4 comments:

  1. Glad the problem surfaced before you were 10 miles from shore.

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    1. The last fix happened while navigating a twisty channel after crossing a big bay.

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  2. Proper would be a lineman's splice then soldered and afterwards covered with self sealing heat shrink tubing. This method is a proven corrosion proof way.

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    Replies
    1. Okay . . . I did a more proper job than last time.

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