Two Battery System

You know the drill..

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ClaytorToon
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2016 8:17 am
Location: Claytor Lake, VA

Two Battery System

#1 Post by ClaytorToon » Tue Mar 02, 2021 10:29 am

Ok folks, I have no power at my slip and would like to maintain a bait tank battery and trolling motor battery with a small 5w solar panel. I am not a heavy user of either battery. One battery has some age on the other, so I'm assuming I shouldn't run them parallel.
So I have in my possession.
Solar panel https://www.amazon.com/WirthCo-Battery- ... B004LF78DW
a small controller https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Energise-Wat ... 5HMWEGYJJE

I even have a switch if I need one. https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Battery-Sm ... 099&sr=8-5

How can I set my system up? Would it be overkill to use the isolator and Solar controller for just 5 watts?

PaulinOK
Posts: 31
Joined: Wed Jan 29, 2020 10:49 am

Re: Two Battery System

#2 Post by PaulinOK » Mon Mar 08, 2021 7:35 pm

ClaytorToon wrote:
Tue Mar 02, 2021 10:29 am
Ok folks, I have no power at my slip and would like to maintain a bait tank battery and trolling motor battery with a small 5w solar panel. I am not a heavy user of either battery. One battery has some age on the other, so I'm assuming I shouldn't run them parallel.
So I have in my possession.
Solar panel https://www.amazon.com/WirthCo-Battery- ... B004LF78DW
a small controller https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Energise-Wat ... 5HMWEGYJJE

I even have a switch if I need one. https://www.amazon.com/Dual-Battery-Sm ... 099&sr=8-5

How can I set my system up? Would it be overkill to use the isolator and Solar controller for just 5 watts?
I'm also interested in knowing the answer to your questions, but I found your post when I searched 'bait tank' so what kind of bait tank do you have? Also I assume your slip is covered, are you mounting the solar panel on the roof of the dock?

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ClaytorToon
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Oct 07, 2016 8:17 am
Location: Claytor Lake, VA

Re: Two Battery System

#3 Post by ClaytorToon » Tue Mar 09, 2021 11:34 am

I have a Bait Jacuzzi bait tank.
No, my slip is not covered. I do have storage on the pontoon that will house the batteries. I will just lay the panel out in the sun, I guess.

I'm assuming I shouldn't run the two batteries parallel being that they are two different sizes and age. But I'm not sure how to lay it all out.

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TWB
Posts: 658
Joined: Sun Mar 18, 2018 7:40 am
Location: Navarre, FL

Re: Two Battery System

#4 Post by TWB » Wed Mar 10, 2021 6:31 am

I'm not a battery guy (but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once). BUT - I might recommend doing a search for keys like "Battery Configuration", Dual Battery Set Up", etc. The advice/discussion gets pretty detailed in many of those threads.

There have been discussions before about all types of battery topics. Maybe some insight can be found there.

-Paul
Paul & Michele
2003 Landau DX 24' Cruise "Loretta Jane"
2003 Mercury 75hp
My Rebuild: http://pontoonforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=26135

"Don't waste brain cells over something you can do nothing about." --My Wife

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