Author Topic: solar panel for charging sonar battery  (Read 1376 times)

Offline bob 64

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 3
solar panel for charging sonar battery
« on: Feb 08, 2019, 08:11 PM »
Good evening gentlemen,just bought my first fish finder slash sonar humminbird ice helix 7,have not tried the unit yet so this question is some what like putting the cart before the horse.Can I put my solar panel for charging the 12 volt battery for my electric fencer to my sonar battery to trickle charge while fishing?Googled this with no success what so ever but there seems to be a lot of knowledge here so fire away.thx….Bob

Offline Fisherman 1

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,138
  • Fish..the other white meat
Re: solar panel for charging sonar battery
« Reply #1 on: Feb 08, 2019, 08:48 PM »
Yes you can but we need to know what the output(wattage) of the solar panel is to give you a useful answer.  I'm suspecting you're using a 12volt, 7 or maybe 9 amp battery.  If your solar panel is a 15 watt output, at the most  ideal conditions, no clouds, full sun, panel angled perpendicular to the sun, you'll get about .8amp or 800mA. If your battery is discharged it will take at least 8 hours to recharge.

Offline spoof

  • Team IceShanty Regular
  • ***
  • Posts: 182
Re: solar panel for charging sonar battery
« Reply #2 on: Feb 09, 2019, 07:20 AM »
you could but, I would wait till you got back to your shack to charge it.  That way your not carrying around extra gear.  That battery will last a day or two for sure. 

Offline Huntindave

  • Team IceShanty Addict
  • *
  • Posts: 595
Re: solar panel for charging sonar battery
« Reply #3 on: Feb 09, 2019, 08:24 AM »
Yes you can but we need to know what the output(wattage) of the solar panel is to give you a useful answer.  I'm suspecting you're using a 12volt, 7 or maybe 9 amp battery.  If your solar panel is a 15 watt output, at the most  ideal conditions, no clouds, full sun, panel angled perpendicular to the sun, you'll get about .8amp or 800mA. If your battery is discharged it will take at least 8 hours to recharge.

Given those numbers and the fact he was asking about hooking up the solar charger WHILE running the flasher, the battery may not discharge much at all.  A vexilar  draws about .75 amps so a .8 amp input from the solar charger would equalize the draw.  Even if the solar was only producing .4 amps (a more reasonable expectation) having the solar hooked up would double the run time.

I agree tho, why bother.  If it was myself and I wanted to use a solar charger, I'd have a second battery hooked to the charger (back at the house, shack, car, etc.)  and swap batteries.
take care,
Dave  :>)

Offline bob 64

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 3
Re: solar panel for charging sonar battery
« Reply #4 on: Feb 09, 2019, 10:32 AM »
Thx for the reply's, more than anything I was just wanting to make sure I would not cause any problems with the sonar unit as I would be using it while charging the battery. Very anxious to get out and try this unit ,been ridiculous cold here in Manitoba as of late, waiting for a bit of a warm up. With any luck the battery holds up for the day and then the whole solar panel idea may not be needed....Bob

Offline Fisherman 1

  • Team IceShanty Maniac
  • **
  • Posts: 1,138
  • Fish..the other white meat
Re: solar panel for charging sonar battery
« Reply #5 on: Feb 09, 2019, 05:56 PM »
Another way to get extra life from your battery, keep it warm with one of those hand heater disposable packs, wrap it in a piece of cloth and put it under the battery.  Don't let it get wet, that will kill the pack.

Offline bob 64

  • IceShanty Rookie
  • **
  • Posts: 3
Re: solar panel for charging sonar battery
« Reply #6 on: Feb 09, 2019, 06:07 PM »
Another way to get extra life from your battery, keep it warm with one of those hand heater disposable packs, wrap it in a piece of cloth and put it under the battery.  Don't let it get wet, that will kill the pack.
That sounds like a good idea anything to keep that battery warm will help....Bob

 



Iceshanty | MyFishFinder | MyHuntingForum
Contact | Disclaimer | Privacypolicy | Sponsor
© 1996- Iceshanty.com
All Rights Reserved.