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FishHog
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# Posted: 21 Sep 2014 10:22am
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I have had 2x75w panels for a few years to charge my trolling motor batteries at the cottage. Always toped up by the time I return for a weekend.
But, want to add solar to the cottage. Don't need a lot of power, just a few LED bulbs and maybe a small TV for a rainy day.
Question is, should I run a dedicated system for the cottage with a couple 6v deep cycle batteries. And keep my trolling motor batter setup, with the 4 12v marine batteries I currently have, or would I be better off combining them, and just unhook my trolling motor batteries and use as needed.
My concern is hooking up a drained trolling motor to the cottage system and the effect that will have on the new cottage batteries. Keep reading that your system is only as good as your weakest battery. So will doing that ruin the life of my new cottage batteries?
I have a few more 75watt panels, so I guess its not a big deal to run two separate smaller systems, but not sure if that is the better plan than one larger system.
Cottage is just weekend use, and normally 3 weeks between visits, so lots of time to recharge everything between visits.
thanks for any advise.
FishHog
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VTweekender
Member
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# Posted: 21 Sep 2014 11:56am
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You never want to drain your battery bank more than about 50 percent repeatedly. That will damage the standard 12 volt marine batteries. The 6 volt golf cart batteries are built more for being drained often and will last longer. But to answer your question, what I would do is use what I have already for both with what little you intend to run in the cabin.
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FishHog
Member
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# Posted: 21 Sep 2014 12:46pm
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so, if I have 4 batteries hooked up and charged when I arrive. Take one and use the trolling motor for the day, it will be at 50% or so. Am I hurting the others to hook that one back into the system? Or should I disconnect the others, and hook up the dead one solo to charge it faster?
Kind of where I'm struggling with what is the best answer when I come in from the lake with a pretty low one. Will that disadvantage the other batteries in the system?
thanks
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groingo
Member
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# Posted: 21 Sep 2014 01:38pm
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This is just me but I'd seperate the two and have a dedicated battery and charger for each or better yet keep the oars handy!
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VTweekender
Member
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# Posted: 21 Sep 2014 03:58pm
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i agree with groingo, I would use the batteries on hand but separate into 2 charging systems since you already have the panels and maybe only need to pick up a small controller, and dedicate a battery to the cabin.
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MtnDon
Member
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# Posted: 22 Sep 2014 02:16pm
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You do not want different battery types and different capacities in the same charge group. Or at least you should not have a battery set up that way.
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FishHog
Member
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# Posted: 22 Sep 2014 03:04pm
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kind of what I thought. I'll setup two separate systems. Thanks for the help guys. Much appreciated.
Brad
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