Charging thruster battery with solar

[Rwnorton]

I'm leaving my Tug out of the water for 6 months this summer with the solar panel exposed and all battery switches off. The solar panel is connected to the engine and house batteries and will maintain a charge there. However the thruster battery is not connected. Several of you have installed battery switches and wiring to add the thruster battery to the house bank. My only goal is to send a trickle charge to the thruster battery while stored. So for this limited purpose, wouldn't jumper cables between the house and thruster batteries work to equalize the charge?

 

[Andrew Custis]

Hello,

If you make sure all switches are off and you don't have any significant drains connected to your batteries, the thruster will stay charged by the solar panel using the automatic charging relays. You shouldn't have to change a thing on your boat.

Thank you!

 

[Rwnorton]

Thank you Andrew!

 

[Rwnorton]

Thank you Andrew

 

[rpmerrill]

Even with my boat shrink wrapped through the winter, the solar panel kept all my batteries up in the mid to high twelves. A great set-up all around.

 

[Rwnorton]

Rpmerrill - did they cut a hole in the shrink wrap to expose the solar panel? Or what technique did they use please?

 

[rpmerrill]

Nope, just the plain white wrap. Enough light comes through to give me a fraction of an amp to a full amp on all but the dark gloomy days.
The boatyard guy told me (after the fact) that I could have gotten a clear section of wrap just over the solar panel area, no extra $.

All battery switches off and a couple extra fuses, like the CO detector and (I think) the propane detector. Hang a hunk of bright colored tape on the fuse holder and then hang the fuses in the helm so you don't forget to put them back in place.

 

[Rwnorton]

To insure that All 12v draws are off, l'll turn off all battery switches, pull the fuses for the volt meter, CO monitor, stereo memory, stove, auto pilot pump, and leave the charging relay fuse in place. Anything else? How do I prove to myself that everything is off?