The battery is a fundamental part of an electric motor system. An ideal battery has two jobs that start the motor and keep it running. Now, you may ask can I charge my trolling motor batteries with a solar panel?
Yes, it is possible to charge your trolling motor batteries with a solar panel. But it is only possible when your motor batteries are attached to a 12 volt or 24-volt solar panel. To do that, a high-quality deep cycle marine battery should always be used.
Due to a lack of proper charging, most trolling motor batteries fail. So, to extend battery lifespan a proper charging system is always recommended.
Can I Charge My Trolling Motor Batteries With A Solar Panel?
Yes, it is possible but most of the customer thinks it is not effective enough.
A solar panel is a very convenient option to charge trolling motor batteries. There are many advantages to using it for charging trolling motors. A 6 to 12-watt solar panel can uphold your fully charged battery when not using the boat.
There is a built-in regulator in every solar panel though. But we recommend using a charge controller and blocking diode to protect your battery. You don’t have to charge manually your solar panel. It will consume energy direct from the sun while you are fishing or roaming around.
Sunlight Requirement To Charge A Battery With Solar Panel
Sunlight is an endless source of energy that comes directly from the sun. We preserve it with a solar panel and convert it into usable solar energy. Solar photovoltaics (PV), solar heating and cooling, solar thermal electricity are all well-established solar technologies.
In theory a 12 volt 180 amp-h battery would need 10 hours of charging under ideal sunlight. But we can get only 5-6 hours of light on a clear sunny day. Then accounting for occasional passing clouds and other environmental factor, the same battery would need 12-13 hours to get fully charged.
To use solar energy properly and hassle-free, it needs to receive about four or five hours of direct sunlight. So, in the case of using a solar panel, you must know when and where you will get that sunlight.
Polycrystalline Vs Mono-Crystalline
Solar panels have four different types. Polycrystalline, monocrystalline, PERC, and thin-film panels. In this section, we are going to see a comparison between Polycrystalline and Monocrystalline solar panels.
| Factor | Polycrystalline | Mono-crystalline |
| Silicone Arrangement | Many silicon fragments combined together | One pure silicon crystal |
| Cost | Less expensive | More expensive |
| Temperature Coefficient | Higher temperature coefficient | Lower temperature coefficient, |
| Efficiency | Less efficient | More efficient |
| Appearance | Panels have a blue hue | Panels have a black hue |
How To Choose The Solar Panel Size For Batteries
To calculate your solar panel battery size Multiply your daily Watt-hour requirement by 7 for the weekly requirement. and divide this by 12 to convert back to Amp Hours, which batteries are rated in.
At this point, we need to give you some clarification. We assume the battery is 100% charged. And we are going to use the solar panel to maintain this charged state. When you are not using the boat then a 10 to12-watt solar panel is good enough to maintain trolling motor batteries.
There are varieties in solar panels. You don’t need to buy specially designed solar panels while regular solar panels will be enough for you. The first thing you should consider when buying a solar panel is the power output. If the power is more than 12 watts then go for it.
Why You Should Use Solar Panels For Trolling Batteries
There are so many advantages to using solar panels for trolling batteries. Some of them will describe below:
Charging your trolling batteries while fishing: Trolling while fishing uses a significant amount of electricity. So, your fishing trip won’t be happier if there is no charging system onboard.
You may have an extra battery for that issue but that’s too must be a hassle. With a solar re-charging setup, you don’t need to worry about charging the battery while fishing.
This solar system has a built-in regulator so it’s totally hassle-free about the batteries becoming overcharged.
Solar Charging Trolling Batteries through Clean Energy: Day by day our impact on the environment becomes clearer. Solar charging allows you to enjoy natural beauty with minimal impact on the environment.
Renewable Energy: While charging trolling battery using a solar panel you are capturing endless energy from the sun. You don’t need to run the gas engine or plug into any electric source. From solar panels, you will have a limitless supply of energy without spending a penny.
Low-Maintenance Operation: Solar charging system for trolling batteries requires very little maintenance.It has no moving parts and occupies a small area for installation.
No Fuel Required: It is totally eco-friendly. A solar system never requires any kind of fuel. Endless fuel will always be with you as long as there is sunlight.
Bottom Line
Using solar panels for recharging trolling batteries is much more reliable. It is renewable energy so you need not worry about its availability. In this session of our discussion, you must know the answer to your question “Can I charge my trolling motor batteries with a solar panel?”
Well, you definitely can. Even if it was not free, we obviously suggest you use a solar panel for your trolling batteries. Cause when you are roaming around a beach or lake you don’t need to worry about the charge. And also, you can save your time by charging those with solar panels.
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