When all is said and done I think my Link
Battery Monitor is one of my best
gear investments. It shows the
power going in and out of the
batteries and keeps track of usage like a
fuel gauge. You can't use a full percentage of amp/hour capacity if you are running several things at once. The Link keeps track of the rate of usage over time to give an accurate gauge on
battery consumption. Over discharging is a quick way to shorten their life. You can only run your
batteries down to half full at the most, so count on at least double the amp hours you are going to use between charges to figure how many batteries you need. Once you deplete below the 85% level they like to be charged till their full again. If you are going to be out for away from a
plug for more than a day or two than a small
inverter generator is a great way to go. If the
boat sits by its self all week on a
mooring then a small
solar panel will due fine.