Cheap, Simple Solar Panel?

[p_everette]

40 Watt panel, charge controller, cables, home made oak mounting rails, total cost under $100.00. Battery is always charged.

[tamicatana]

Anyone using old windsurf masts for mounting things? I can't think why not. Light and fairly cheap

[tbodine88]

I use a 15 watt flexible solar cell for my 19' boat. the battery is never discharged except when it dies of old age. I just tie a line around the mast and the forward hatch through the eyelets in the solar cell for mounting.

The cell is like this:

http://img.diytrade.com/cdimg/170489...olar_Panel.jpg

I also this charge controller:

Image Gallery

Best $200 I ever spent on the boat.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by islander20

I'm trying to find the cheapest and simplest way to top up my boats batteries. I have seen some small removable panels on west marine but they got bad reviews...would really appreciate advice on what brands to look for and what size of panel i should get.

For our small boat, i grabbed a 5W weatherproof unit from a chain store (Canadian Tire) when it was half-price. It comes with a bunch of adaptors, including the cigarette-lighter-type.

I haven't yet figured out a mounting point, so I leave it on a cockpit bench, sometimes with a block or stick of wood to angle it to the sun.

So far, this has done a good job of keeping the battery topped up.

[islander20]

Originally Posted by p_everette

40 Watt panel, charge controller, cables, home made oak mounting rails, total cost under $100.00. Battery is always charged.

I have decided to go with essentially this exact same setup, I can get a 30W panel and controller for 55$ shipped. And in a bit for wiring and mounting hardware and it should come in under 75$ total. Can't believe how cheap solar has become