For a boat. One 12v Deep Cycle marine battery. Needs to be waterproof (rain), what do you like?

simply hook up a 5-10 watt solar panel directly to the battery. Done this for many years for a dedicated plow vehicle. Such a tiny amount of current no need for a charge controller.

^^^ Agreed.

https://www.amazon.com/ECO-WOR...+%2Caps%2C899&sr=8-4

Making it waterproof will take some alteration/taping/encasing

Yeah. I didn't ask how to fabricate one on the cheap, but thanks.

Anyone got a recommendation for a solar powered battery maintainer I don't have to build?

quote:

Originally posted by Pyker:
Yeah. I didn't ask how to fabricate one on the cheap, but thanks.

Anyone got a recommendation for a solar powered battery maintainer I don't have to build?

Harbor Freight for a cheap one. Batteries Plus for a more expensive one and with better quality.

Info, I've had four stolen in past several years. They were used on motorcycle batteries. Bikes were parked outside areas.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B015...VH0299X4PBT5SYWP371T

This one has over 4000 reviews and comes with the harness.

5w.

Thanks!

quote:

Originally posted by Pyker:
Yeah. I didn't ask how to fabricate one on the cheap, but thanks.

Anyone got a recommendation for a solar powered battery maintainer I don't have to build?

You don't have to "build" anything, but asked for waterproof. I don't think anything is going to be waterproof. Those that both Aeteocles linked are made for vehicles, including boats.

I have an old 1.5watt solar charger from harbor freight I have used for years.

Any small solar panel wired to a battery tender. Tender outlet to battery to prevent overcharging.

I have had one of these, Sunforce 12 V Trickle Charger, for about 5 years now. It spends from Nov to May out in the elements to maintain my sailboat batteries (2) over the off season. Been very happy with it.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Su...ALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

I bought a couple of monocrystalline 5W panels from West Marine made by Nature Power to keep the two 80ah group 24's in my sailboat topped off over the winter. They were very thin and semi-flexible which appealed to me, but they turned out to be junk. At no point could I get either of them to produce anything near their rated output, and both had failed by the end of the winter.

West Marine sells some waterproof ones with long leads that are good.

quote:

Originally posted by Pyker:
Yeah. I didn't ask how to fabricate one on the cheap, but thanks.

Anyone got a recommendation for a solar powered battery maintainer I don't have to build?

A good panel is not going to be cheap. Get a “framed” panel. Commonly used for permanent outside installations for electric livestock fences, gates, street lights…..
Been using a framed panel directly hooked up to my dedicated plow vehicle battery for many years that sits for long periods. No need for a charge controller. Cut an outdoor rated extension cord in half, cut ends at the battery and panel. Easy plug/unplug. Simple “build”!

I’m using a solar model from Battery Tender. So far it seems to work well.
https://www.amazon.com/Battery...dExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Thanks!