Solar for kayak - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Yakly · 07-03-2013, 06:38 AM

Thanks guys for the info.... I think I'll take the advise from you guys and purchase LiFePO's. You guys have been doing this for some time so ill follow your leads.... It was just a thought as I'm into gadgets but understand the limited space.

I'm also one of those crazies (in the eyes of some) that want to do an extended trip up the coast and camp. So if there's anyone interested or if they're trips already planned, I'm in.

FishNinjaY · 07-03-2013, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yakly

It was just a thought as I'm into gadgets but understand the limited space.

I'm also one of those crazies (in the eyes of some) that want to do an extended trip up the coast and camp. So if there's anyone interested or if they're trips already planned, I'm in.

I hear that.. we're all gadget heads.

If you want to think outside the box... why don't you get rid of the battery altogether? at least for the livewell.

I know there is a small-ish solar panel that can run an actual small pump that will take water from your swimming pool and pump in UP to to a gravity solar array on your roof for pool heating. The nice thing about that, is it is ALWAYS ON, and only runs when the sun is out. Perfect for people that like to run their pool filters during the night to save on electricity costs. Anyways, I bet that solar panel and pump have to be sufficient to run any kind of livewell bait tank, right? If it puts out enough juice, maybe you can even run your fishfinder also? or at least keep a FF battery topped off.

Yakly · 07-03-2013, 09:27 AM

I'm still looking at all kinds of options and trying to wait till the new boats come out to see what new goodies will be available. Sometimes it sucks wanting all of the new shiny stuff..... My girlfriend says I have ADD but whatever, it keeps me busy and out of trouble...... So far!!!!

jorluivil · 07-03-2013, 10:30 AM

"The best solution to our problems may actually be the nearest or the easiest. Sometimes it seems so easy that we doubt its effectiveness"

Fiskadoro · 11-03-2013, 05:13 PM

The traditional problem with solar for a Kayak is the size of the panel you need to put out the power required.

For instance I have a mono-crystalline solar panel for my truck to keep the battery up when I'm not using it. It's about the size of a piece of paper and only weighs a few pounds but it also only puts out 5w or .28amps.

It would charge a battery that's sitting but won't keep up with a fishfinder and bait tank.

A 50w mono-crystalline panel would put out 2.8 amps. That would be enough power to run a Hummingbird combo and a Hobie baittank but it would be roughly 2 ft square and weigh over 20 pounds.

More realistic would be a poly-crystalline 50w panel. Once again that's only 2.8 amps but I've seen some of those that were only like 12 pounds but they were still big something like 20x30 inches.

Pete you got me rethinking this though. I think most of the newer Hummingbird finders only pull half an amp. Having a variable voltage setup where you can step down to a 6v for the bait tank and that would pull less amperage about the same half an amp. 1.5 amps would probably do it.

I have several friends who are into bike touring and they are using combinations of 5w panels to make 20w and 25w systems for charging phones lights GPS etc...

I'll look around and see what I can find.

Jim

PescadorPete · 11-03-2013, 08:52 PM

Jim, it will be interesting to see what you come up with. Maybe a 12V panel to feed the ff directly and also feed the 12V to a PWM to power the pump. I built a PWM for my 1st bait tank setup and the 12V battery lasts almost as long as running the pump on a 6V battery. I didn't measure how low the 12V battery can go before the PWM quits. pete

07-03-2013, 10:30 AM	#4
jorluivil Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 6,856	"The best solution to our problems may actually be the nearest or the easiest. Sometimes it seems so easy that we doubt its effectiveness" __________________ www.facebook.com/Teamsewer

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07-03-2013, 06:38 AM	#1
Yakly Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Ventura Area Posts: 65	Thanks guys for the info.... I think I'll take the advise from you guys and purchase LiFePO's. You guys have been doing this for some time so ill follow your leads.... It was just a thought as I'm into gadgets but understand the limited space. I'm also one of those crazies (in the eyes of some) that want to do an extended trip up the coast and camp. So if there's anyone interested or if they're trips already planned, I'm in.

07-03-2013, 09:27 AM	#3
Yakly Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Ventura Area Posts: 65	I'm still looking at all kinds of options and trying to wait till the new boats come out to see what new goodies will be available. Sometimes it sucks wanting all of the new shiny stuff..... My girlfriend says I have ADD but whatever, it keeps me busy and out of trouble...... So far!!!!

11-03-2013, 05:13 PM	#5
Fiskadoro ....... Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 1,509	The traditional problem with solar for a Kayak is the size of the panel you need to put out the power required. For instance I have a mono-crystalline solar panel for my truck to keep the battery up when I'm not using it. It's about the size of a piece of paper and only weighs a few pounds but it also only puts out 5w or .28amps. It would charge a battery that's sitting but won't keep up with a fishfinder and bait tank. A 50w mono-crystalline panel would put out 2.8 amps. That would be enough power to run a Hummingbird combo and a Hobie baittank but it would be roughly 2 ft square and weigh over 20 pounds. More realistic would be a poly-crystalline 50w panel. Once again that's only 2.8 amps but I've seen some of those that were only like 12 pounds but they were still big something like 20x30 inches. Pete you got me rethinking this though. I think most of the newer Hummingbird finders only pull half an amp. Having a variable voltage setup where you can step down to a 6v for the bait tank and that would pull less amperage about the same half an amp. 1.5 amps would probably do it. I have several friends who are into bike touring and they are using combinations of 5w panels to make 20w and 25w systems for charging phones lights GPS etc... I'll look around and see what I can find. Jim

11-03-2013, 08:52 PM	#6
PescadorPete Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Leucadia, CA Posts: 261	Jim, it will be interesting to see what you come up with. Maybe a 12V panel to feed the ff directly and also feed the 12V to a PWM to power the pump. I built a PWM for my 1st bait tank setup and the 12V battery lasts almost as long as running the pump on a 6V battery. I didn't measure how low the 12V battery can go before the PWM quits. pete