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  • Does anyone have a decent amount of experience about alternator+solar panel based power systems?

    If so, what's the go-to, cheap and cheerful whilst also being robust system?

    Previously I've put together a solar charging system with Victron stuff, which was straightforward but far from cheap.

    Engine under consideration has a 40amp alternator, requires a battery to start it but it's a twin cylinder, 500cc unit so I doubt it's going to take a huge amount of oomph to spin it. Diesel however, so a mental compression ratio if like me you are only really familiar with petrol.

    What needs power:

    • Bilge pump/s
    • Navigation lights
    • Depth sounder
    • Panel to display output of depth sounder
    • VHF radio
    • LED lighting
    • An inverter that could charge power tool battery chargers (the inverter to be turned off when not in use
    • I'd imagine two batteries in this scenario? One to spin the engine over and one to power the ancillaries.

    Yes it's a bit of an odd camper, but the principals are very similar I think!

  • Have you got a boat?! On mine I run all the above apart from an inverter from a 100w panel and a 115 amp hr leisure battery. Bought from sunstore in Worthing as a package including controller and expensive 3m tape to fix panel to cabin top. Bought a cheap switch panel from eBay that has lighter socket and 2 x USB and that serves to charge cabin light and phone/iPad for navigation. Simple set up and has lasted 3 years with no issues. There is an extra output on the controller that could charge an engine battery if required but as I have a petrol outboard I don’t need that

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