[crazy]I have been looking at past threads and decidesd to give my piont of view.I have solar panels on my camping trailer and thought I would offer something I've learned. You should put a charge controller on the batts. This will shut off the charge when the batts. are at full charge no over charging. Also if will keep the batts. from discharging when it gets dark. Somehow the power drains back through the panels. I use 2 Trojan 145 6 volt batts on my trailer and have 2 100 watt panels. I can camp forever and don't use my generator much at all. As for putting them on my toon or tube don't think so they are a little bulky. I think I would just get a bigger batt maybe 2. For the price of 1 100 watt you could get 3 blue top optimas. I know you wouldn't need 100 watts on the lake.
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I have a solar panel in my arsenal. Mine is a 12volt 1am charger. It is intended to charge a 12v motorcycle battery.
I keep it on while using fish finder and DVD. Together they use less than the 1amp output. My 12v sla battery is a perfect storage facility for the extra energy surcharge and even leaves enough juice at the end of the day for the docking lights on the tube.
The panel measures 4" x 12" and is 1/2 inch thick. It only adds 6oz to the tube which means that I have to be selective about the amount of movies that I bring to watch while fishing the tube.[cool]
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TN2 is looking at wind power to generate the power to the dvd fridge stereo etc. plus it will push him around the lakes and if he mounts it on front it would make for an air conditioner on the hot days . What more could you want.
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[
]6 OZ may sink my toon. I'm pretty fat. Ok I can see how that could work do you cover your dvd player or just chance getting it wet. I never go without my Ipod. Battery last about 20 hours and can put 80 gig on it. Screen is alittle small. The thing I like is I can turn it up and only I can here it. If I put dvd player on a toon maybe my wife would come out on the lake with me. She stays on the shore and hangs out and watches movies, reads ,tans I guess thats her relax time.
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My ipod usually goes everywhere with me, except fishing. I like getting away form it all. That is my piece and quiet time.
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The purpose of the solar panel is only to keep a trickle charge going to the batteries. I have some trips where I am out almost to dark and need to have a full battery to run the landing lights when coming in.
It is never recommended to run your solar and the batter at the same time. The solar does have an automatic shut off when it senses the current overload. You know what I'm talking about????
PopTarts suck in the microwave so I need the toaster too. Sometimes it puts a surge in the system and causes interference with the Satellite dish and the surround sound system.
I may need to get some extra waterproofing for the appliances though. I am planning on putting in a mist system for the tube this year. We are anticipating some warm weather this summer.[cool]
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As long as you don't bring too many extras on board, you would never notice that the six ounces are there.[cool]
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