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solar panel advice
fotoave	#1  Posted on 04/12/21 - 8:37 AM
Member Posts: 7 Comments: 0 Joined: 04/12/21	Newport 17 just purchase used uncertain age maybe late 80’s. Want to purchase solar panel for trickle charge NAPA 40 battery 585 amps so auto bilge pump doesn't deplete. I’m Casco Bay, near Hamilton Marine which is having a sale now. Any advice? Do I need a controller or just hook up straight to terminals. They have Powerfilm roll flex 7 watt panel. Any experience with that brand?
Phil T	#2  Posted on 04/12/21 - 5:52 PM
Administrator Personal Page Personal Album Project Albums Posts: 6991 Comments: 6 Joined: 03/26/05	Fotoave - Welcome to WC. I am from So.Po and am a huge fan of Hammy's. The Newport is self bailing. If you pull the plug, a little water will enter but will stabilze. After that point, any additional water will drain. The recommendation is to leave the sump drain open when slipped or anchored. Most owners do not do it and I cant tell you how many times I have walked the floats at DiMillos, Sunrise or the Foreside anchorage and seen 13-17's swamped. I would hold off and test the boat at rest with the plug out (and you off the boat). Hammy's have another sale over July 4th. 1992 Outrage 17 I 2019 E-TEC 90, Viper 17 2+ 2018 Load Rite Elite 18280096VT
fotoave	#3  Posted on 04/13/21 - 4:37 AM
Member Posts: 7 Comments: 0 Joined: 04/12/21	Thanks. So leave outside stern plug out when at dock. Then get in boat and put plug the inside end? So when people get in and weigh the boat down, you don’t take on water? Is that the drill? I guess you would then only use bilge pump when necessary, and not leave on auto. That way you don’t need solar panel to keep battery trickle charged. BTW, likeyour personal page some good tips there.
Phil T	#4  Posted on 04/13/21 - 7:06 AM
Administrator Personal Page Personal Album Project Albums Posts: 6991 Comments: 6 Joined: 03/26/05	Let's review the drains in your boat. You have two drains in the splashwell in front of the transom. Leave open all the time. You have a drain in the bow anchor locker. Leave open all the time. The sump drain can be left open or closed while underway. Insert plug from the inside. Spend some time at the dock. Pull the plug on the sump drain while in the boat. Note how much water enters. Note if it rises to the deck. Step off boat. Note how far water receeds. That is your "static" level. If you have an issue with water in the boat with passengers, you can insert the sump drain plug. When I left my Montauk at anchor off Long and Cushing Island overnight, I pulled the plug. I did have a bilge pump installed but that was for dewatering due to operating in SCA conditions. 1992 Outrage 17 I 2019 E-TEC 90, Viper 17 2+ 2018 Load Rite Elite 18280096VT
fotoave	#5  Posted on 04/13/21 - 11:50 AM
Member Posts: 7 Comments: 0 Joined: 04/12/21	thanks make perfect sense!
Joe Kriz	#6  Posted on 04/13/21 - 3:52 PM
Site Owner Personal Page Personal Album Photo Albums Project Albums Posts: 11434 Comments: 452 Joined: 03/18/05	fotoave wrote: Newport 17 just purchase used uncertain age maybe late 80’s. Easy enough to find out the age of your Whaler. Look for your HIN or Stencil number. HIN https://www.whalercentral.com/article...cle_id=103 Stencil number (below the motor on the inside of the transom) Similar location: https://www.whalercentral.com/images/...tencel.jpg https://www.whalercentral.com/article...icle_id=61 Other owners https://www.whalercentral.com/viewpag...age_id=210 Let us know what you find out.
fotoave	#7  Posted on 04/13/21 - 5:09 PM
Member Posts: 7 Comments: 0 Joined: 04/12/21	Thanks for the info. The HIN is 5110771. 3b2125 is stencil number. What is the difference between the 2 and how does get me hull age? I looked on Whaler website and couldn’t figure it out.
Joe Kriz	#8  Posted on 04/13/21 - 5:53 PM
Site Owner Personal Page Personal Album Photo Albums Project Albums Posts: 11434 Comments: 452 Joined: 03/18/05	The HIN does not seem to be correct. Starts with BWC C 5110 M 77 i (without any spaces) that would be my educated guess. Anyone wish to test me? Look where you fit in here. https://www.whalercentral.com/viewpag...age_id=210 Stencil number is 3B2125 which would have been built in April of 1976 as a 1977 year model.
fotoave	#9  Posted on 04/19/21 - 5:39 AM
Member Posts: 7 Comments: 0 Joined: 04/12/21	My boat’s SN is the numbers I gave above, no letters visible on the very tarnished plate on the transom. Those are numbers the seller gave to me, but he only owned the boat for 3 years. Why do they have stencil numbers anyway? A little research on bilge pumps, drains, engine weight, etc. Looks like transom weight is recommended at 330 lbs, while my honda 90 approx 1997 weighs 390. So it looks like stern will float down a bit and scupper will fill up and beyond if I leave below water line self bailer plug out. Haven’t put boat in water, yet but inclined to launch with plug in maybe try it out once at dock for a little bit. Prior owner was adamant about leaving self bailer plug in externally., so I’m guessing transom was low. He wasn’t too helpful 80+ and kind of goofy. No knock on age, I’m 70+. So I ordered a Profilm 21 watt rollable solar panel. Will hook up directly to battery when at dock, disconnect when underway. Will leave RM500 bilge pump direct to battery for auto run, for rain water. Trickle charge from solar panel will prevent battery run down. Any objections, comments, or what do you think you’re doing dumbass? I’m a sailor so not used to all this engine c***p. LOL
Phil T	#10  Posted on 04/19/21 - 6:11 AM
Administrator Personal Page Personal Album Project Albums Posts: 6991 Comments: 6 Joined: 03/26/05	I would not spend a $1 on anything solar till you launch the boat, pull the plug and see where the static water level is. You could very well be building a complicated network of electrical items tied together that will result in swamping the boat if one item fails. For example (these are real examples) a) Float switch sticks, runs battery down, clouds, rain = swamp b) cloudy day, lots of rain, battery dead = swamp c) poor wire connection on battery = swamp d) flock of seagulls (not the band) covers your array in poop, lots of rain = swamp. e) I can keep going. All of these results will not occur if you leave the plug out. This is a whaler. It is NOT a sailboat. The self-bailing feature is one of the unique things that make it a whaler. Spend some time understanding the abilities and characteristics of the boat and a little less time at the marine store and surfing the web. Now ......if you pull the plug and the entire deck is covered in water after you step out.....nevermind. Go back to what you were doin'. 1992 Outrage 17 I 2019 E-TEC 90, Viper 17 2+ 2018 Load Rite Elite 18280096VT
fotoave	#11  Posted on 04/19/21 - 7:42 AM
Member Posts: 7 Comments: 0 Joined: 04/12/21	Duly noted. Thank for advice. Guilty of if you don’t know what you’re doing surf the web and throw money at it. Will launch next week and see how she floats.
wrangler	#12  Posted on 04/20/21 - 2:58 AM
Member Posts: 264 Comments: 0 Joined: 03/14/08	The vessels HIN number is Also on the boats registration. So if you cannot read the plate, look on the state registration paper.
gypsmjim	#13  Posted on 06/18/21 - 5:16 PM
Member Posts: 113 Comments: 0 Joined: 04/13/17	To answer your question, solar most definitely needs a controller. Otherwise you will fry the battery. A 7 watt panel is a waste of money. My system is a renogy. Never heard of your brand. Google them and the reviews might help you.