20W Panel for 12V charging... what do I need?

[ozman]

Ok... here is the situation. I recently bought a 20W Panel (this model) off ebay for the sole purpose of charging some of my various 12v batteries for fishing/camping. I am gone for 2-3 days a time down the beach etc and use small deer feeder 12v batteries for fishfinder and livewell in the kayak that I would like to charge when they run down.

I have the panel ONLY. So I have no controller etc and was wondering exactly what I would need to achieve a proper setup (controller etc).

Any info or advice would be greatly appreciated and am glad I found this cool site!!

[Naptown]

I would add an inexpensive charge controller to keep from cooking your batteries but that's about all A PWM type would be fine for about $35.00

[ozman]

Thanks bud!

Is there any PWM in particular you would recommend?

The specs for the individual batteries I'm using are -

12V 28W
Standby use :13.5-13.8V
Cycle use: 14.4-15.0V
Initial Current: 2.16A Max

[Naptown]

Morningstar are good

[ozman]

Excellent.

Would those Sun Guard 4.5A models be suitable for these smaller batteries?

[rs14smith]

Excellent.

Would those Sun Guard 4.5A models be suitable for these smaller batteries?

I would recommend checking out the reviews for those Sun Guard controllers. I've read mixed reviews about those, both negative and positive. I tend to only stick with Morningstar controllers due to their reliability and great reputation. For the most part, I think you should be fine with one of those cheaper controllers like the Sun Guard, but again, try to buy from an online store that has a decent amount of reviews for the particular controller you decide to go with.

[Mike90250]

What's the size of the battery ? 20 watts will only cook a small battery, < 50ah capacity. (over a weekend)