do I have to worry about overload if I leave it connected for a long time without using boat?
247970
No, the way I understand it... it won't cook the battery or drain it during the night. I've left one on for several months at a time.
247971
No, its a trickle charger and the current isn't enough to cause an overcharge. I have left it connected for long periods with out ill effect
247972
No, my Sunforce 5 watt solar charger has been connected to my batteries for two years with no problem.
247973
No. I use one for a tractor battery over the winter, 2-3 months between starts. Go for it. Maybe the battery will still be some good when you're able to get the boat in the water. Better, much better to keep battery up than to let it discharge too low. That kills batteries' life span. Especially in the cold.
1078713
I think if you don't leave it standing in the water all the time it should be fine. Having said that I've left mine in the water for a few months straight and pulled it out when I don't plan on using it for a few consecutive weeks. The hull is made of this really dense material so if you leave it in the water for long periods water does get in the hull. The boat gets heavier and you have to take it out of the water, tilt the nose down, open the rubber drain plug to drain it. Also leaving it in the water for long periods will result in snails and deposits attaching to the sides ... So for best boat care, take it out after each use, rinse off the sides and put a cover on it. The cover is a must have so that you can get into a nice clean boat when you're ready for some fun and it keeps the elements from wearing down your boat interior. The cover is water proof but if it rains a lot, water will build up on top of the seat wells, Someone on here suggested putting 2 small beach balls in the seat wells and this works perfectly to keep the water out.
1852429
Don't worry. I used to leave it plugged in all week long (they recommend leaving it always plugged in) and even all winter long, without a problem.
855054
It should be ideal for that situation. I use mine in a boat and it works like a champ. I drilled a hole in the catch bowl, place it in the sink, and just let it run with no need to empty the bowl which drains into the sink. It's quiet, too.
795970
In a three week period I've used it twice. When I move the boat I shut it off to conserve the batteries. Supposedly they can last 30 hours of total usage.
1439618
Absolutely. I love that boat. Do not over inflate. You will get years of use.
828761
Yes, you can leave it plugged in but it's a bit of a phantom drain. I have read where some fleet operators just leave a bank of them plugged in all of the time. But why pay for the electricity? I charge mine every thirty days (it's right on my bench) and it never falls below 100%.
2180950
NO my husband said that there is always a trickle of power being used whether it's just the clock, or security system, something that will be used so that there isn't a chance of over charge. Ours was on for 5 weeks. We were fine.
2160544
I always do but I think if you ride a couple of times a week you should be fine. The green led does not pull much power. That being said I would not leave it plugged for two weeks straight. Hope that helps.Charles
1644960
With no moving parts, it is totally quiet in either of the 3 modes. Have used one for the last 17 years (same, but different brand) on our 26ft. boat. Great when you don't have shore power and don't want to eat up a battery (which they do - a deep cycle battery will only last one day without charging. I use a 1 1/2 gal.( 8lb.) tank mounted up on our bridge. These units will consume .5 lbs. of propane every 24 hrs. Thus, the 8 lb. tank will last 16 straight days. A 20 lb. tank (5 gal) will last up to 40 days.
727715
Use the bulky setting and then pause the load after the water has been added
430478
I believe either is OK. I usually leave it plugged in during frequent use. For storage, I unplug then charge prior to use.
56628
I connected this unit to a 12 volt deep cycle battery. It was in the Caribbean and there was lots of sun. The longest I left it connected was a few days of direct sun and everything seemed fine. But I would keep checking it for awhile if I was going to leave it for very long. There is supposed to be a built in sensor so it won't over charge anything.
343907
I believe if is plugged into a battery port that works without a key then it would eat up your battery. But 12 hours would make everything KOOL
1163127
Not noticeably for us as we only let it run as a back-up. I like to get my generator running rather than keep using the water. If it ran for a long time, it could impact, just depends if it is constantly running or not.
1417770
Yes, you can leave it plugged in 24/7. If you were not going to start your car for a month, you might want to unplug it, but even then, it wouldn't use enough power to drain your battery. If you have a digital watch, think how long it will run on it's little tiny battery. Just about the same thing with this little voltage meter. I have mine in a boat and I never unplug it.
704650
Yes, you can leave it connected all of the time. It'll automatically stop charging when the battery is full. But why would you want to? The charger is always converting 110v AC house current to 12v DC battery charging current. That produces heat and wastes electricity (aka $$$). I unplug mine when the light goes green meaning the battery is charged.