TOPIC: Need Help: 1958 Evinrude Lark not charging battery

title says it all. I have a 1958 Evinrude Lark that's not charging the battery. What should I do?

Also I was thinking of getting a solar panel as a backup. What size and wattage do I need?

Does your have a charging system on it....for most did not. the owners just recharged the battery every other day (I can remember camping and putting the boat battery in the truck every so often and taking a drive as to charge the battery). The motor does not use any power off the battery while running...just for starting

If yours does have a generator

First check and make sure that the belt is OK. If it is then check the generator. This can be done at home however most auto parts places will test it for free. If they are good then you will need to check that the voltage regulator is good

It does not have a generator. I am thinking of installing a solar panel to keep it charged. I found one that I think will work on it. 20-watt charging kit

Check out the Feather Craft Website. This week there was a discussion on there that referenced solar battery recharge.

Regards,
StevieB

20 watts at 12 volts is 1.5 amps

All and all that sounds great, however that is when the board is at its max in full sum and at the right angle to the rays.

You will really be looking at about 1/2 that if you place on one spot and leave it there all day. I do not think you are going to add a sun tracker to it. And using the boat you will get even less

Unless you are starting the motor many many times a day, just get a large battery (or 2) and run with out the worry of charging.

I have gotten over 40 starts off a good hot battery.

The killer is skiing for when we were young we started and stop the motor as to hear the skier.

If you thinking about the lights running the battery down I would go with LEDs

IF it was me, I'd buy a PAIR of the heaviest-duty 6 volt golf-cart batteries that I could find (and a 10 Amp power supply with "trickle charge setting" to charge them), to make a REALLY powerful 12 volt battery.

I seriously doubt that you could run that set-up down in a day of fishing/skiing/pleasure boating.

yours, satx

A good / fully charged battery should be good for many , many starts.-No need to charge it every day.

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That is with a motor in good condition and properly tuned.----But then again some folks are not aware of how easy one of these motors should start.

Find a commercial battery shop and ask them if they have mobility scooter batteries. Many times they will have used ones for cheap - like 20 bucks. I bought a used mobility battery 4 years ago & it still is going strong. These are small batteries but very powerful. They are deep cycle sealed lead acid batteries. That motor doesn't need much power to start, and the mobility battery I have will last for weeks of use without a recharge. If the battery goes flat, use the pull starter. The ignition on that motor makes it's own power, so the engine will run even if there is no battery connected to it.

I made a mistake above. I put 21 in place 12 when doing the math. the true amps the the 20 watt panel will put out at 12 volts is near 1.5 amps.

Or 1.6666666666 amps

I had 2.4 amps

A couple friends of mine run two 20watt panels and make out pretty good. They are hinged and cover the rear area of the boat hiding the fuel tanks and battery. They look pretty sharp!

I've got a generator that I'm not sure works(not installed) that I've considered using but I don't like the engine hp drain. Any idea what the hp drain would be running the rde generator? I'd even consider removing the belt when it's not needed but that is no easy task unless you run the motor without the recoil system installed.

it takes 0.00134 Hp per watt
amps X volts = watts
the old generators output are 10 amps
10amps X 12v = 120 watts
120 watts X .00134 Hp to make 1 watt = .168 hp.

Add bearings, belt drag and weight. and you may loose a pony.

Bet you loose more with the weight of the panels