August 4, 2020, the storm hit and within hours the power went out. August in CT is known for the 3 H’s; hazy, hot and humid - and this August was no different. It was expected that power would be restored rather quickly but one day ran into two, and there was no relief from the heat.
Cell phone service was still available, but the phone was low on charge. The car had under half a tank of gas and a quick drive around town showing the number of trees down confirmed that the gas stations were without power, so no gas. Using the car to charge the phone would only last so long.
Pictured: Lifeline GPL-27T 100Ahr AGM Battery, a high performance, Mil-Spec, deep cycle battery, designed and warrantied for marine use.
I had gotten a small 10W solar panel, VICTRON SMART MPPT 75/10 CHARGE CONTROLLER, and LIFELINE 100AH AGM BATTERY from eMarine Systems just the year before. This kept my boat battery “topped” off, as I have no shore power and my outboard has no alternator.
An idea hit me. I took the battery, solar panel, and charge controller off the boat. My deck is outside my living room window, and is pretty much in full sun all day.
I put the solar panel on a chair facing the sun. The charge controller went on top of the battery by the living room window, covered with a 5-gallon bucket to keep them dry, and then I ran wires into the living room. I had several old computer “towers” that had 12V fans in them. Within an hour I had the fans removed and jury-rigged to the battery wires that had been run into the living room. Now there was at least air movement! I also had a 12V “cigarette” outlet on the boat, and soon that was also jury-rigged to the wires along with the fans. With a USB adapter that plugged into it there was not only air movement but a cell phone charger as well!
In a "senior" moment, I got out the soldering iron figuring let’s do this right, remembering as I went to plug it in, there was no power…
Little did I know that this was to be the way of life for six and a half days! With the solar setup from eMarine, life was at least tolerable.
You never have to go it alone when you're working with eMarine, our elite tech support and renewable expertise is available to buyers, whether you're simply looking to install your first renewable energy setup, or you're trying to make life all the more tolerable in a pinch. We can help you find the solar charging system customized to fit your boating needs!
Marc is a senior technical sales staff with eMarine Systems. Outside work, Marc's lifelong passion for sailboat racing has translated into a storied history - and numerous victories - encompassing decades. With renewable energy on many, if not most, of the vessels he's crewed or captained, Marc has comprehensive understanding of onboard energy systems for marine vessels. This capability, combined with a memorable charisma, establishes him as a knowledgeable, interactive, and standout member of eMarine Systems.