This is in regard to “Dinghy Battery Tip” in the December 2012 issue. I have a 1995 Bounder that was having a moderate drain caused by various components when I wasn’t able to plug in. It drove me nuts until the light in my head switched on. I simply went to Harbor Freight and bought a $12.99 solar panel, plugged it into the lighter outlet and I haven’t had a dead battery since. It’s a cheap and easy fix.
Clyde Ringstad l Redmond, Ore.
This won’t work when you are towing, because the current demands are too great for this small solar panel to handle. However, it can be helpful when the motorhome is parked. Just don’t forget coach- and engine-starting batteries need to be maintained, and that if there is any significant parasitic current drain, the panel won’t be able to keep up with it. If the panel gets covered with dirt or snow, or it’s cloudy, it also won’t work.
— Ken Freund
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