Shed-Mounted Solar Panel Keeps Batteries Charged

Shed-Mounted Solar Panel Keeps Batteries Charged ENERGY Solar 26-4-35 Last year I solved a problem that some of your readers may have. I use two riding mowers to mow several acres of lawn. During past winters I've had to periodically go out and start the mowers and run them long enough to keep the batteries charged. If I wait too long the batteries go dead and I can't start the mowers. To solve the problem, last fall I purchased a small solar panel that's designed to keep batteries charged on stored RV's and boats, etc. I used caulking to weatherproof the joints on the panel and then mounted it on the east side of my mower storage shed, up near the eaves where it's somewhat out of the rain. I wired the panel to a heavy duty terminal strip that I mounted on the inside wall of the shed. I connected two pairs of jumper cables to the strip, one for each mower. So far the panel has done a good job of keeping both batteries ready to go. I already had the jumper cables and terminal strip so my total cost was less than $30 - a small price to pay for no more low or dead batteries. (Bob Hudspeth, Box 51, Era, Texas 76238)

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