Marine Solar Panel Buying Guide: How Many Watts and Which Charge Controller
Add up how many amp-hours your boat uses in a day, then size your panels to replace them. A simple rule: each 100 watts of panel makes about…
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Boat Buying Guides
Straight answers on choosing, sizing and installing marine gear, written to help you buy the right part the first time.
Marine Inverter Buying Guide: How to Size, Power and Install One on Your Boat
How to size a marine inverter by watts and surge, how much battery it really takes, pure sine vs. modified sine, when to choose an inverter/charger, and how…
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Marine Wire and Terminal Buying Guide: Gauge, Tinned Wire and Crimps Done Right
Use tinned, stranded marine wire (never solid or bare-copper automotive wire). Size every run by its current and its round-trip length so voltage drop stays under 3 percent…
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Marine Battery Charger Buying Guide: How Many Banks and Amps You Need
Choose an onboard charger with one bank (output) per battery or battery bank, and total amps around 10 to 20 percent of your bank's amp-hour capacity for lead-acid…
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Battery Switch and Isolator Buying Guide: Switches, ACRs and Dual Battery Setups
Every boat with a battery needs a battery switch as a master disconnect. If you have two or more batteries, add an automatic charging relay (ACR) so your…
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Marine Battery Buying Guide: Starting vs. Deep Cycle, AGM vs. Lithium
Use a starting (cranking) battery for the engine and a deep cycle battery for trolling motors, electronics and house loads. A dual purpose battery works on small single-battery…
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Boat Wax and Polish Buying Guide: Remove Oxidation and Protect Your Gelcoat
If your gelcoat is dull or chalky, you need to remove oxidation first with a compound or polish, then protect it with a marine wax, sealant or ceramic…
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Boat Cleaning Tool and Brush Buying Guide: The Right Brush for Every Surface
Build your kit around one telescoping handle with interchangeable heads: a soft brush for gelcoat, hulls and glass, a medium brush for non-skid decks, and a stiff brush…
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Boat Fender Buying Guide: What Size and How Many Fenders You Need
Plan on about 1 inch of fender diameter for every 4 to 5 feet of boat length, and carry at least 3 fenders per side (one more for…
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Marine Fuel Additive Buying Guide: Stabilizers, Ethanol Treatment and Diesel
For gasoline boats running ethanol blended (E10) fuel, use a marine fuel treatment or stabilizer at every fill-up, not just before winter. For storage, treat the fuel, fill…
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Bimini Top and Boat Cover Buying Guide: How to Measure and Choose
For a bimini top, measure the mounting width (outside to outside across your mounting points) first, then pick the height and length you want. For a boat cover,…
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Marine Fuse and Circuit Breaker Buying Guide: Sizing and Placement
A fuse or breaker exists to protect the wire, not the device. Size it at or just above the circuit's normal draw and never above the wire's rated…
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