A LiTime 36V 50Ah is the battery I want the MPPT for and will have 1 or possibly 2 100W solar panels connected to the controller. I have a Victron controller for my 12V 100Ah battery and have been told they are worth the extra money but don't seem to see what I need. LiTime makes their own MPPT controllers, but I have no experience with them. and They warn on one of the two links below that they aren't for use in boats. I hope to put my Scamp back in the water soon and run the motor some and of course sail.
The battery is for running a Newport NT300 electric motor with a 37Amp Max draw.
Link to battery
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D944VLBN?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1
Link to LiTime controllers
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D2KRL34V/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B0D2KRL34V&pd_rd_w=51P8H&content-id=amzn1.sym.f2f1cf8f-cab4-44dc-82ba-0ca811fb90cc&pf_rd_p=f2f1cf8f-cab4-44dc-82ba-0ca811fb90cc&pf_rd_r=PM081R2FA340D55K5Q16&pd_rd_wg=VGbdn&pd_rd_r=acf5135d-252f-4bd5-870d-1b8a7bfccf81&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWM
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CP2GTG29/ref=sspa_dk_detail_3?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B0CP2GTG29&pd_rd_w=GdeD0&content-id=amzn1.sym.f2f1cf8f-cab4-44dc-82ba-0ca811fb90cc&pf_rd_p=f2f1cf8f-cab4-44dc-82ba-0ca811fb90cc&pf_rd_r=VVFPE30P579T4CD8VMRM&pd_rd_wg=oB0ro&pd_rd_r=ae42f783-1d7b-4a73-805c-6226b997100c&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWxfdGhlbWF0aWM
Doug, I'm a little confused. ???
You're specifying a 36 volt 50 A/Hr battery that you want to control with a Li-Time 60A charger. (With no Bluetooth.) Lithium batteries have a thing called "C" rating used to describe both maximum discharge rate or maximum charging rate. 1C = 1 hour, 2C = ½hour, etc.
No way you can slam in as much current from that charger, as what your battery can handle.
(And oh, BTW, where you gonna get enough solar array panels, to generate 60 Amps?!? )
While I'm fairly well biased towards Victron products, they Do, in fact, work.
Here's an example:
Victron.jpg
As you can see the Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/20 controller accommodates 36 volt batteries and has a 20 Amp maximum charge rate, which would take 2½ hours to re-charge your battery from flat to full.
(And 20 Amps is a lot easier to achieve, than 60 Amps.) ;)
I would indeed, be a little leery of those Li-Time chargers, in a marine environment.
Hope this helps,
Charles Brennan
Thanks again Charles!! I was indeed confused! Things didn't seem to add up. I was hoping to figure it out without imposing on your helpful nature, but finally decided I needed someone to step in and enlighten me. I'm not much of an electrician with just enough understanding to get into trouble. However, I end up needing to step out of my comfort zone these days if I want to go electric.
I decided to bite the bullet and go electric with an outboard motor. I chose the Newport because it didn't have an internal proprietary battery. I also liked that depending on the battery size I could have increased range if needed. I should be able to get 20 miles with this battery. I will most likely not need that range. A solar panel to top off the battery after use seems prudent. That way if the need arises, and I do need the full range I'm good to go.
Thanks again! Your advice is much appreciated.
Where are you getting your min 44V solar arrays from? The MPPT charger does a nice job of making use of higher voltages than needed for charging, but most can't buck the voltage up if the array isn't already there.
On my Epropulsion Spirit, I am using 12V components with a DC-DC converter cable to charge the Spirit 48 volt battery. A 100AH 12V battery will provide 1 recharge of the Spirit battery, although it takes 24 hrs for the full recharge using the 12V source. The advantage of the 12V components is price, availability, and usefulness for other things on the boat.
Fred W
ODay (Stuart) Mariner 19 Sweet P
Quote from: pgandw on Feb 21, 2026, 11:26 AMThe advantage of the 12V components is price, availability, and usefulness for other things on the boat.
I agree with you on that. I'm not much of an electrician and there could be something I am missing or a better way of doing what I want. I can use all the help I can get. I plan to use the motor and battery on other boats and would mount the MPPT to the battery box. I have 2 100W 12V panels to feed the battery. I realize it takes lots of time to fully recharge. That isn't my intention. I want to be able to keep it at full charge on the boat when only using the motor at the dock or to get back when the wind drops. otherwise, I'll plug into my AC charger. I won't be using the motor if there is enough wind.
On my Scamp I have installed a 12V 100Ah LFP battery, a Victron MPPT, and 100W solar panel. I run two DC outlets, an AC inverter, USB ports, and a lighted compass. I already had running lights with their own batteries.
Doug, My apologies, for going off half-cocked with an answer, right before I'm going to bed. :-[
Usually, I try to give TSBB questions a little more thought, than that. :P
Hey! I was tired! :'(
And I TOTALLY ZONED OUT on the solar array input voltages!! :(
Fred is indeed, correct.
You will need about 42+ volts of solar array input, to get the SmartSolar MPPT 100/20 charger to function correctly.
I'm so used to thinking about 12 volt systems, I just figured the voltage sensing function of the MPPT 100/20, would automatically sense and then switch to 36 volts (as it says, in the manual) and never gave a thought to it NEVER, EVER, turning on, due to insufficient input voltage from the solar array. :-X
(For what it's worth, the Li-Time MPPT controller in your first post, would have had identical issues.)
The solution would be 3) 12 volt solar array panels, wired in series.
The smallest 50 watt array I can find, is about 23 by 20 inches, (X3) giving you a 2 foot by 5 foot array (stacked side by side) or a 46" by 40" T-shaped array (2 side by side and one underneath) and would provide 150 watts of solar energy at 42+ volts DC.
https://www.amazon.com/Flexible-Monocrystalline-Fiberglass-Lightweight-Surfaces/dp/B0DS1VG913/
Obviously, you could also use 3) 100 watt solar arrays wired in series, but I don't know where you would find the room to lay them out, on a small boat.
On my own SCAMP build, I have ample room on my Bimini top for my 100 watt solar array and even enough room (barely!) to put two side by side, if I ever have to kick up my energy regenerating capacity. (All my calculated figures are right on the edge of my anticipated needs.)
In any event, you need to take requiring 3) 12 volt solar panels into consideration, for your battery charging needs.
Fred, My thanks to you, for keeping me honest!! :P
Sorry about that guys, I'll try to do better in the future, :-[
Charles Brennan
No apology needed CB. I appreciate the time and thought you put into your answers. I now understand the problem. I do have 3 100W panels. I might be able to put two across the stern, but 3 is another matter. I might look into 3 50W solar panels. It would be easier to carry a second maybe 30Ah battery if I think I need back up.
I should be able to put 3 of these 50W panels (40.94"L x 9.84"wide) across the stern of my Scamp as they would be 40.94" x 29.52"W side by side but might have to extend the tiller. My 100W panel that goes across the stern is 46.26"L x 21.26"W and works ok. I do like the idea of a Bimini.
https://www.amazon.com/XINPUGUANG-Flexible-monocrystalline-Portable-Charger/dp/B07RDK8G89/ref=sr_1_4?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VXdoTk__YpJvskNEFZIJOIxSJ90_rclHZhETo7xlPwUmmBvHhpiYchnRN2IlnlyIoPAPflqzUOFKPJn3PGK2XPYSTWl9cP3gAqz_NgD3pt0ZZhlH13Tie89DX0ecOJHjR_uvE3vFIfeiF6Y-ZLdgnoqdO8ajjiR17WugJu-h1glWE-imzDYiTVG283Y1_cWaPy8KFAtnlqiq6EKxDE9DHptJAaFnxosxfNFPQg9f1Bk.8VrdGaAbfNSotESoxhrU9NnqEsUP4jE4TlOQaQgxbZ8&dib_tag=se&keywords=long%2Bnarrow%2B50W%2Bsolar%2Bpanels&qid=1771731452&sr=8-4&th=1
100W panel on stern of scamp.
IMG_7673a.jpg