Small solar charger recommendations please
- Thread starter Zagora
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- charging solar vehicle battery
I bought one of these, plugged it into cig lighter, stuck behind windscreen and it keeps my battery topped up. It will not charge a battery up from flat but will maintain a charge.
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Not 100% sure to be honest. It’s only now that it gets decent sunlight during the day.
ask me again in 5 weeks when I try and start the van
Pete
For the sake of a few quid I bought one of these and fitted it inbetween the Panel and the cig lighter plug.
i don’t know if it makes a huge difference but it seems to charge better and you also get a display of the battery charge and the voltage going in, there are others cheaper if you look around
i don’t know if it makes a huge difference but it seems to charge better and you also get a display of the battery charge and the voltage going in, there are others cheaper if you look around
Vioesrry 20A Solar Charge Controller Solar Panel Battery Intelligent Regulator with Dual USB Port Display 12V/24V : Amazon.co.uk: Business, Industry & Science
Vioesrry 20A Solar Charge Controller Solar Panel Battery Intelligent Regulator with Dual USB Port Display 12V/24V : Amazon.co.uk: Business, Industry & Science
www.amazon.co.uk
Here you are
I just cut the supplied lead which connected the solar panel to the cig plug In half and wired the control box in the middle.
If you look at the box you can see the connectors are marked + and - so ensure you connect accordingly, from memory, I put red into the + and black into the -
Oh, then plug the cig lighter in before you plug into the solar panel. Always disconnect the solar panel before plugging/unplugging the cig lighter.
And........do not start the engine with the cig plugged in (tie something to your steering wheel to remind you to unplug before starting).
Not sure if anything disastrous would actually happen but better safe than sorry.
And........do not start the engine with the cig plugged in (tie something to your steering wheel to remind you to unplug before starting).
Not sure if anything disastrous would actually happen but better safe than sorry.
We've got a similar setup here....
www.t6forum.com
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[Guide] Mobile Solar Panels ? . . . - How I Did It -
Mobile Solar Panels ? . . . - How I Did It - There is loads of background to this . . . . . but for now here is a vid for you all. =] . . Just remember W = V*A and as a general rule a good 100W panel will give you up to 6A charge with good sun. 25w = 1.5A 50W = 3A 100w = 6A 200w = 12A...
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I would 100% use a charge controller.....
Even if it's just a cheap PVM one.....
I'm not sure how effective a 18w panel will be....? Maybe 1A?.
Even if it's just a cheap PVM one.....
I'm not sure how effective a 18w panel will be....? Maybe 1A?.
Totally agree, I did use it for the first few months without the controller with no ill effects but as it only cost pennies it is worth putting one in line for safety. It also seems to increase its efficiency and the display show the state of the battery and the current charge.
I’ve just done some simple measurements. The conditions are bright (April) sun, with no cloud, and a partially depleted starter battery, at about 12.4 V
I have a Photonics 5W solar panel which I plug directly into the cigarette lighter socket (no controller).
If I angle the solar panel straight towards the sun and hold it outside the van, it puts out about 300mA.
If I angle it the same way, but inside the van with sun coming through the factory tinted windows, then I get about 100mA.
At a sub-optimal angle on the dash, it puts out about 30mA.
On the basis of these figures, I doubt a panel that small does any good at all in the winter, but is of some benefit in the summer, but it massively depends how your van is positioned relative to the sun as it moves.
Hope this is of use.
Pete
I have a Photonics 5W solar panel which I plug directly into the cigarette lighter socket (no controller).
If I angle the solar panel straight towards the sun and hold it outside the van, it puts out about 300mA.
If I angle it the same way, but inside the van with sun coming through the factory tinted windows, then I get about 100mA.
At a sub-optimal angle on the dash, it puts out about 30mA.
On the basis of these figures, I doubt a panel that small does any good at all in the winter, but is of some benefit in the summer, but it massively depends how your van is positioned relative to the sun as it moves.
Hope this is of use.
Pete
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