Thread: Is Solar really worth it?

If you can Ben that would be great.

just a thought... what volts are you running the carts at?....

Im having a kniving idea that might just work and be easy to setup too.

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

just a thought... what volts are you running the carts at?....

Im having a kniving idea that might just work and be easy to setup too.

All our carts are 48v, they draw up to 40amps at full speed (which I never have them set at) and up to 100amps on start up for about 3 secs max.

Why??????

Should I be scared?

Originally Posted by mcrover

All our carts are 48v, they draw up to 40amps at full speed (which I never have them set at) and up to 100amps on start up for about 3 secs max.

Why??????

Should I be scared?

Solar panels on the roof!!!

yep 4x 12v 800MA panels on the roof(thats what fits onto the normal short 2x seater roof the longer ones should take up to 4x50 maybe 60 watt panels) to maintain them during the day and an under slung induction panel so all you have to do is park the cart over a specialised "speed bump" and the charging is taken care of without any hook up. then add whatever panels you want to the clubhouse or the shed to power the speed bumps.

the bonus is you only really need a couple of the speed bumps and the panels for each cart to get started or trial it and if it doesnt work out the panels can be put to use for emergancy lighting stuff or anything esle you can think of.

Originally Posted by Blknight.aus

yep 4x 12v 800MA panels on the roof(thats what fits onto the normal short 2x seater roof the longer ones should take up to 4x50 maybe 60 watt panels) to maintain them during the day and an under slung induction panel so all you have to do is park the cart over a specialised "speed bump" and the charging is taken care of without any hook up. then add whatever panels you want to the clubhouse or the shed to power the speed bumps.

the bonus is you only really need a couple of the speed bumps and the panels for each cart to get started or trial it and if it doesnt work out the panels can be put to use for emergancy lighting stuff or anything esle you can think of.

The only problem with this is that they would need some sort of protection form the golf balls.

Any thing on a golf course gets pounded by golf balls, Casper is parked about 300m from the nearest fairway and hard up against the wrokshop yet has been hit 3 times

I dont know how much charge they go through in a day as nobody every records power usage on them and Im at a loss of how they would, maybe taking voltage readings before plugging them into the chargers?

The other thing is that the chargers are plugged in 24:7 so as soon as they come back then most of the time they plug it in straight away (which is not what I want them to do) so Im more inclined to wire in a timer that only I can access and have the chargers come on in off peak times at night and use the panels to off set the cost of the power.

Great idea Dave but im pretty sure the golfers would find a way to remove the panels under trees and stuff that they shouldnt be driving under as well.

Originally Posted by mcrover

The only problem with this is that they would need some sort of protection form the golf balls.

Any thing on a golf course gets pounded by golf balls, Casper is parked about 300m from the nearest fairway and hard up against the wrokshop yet has been hit 3 times

I dont know how much charge they go through in a day as nobody every records power usage on them and Im at a loss of how they would, maybe taking voltage readings before plugging them into the chargers?

The other thing is that the chargers are plugged in 24:7 so as soon as they come back then most of the time they plug it in straight away (which is not what I want them to do) so Im more inclined to wire in a timer that only I can access and have the chargers come on in off peak times at night and use the panels to off set the cost of the power.

Great idea Dave but im pretty sure the golfers would find a way to remove the panels under trees and stuff that they shouldnt be driving under as well.

Actually - there are some pretty durable panels these days. I'm sure you could get some that could handle golf balls and tree branches. Would be $$$ though...

a flat sheet of clear acrylic solves the golf ball whacks.

if you fitted them out with an inductive charger then they never need to be plugged in, you just park them over an induction plate (the speed hump)

the induction plate stays plugged in 24/7 and they dont draw much until you park the cart over them. you cant overcharge with them if they're smartly designed and you dont need to have one charger for every cart.