Thread: solar battery charger

I wouldnt think a panel would be needed running a 40lt its not a big fridge i run a trogan in my hilux 2x4 for camping with a 80ltr weco u dont need to turn wecos up to high they run better on 2 or 3 lights.
Greg

kelvin,what did that setup cost you ??looks the part

sorry longreach

i got my solar panel for nicks, i got two secondhand/damaged stock

i'm not sure of the costs now as it was a few years ago

Solar Panel - i got mine for nicks, i think a solar panel around the 80W mark would be around $800

Regulator - there are two type of regulators, a small one that sit in the junction box on the solar panel (i should have got this one) or a bigger external one that i have mounted in my console about $70 i think ( i brought it because it had flashing led's indicating what mod of charging it was in) + plus you need the diode thats stops the battery from discharging at night which was under $10 i think. the best part about the first regulator is if i ever decide to remove the panel from the defender it would have a reg already fitted instead of having to buy another one, i have only looked at the led's a handfull of time in the first month. you can get more advance regulator that record amps in and amps out but all these things use power and are soon forgotten about

Cable - probably spent $10-$20 dollars

Board Rack - i think that cost me around $160, i bit of a shock but i only fitted all this just before heading out to the simpson desert, would liked to have had time to shop around

you would probably need to allow around $1000

just looking at the pic and the solar panel brother is in the back ground chaging the batteries in the caravan

thanks kelvin,for that information........just trying to work out how to charge my batterys,when I go away over xmas

What about the anomorphic type solar panel chargers? I picked up a few 13 watt ones recently. They are designed as solar battery chargers and are much much cheaper.

13 watts translates to 1 amp but thats okay for trickle charging a battery system or topping up the batteries when you are stationary.
I also hear that they work well in reduced lighting conditions too.

I've not tried mine yet, but I bought two types. One is a fold up portable type like a breif case. The other is a perminant flat type for hard mounting.
Cost was 55 UK quid each and the regulator was 11 quid. They have the built in diode to stop drainage etc.

Thoughts?

Originally Posted by streaky

What about the anomorphic type solar panel chargers? I picked up a few 13 watt ones recently. They are designed as solar battery chargers and are much much cheaper.

13 watts translates to 1 amp but thats okay for trickle charging a battery system or topping up the batteries when you are stationary.
I also hear that they work well in reduced lighting conditions too.

I've not tried mine yet, but I bought two types. One is a fold up portable type like a breif case. The other is a perminant flat type for hard mounting.
Cost was 55 UK quid each and the regulator was 11 quid. They have the built in diode to stop drainage etc.

Thoughts?

One point you want to watch is that while the power is quoted at 13w this will only be achieved at one specified battery voltage (and "standard" amount of sunlight). At any other voltage the power output will be less, and in most cases the actual charge rate will be a lot less than expected by dividing the rated power by the nominal voltage. For example, with panels mounted on a tracker, I typically get an actual power output of around 45w from panels rated at 80w. Although, depending on battery voltage, the current should be between about 5.7A and 6.6A from the rated power, the current is rarely above 3.5A.

Inspection of the curves for the panels shows the rated power for these particular panels is only achieved at 18v - which should never be reached in normal operation. So why are they designed to give this high a voltage? So that they give a usable charge in less than ideal sunlight levels. But the point is, don't expect to get the rated power in real life.

On the other hand, I have heard of cases where panels have given over 50% above the rated power (with disastrous results for the regulator), but this requires high altitude to give a combination of high UV and low temperature (output decreases as the panel heats up with increasing current) plus snow to give a lot of reflected light. In your locality, you should be aware that high temperatures will reduce the output compared to "standard" conditions.

John

Originally Posted by jik22

Do solar panels stand up to being bounced around like that then?

I have a 80w Solar pannel fitted to my roof permantly and it maintains a 50lt Waeco Running continuisly, never stops only drive about 1hr every day.
I have done comp work, knocked it on trees, in fact don't look after it at all ! really are strong !