Solar Battery Charger

Submitted: Friday, May 26, 2006 at 22:56
ThreadID: 34309 Views:7150 Replies:7 FollowUps:7
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Has anyone tried them? You can get them from eBay. They are for keeping a battery topped up not for charging a flat battery, with the idea you leave the little solar panel on the dashboard to keep the battery charged when the car is not being driven regularly. Thanks guys, Motherhen
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Reply By: Steve - Friday, May 26, 2006 at 23:11

Friday, May 26, 2006 at 23:11
Any details of what u are talking about ? Not many mind readers out here !!
AnswerID: 175017

Follow Up By: Motherhen - Friday, May 26, 2006 at 23:18

Friday, May 26, 2006 at 23:18
This type of thing -

Site Link

Trickle charges your car or boat battery, keeping it in charged condition even when it is not used for months at a time!

When a car is not driven for long periods or a boat is not used frequently, the batteries will self-discharge even it is completely disconnected. Batteries naturally drain power, especially in cold conditions. And if allowed to go flat, may never regain their full power.

This 12 volt solar trickle charger is a great solution for maintaining any 12 volt automotive and marine batteries in all four seasons. Just place this device on the dash of our car or on the deck of your boat. Let this solar battery to trickle charge your battery to maintain its charge and extend its life. It is waterproof and will operate under cloudy conditions.

It includes a back-feed diode to prevent the battery from discharging back though the charger. Includes suction cups for mounting to inside car windows and built in LED light to signal when the charge is charging.

Note: Suitable for maintaining charged batteries, not designed for charging flat batteries.

Please be noticed this solar battery output is 1.5W. It could not recharge flat batteries.
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Follow Up By: V8 Troopie - Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 00:01

Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 00:01
While it sounds like a good deal, look at it this way:
With the bigger solar panels the cost per Watt is under 10 dollars.
With this tiny thing the cost per Watt is $46.- !!!!!!

Not much of a bargain, is it?

I have a 8W solar panel on the roof rack to do the battery maintaining. It cost $80.- on special.
Klaus
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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 11:23

Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 11:23
Hi V8 - last one of these i saw go on eBay went for $12.50 plus postage $18.

The example i gave was 1.5 w, but they come in 5 w and 13 w as well (for a higher price of course).

Motherhen
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Reply By: Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 01:16

Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 01:16
I have checked and tested one of them. Not good value if you ask me.

Buy a good quality unit or stick to a good smart charger.

Regards Derek.
AnswerID: 175030

Reply By: Ray Bates - Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 09:59

Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 09:59
I have a dsb mounted on the drawbar of my caravan. On the drawbar is a solar panel that I purchased from SCA.
I only use the caravan evry couple of months but when checking, which is on a regular basis I find that I have a full battery (13.85 volts)
I am more than happy with the set up
AnswerID: 175054

Follow Up By: Motherhen - Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 11:02

Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 11:02
Hi Ray

dsb?

SCA?

Is what you have something like i am looking at? What wattage? Is your caravan a deep cycle? I think we need different wattages for the deep cycle and the silly little car batteries.

I want it more for the sedans and the tractor - leave 'em sitting for a couple of weeks in winter and they won't go. They only do low kms, so don't get a good charging at the best of times. My Commodore is sitting looking stupid on the front lawn where we pushed it out of the way, and the bonnet release cable broke so i can't get the battery out to put in on charge. It would be much easier for us mere females to have it work when we need it, than to have to take the battery out and put in on charge overnight.
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Follow Up By: Trevor R (QLD) - Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 18:41

Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 18:41
M/Hen,

I presume SCA stands for Super Cheap Auto but as for dsb???? I don't have a clue either.
Cheers Trevor.
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Follow Up By: Ray Bates - Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 19:07

Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 19:07
Deep Cycle battery. Super Cheep Autos.
You measure a battery in amp hours. Mine is a 100amp/hr which basically I can draw 1amp for one hour. Batteries are not measured in wattage. Wattage is a measure of power.
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Follow Up By: Ray Bates - Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 19:11

Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 19:11
My solar panel is 18volt open circuit and charges at .6 amps so it is not high enough to boil the battery but powerfull enough to keep the charge up
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Reply By: wheeleybin - Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 15:31

Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 15:31
Go to hx3s on ebay and have a look at the 4.5W Monocristalline panel it is a good quality panel for trickle charging.
I believe that person also has 9W,18W,27W and 41W at reasonable prices and all good quality monocrystalline.
Wheeleybin
AnswerID: 175069

Reply By: Member - Sharyn M (VIC) - Monday, May 29, 2006 at 14:36

Monday, May 29, 2006 at 14:36
Hi Motherhen,

May be a bit late to reply, but we had one of those chargers your asking about, after 2 weeks sitting on the dash of the car the whole thing buckled & twisted. So much for leaving it in the sun for solar power. Returned it for a refund. The sales people couldn't believe it.

Sharyn
AnswerID: 175372

Reply By: revhead307 - Monday, May 29, 2006 at 14:54

Monday, May 29, 2006 at 14:54
I bought a 15W BP Panel for $150, for my trol which used to sit idle for long periods.

Worked very well, and once fitted (on roofrack) never had battery problems again. ran it through a small regulator so as not to overcharge.

The small plastic 1.5W examples are gimmicks at best.

Regards

Rev
AnswerID: 175378

Reply By: Motherhen - Monday, May 29, 2006 at 15:47

Monday, May 29, 2006 at 15:47
Thanks all for your replies and experiences. The nayes have it!
Motherhen

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AnswerID: 175387

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