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UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: SunShineCleaning on December 20, 2012, 02:58:37 pm

Title: Solar Panel for Trickle Charging the Battery
Post by: SunShineCleaning on December 20, 2012, 02:58:37 pm
Video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0LXEJiJES0) of the panel on my van.









I'm bored............
Title: Re: Solar Panel for Trickle Charging the Battery
Post by: Dave Garrett on December 20, 2012, 04:26:37 pm
Mate well impressed also where did you get digital reader for batt from ...Is the solar panel mounted to roof rack do they do smaller ?
Title: Re: Solar Panel for Trickle Charging the Battery
Post by: SunShineCleaning on December 20, 2012, 04:34:43 pm
It is attached to the roofrack. You can get smaller than 12w but I dont think it would produce much power.
I'll look for a link to the battery reader.
Title: Re: Solar Panel for Trickle Charging the Battery
Post by: SunShineCleaning on December 20, 2012, 04:37:21 pm
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=121030170318
Title: Re: Solar Panel for Trickle Charging the Battery
Post by: Dave Garrett on December 20, 2012, 04:45:16 pm
thankyou ordered
Title: Re: Solar Panel for Trickle Charging the Battery
Post by: SunShineCleaning on December 20, 2012, 04:49:43 pm
You're welcom. I'm glad my obsession with recording things has a use.  ;D
Title: Re: Solar Panel for Trickle Charging the Battery
Post by: SunShineCleaning on December 20, 2012, 04:52:30 pm
http://mobile.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?moduleno=217850

This is the solar panel
Title: Re: Solar Panel for Trickle Charging the Battery
Post by: Crystal-clear on December 20, 2012, 05:02:26 pm
i like it mate very nice,quick question if you had a split relay could you just turn your engine on to power it up or has it gota actually charge up slowly?,i must do about 30 miles a day 1 and a half hour in traffic in the mornings and could be the same when i finish so i think i will be ok with the relay!
Title: Re: Solar Panel for Trickle Charging the Battery
Post by: Spruce on December 20, 2012, 06:59:05 pm
i like it mate very nice,quick question if you had a split relay could you just turn your engine on to power it up or has it gota actually charge up slowly?,i must do about 30 miles a day 1 and a half hour in traffic in the mornings and could be the same when i finish so i think i will be ok with the relay!

You may just be ok IMHO.  You may have to stick a normal leisure battery charger on it once a week and then see how it goes. You may even have to only do it every two weeks or even less.

A leisure battery will only accept a trickle charge, it has nothing to do with the alternators charging capacity.

I have a 110 amp leisure battery in my van. The battery when about 75% charged will accept about 6 to 7 amps per hour which reduces as the battery gets 'fuller'.

If your pump draws 3.5 amps and hour and you are actually pumping water for 4 hours, then you will use 14 amps. If you spend 3 hours travelling and your battery is accepting 6 amps, then you will probably nearly fully charge your battery every day (remembering that when my battery is just about fully charged it may only be accepting 1 to 1.5 amps an hour.

Your alternator will be providing enough to charge the leisure battery whether idling in trafic or cruising on the motorway. In fact, from a charging point of view of your leisure battery, it is better to be stuck in traffic.

Title: Re: Solar Panel for Trickle Charging the Battery
Post by: Crystal-clear on December 21, 2012, 08:58:21 pm
Thanks spuce :)
Title: Re: Solar Panel for Trickle Charging the Battery
Post by: Spruce on December 22, 2012, 12:41:46 pm
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=121030170318

Hi Stewart,

Do you find a voltmeter gauge a useable accessory?

The reason for asking is that when I come in from work and switch off, my voltage meter across the leisure battery reads high, and takes a long time to settle down to its true voltage so at a glance initially, I don't know exactly how much charge is still left in the battery.

I have a split charge relay.

Also, the difference in voltage between a fully charged leisure battery and a 75% charged one is very small.

Title: Re: Solar Panel for Trickle Charging the Battery
Post by: GoodFella2006 on December 22, 2012, 01:56:04 pm
Check this out (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-Car-Voltage-Monitor-Battery-Alarm-W-Temperature-Thermometer-Clo-ck-display-/200845711072?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item2ec35656e0)
Title: Re: Solar Panel for Trickle Charging the Battery
Post by: SunShineCleaning on December 22, 2012, 06:46:37 pm
http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=121030170318

Hi Stewart,

Do you find a voltmeter gauge a useable accessory?

The reason for asking is that when I come in from work and switch off, my voltage meter across the leisure battery reads high, and takes a long time to settle down to its true voltage so at a glance initially, I don't know exactly how much charge is still left in the battery.

I have a split charge relay.

Also, the difference in voltage between a fully charged leisure battery and a 75% charged one is very small.



I like gadgets and numbers. It does give me an idea though.

I've never really understood the full/part charged stuff with batteries.

When it has been on charge it can go up to 13+ and so far is useable down to 11 without any issues.
My car batteries worked to a reading of 10.

Maybe someone can explain.