Solar panel for short journeys vehicle

[KrisKrk]

From a while back now, I cover only short distances to commute home-work / work-home. That doesn't help the battery especially that, I had it replaced with alternator last year.
Also, upcomming season already show how it can affect it.

Was thinking of 20W solar panel in the boot side window and 20A charging controller in the spare wheel well, hooked up to the battery. That should allow charging during parked hours as got system draining the battery + dash cam on parking mode.
Am in thinking also that, would need to monitor the charging and capacity of the battery also, so battery capacity voltmeter would be installed somewhere near the driver seat but out of sight, as it will be only for peaking not constant display.

My doubt in here is on constant charge from that panel, even when driving.
I know controller would not allow more juice in the battery and will prevent from overcharging but, would ecu start going funny or throwing some errors on the dash?
Should there be a relay switching between alternator when ignition is on and solar panel when off or just a switch to activate panel when parked?

I do have the whole idea of it as a "bit chav" to say the least but I don't think I have a better way to preserve the batery and keep down costs of running extra milage just to charge up the battery.

Can someone advise?

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[NHN]

Just relay the solar with ignition, people use ctek tricklers all the time, so you should be ok, test run it for errors.

 

[KrisKrk]

Just relay the solar with ignition, people use ctek tricklers all the time, so you should be ok, test run it for errors.

Cheers for that.
Actually, had a second thought of leaving the install as is, without relay.

Last weekend left house with 70% battery (according to MMI meter) and drove less than 7miles. Parked it in direct sunlight, midday for 1.5 hours. Came back and it was 100%.
That proves only that, panels and whole install are working.

Leaving relay out would allow charging from panels while driving also and surely, they will not overcharge the battery as on charge controller.
I did set minimum and maximum voltage but left battery option choice factory set, as no instructions of setting of different types of batteries.

Guess, time will tell how it perform but so far, days are short and not much sunshine so not much charge

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[NHN]

If you could list or link the kit pieces you used that would help others.

 

[KrisKrk]

Heres the kit:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/293579596205

Got two of them to use on both boot windows and connected to one controller, hooked up directly to the battery.

Wrapped wiring in tessa cloth tape (use it alot on all wiring I fit in) toake sure nothing rattles in there, as it runs under the trims.
Windows are tinted but less than 50% and I have added this "flyeye" film to keep it more descrete.

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[KrisKrk]

Hi guys brand new to solar was thinking about doing solar i park up my car in the street sometimes a month at a time and needed help before i made a purchase to be able to solar charge my car battery (d3400) since i dont have access to an outlet. I call my battery company (xspower) they suggested i trickle with at least 15 amps per hour. while googling i am seeing you need a decent size solar to get to this amount. Is this something i can diy and save some money. and can i get the 15amps from solar during the day. what size panel (watts) would i need to invest in. i know i need a decent solar charge controller as well.

Hey bud,
Had these both panels in rear boot tinted windows and on a good direct sunny day, they managed to keep the car on charge.
You could invest in front and rear windscren size panels also and hook it all up to the proper controller. Size or controller specs I would not be able to advise as took ones I have from eBay as a trial and error. They did worked for me. Had an alternator and battery change since and took panels off as my problems were solved.

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[AhmedRyan]

Hello there, guys! Sorry for reviving such an old thread. I need your advice on hanging solar panels for my RV batteries.

 

[KrisKrk]

Hi,
As above mentioned, I will not be able to assist

 

[AndresLivingston]

Hey there, dude! No worries about reviving an old thread, we're all good here! As for your question on how to hook up solar panels to RV batteries, first off, make sure you got a good MC4 connector to link up those panels to the batteries. Then, you can connect the positive and negative cables from the panels to a charge controller, which will regulate the amount of power that goes into your batteries. Once that's done, just hook up the controller to the batteries. You're all set! Btw, I'm new to this forum, so please forgive me if I sound a bit off. Cheers!

 

[NHN]

If you could list or link the kit Nox Vidmate VLC pieces you used that would help others.

You're a spammer, take a hike.

 

[decock918]

I know controller would not allow more juice in the battery and will prevent from overcharging but, would ecu start going funny or throwing some errors on the dash?
Should there be a relay switching between alternator when ignition is on and solar panel when off or just a switch to activate panel when parked?

 

[decock918]

You could invest in front and rear windscren size panels also and hook it all up to the proper controller. Size or controller specs I would not be able toas took ones I have from eBay as a trial and error. They did worked for me. Had an alternator and battery change since and took panels off as my problems were solved.
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[josephpayne]

From a while back now, I cover only short distances to commute home-work / work-home. That doesn't help the battery especially that, I had it replaced with alternator last year.
Also, upcomming season already show how it can affect it.

Was thinking of 20W solar panel in the boot side window and 20A charging controller in the spare wheel well, hooked up to the battery. That should allow charging during parked hours as got system draining the battery + dash cam on parking mode.
Am in thinking also that, would need to monitor the charging and capacity of the battery also, so battery capacity voltmeter would be installed somewhere near the driver seat but out of sight, as it will be only for peaking not constant display.

My doubt in here is on constant charge from that panel, even when driving.

I know controller would not allow more juice in the battery and will prevent from overcharging but, would ecu start going funny or throwing some errors on the dash?
Read debate topics for students for ideas. Should there be a relay switching between alternator when ignition is on and solar panel when off or just a switch to activate panel when parked?

I do have the whole idea of it as a "bit chav" to say the least but I don't think I have a better way to preserve the batery and keep down costs of running extra milage just to charge up the battery.

Can someone advise?

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Using a solar panel to charge your car's battery when parked is a practical idea. However, it's essential to set up a relay or switch to prevent simultaneous charging from both the alternator and the solar panel to avoid potential issues. A well-designed system with a proper controller should not cause ECU errors or problems with your vehicle's electrical system.

 

[lauragorf]

Your idea of using a 20W solar panel to maintain your battery during short commutes is practical, and it's great that you're considering ways to preserve your battery and reduce running costs.
Regarding the constant charge from the panel while driving, it's unlikely to cause issues with the ECU or dashboard errors. Modern vehicle systems are designed to handle various charging sources, and the charging controller should regulate it effectively.
If you're still exploring solar panel options or need components for your setup, you can check out solar panels ireland. They offer a variety of solar-related products that could be helpful.

 

[KrisKrk]

Your idea of using a 20W solar panel to maintain your battery during short commutes is practical, and it's great that you're considering ways to preserve your battery and reduce running costs.
Regarding the constant charge from the panel while driving, it's unlikely to cause issues with the ECU or dashboard errors. Modern vehicle systems are designed to handle various charging sources, and the charging controller should regulate it effectively.
If you're still exploring solar panel options or need components for your setup, you can check out solar panels ireland. They offer a variety of solar-related products that could be helpful.

Thank you for the input and suggestion.
I may consider solar panels again but have sorted the chargin issue on the car by replacing battery and alternator as both prove to be faulty.

As still have wiring inplace, use them panels to connect if car is parked for a longer period. Last time flew abroad for two weeks so car stayed parked in a hotel parking and them panels were topping up battery nicely so the dash cam battpack is kept going also.

Might consider larger panel stuck up on the dash next time, instead of them two smaller ones.

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