Solar maintainer (1 Viewer)

[DangerMousy]

Eventually we're hoping to fit a solar panel. But as we're not going to be able to do so for a while in the meantime we're thinking of getting one of these http://www.ringautomotive.com/uk/products/Cars/Battery+Care/Solar+Power+Battery+Maintainer/RSP600 to keep the battery topped up. Does it look up to the job?

 

[funflair]

Well it certainly isn't going to give you much at 0.34 amp tops, i would guess its only going to make about 1 amp a day in the real world so it comes down to what level of parasitic drain there is on your battery when you are parked up. Is it the starter battery you are worried about or leisure, how long it takes the battery to go down to 12 volts would be an indication of the draw on it and how effective this little panel is going to be.

My guess = pretty useless unless very little drain.

Martin

 

[Don Quixote]

It's generates Amps Output: 343mA - now on a good day I generate more power walking around the MH................. If you really want to go down this route go for a 50watt one that way at least you will get 2amps on a very sunny day.

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[Langtoftlad]

I go to Australia in Feb/Mar most years for 4-6 weeks.
Every year until this year I've come back to a flat battery.
This year, I plugged in one of these silly tiny solar panels into my obd port & left it on the dash.
http://shop.theaa.com/store/home/car-battery-solar-charger
Came back after 4 weeks & car started on first turn .
So my "real life" experience is that to expect a small panel to 'charge' a flat battery is unrealistic - but to compensate for the tiny parasitic drains modern vehicles inevitably have, these panels produce just enough to keep a fully charged battery topped up.

 

[Langtoftlad]

Another heads up is to be aware if your cigar lighter socket remains 'live' with ignition off.
Which is why I chose one with an OBD input.

 

[Don Quixote]

Any vehicle battery CANNOT be fully charged when it is running the locking system/alarm etc. The 343mA will not top up ANY battery that the system it is connect to draws amps...... (most modern cars draw up to1amp per day from a battery) So yes 4 weeks your car started, but I would think it was due to your car battery in good nick to start with.

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[Flamenca]

I used a 20 Watt panel and regulator which kept my engine start battery topped up, even in UK winter. Something similar to this:

 

[DangerMousy]

I'm not particularly worried about either battery - if needed I can leave the van hooked to the mains in the garage but I'd prefer not to. I'm still learning how 12v systems and leisure batteries work - we don't pick the van up for a couple of weeks so I'm hoping it'll all become clearer once I get some practical experience

I saw the panels in Costco for £36 and thought they looked like a good interim idea just to keep the batteries topped up whilst we're not using it - that's what the sales blurb seemed to be saying anyway. But sounds like it might be of marginal benefit. Maybe I'd be better putting the cash towards something else.

 

[Don Quixote]

If you can leave the MH on EHU that would be the perfect way. All batteries must be kept in a fully charged state or they will die. When at home I leave them on charge via EHU and they are now running into year 4 and are as good as new. When you get round to fitting solar fit as many as you can allowing for weight.

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[DangerMousy]

EHU it is then....well at least if the suns shining we'll still be charging for free via the solar panels on the house

 

[DBK]

EHU it is then....well at least if the suns shining we'll still be charging for free via the solar panels on the house

Don't dismiss the idea of a small panel, you just need to get one about 20W. As long as it is connected correctly it will keep your vehicle battery topped up - as others have said.

 

[kevenh]

It's generates Amps Output: 343mA - now on a good day I generate more power walking around the MH................. If you really want to go down this route go for a 50watt one that way at least you will get 2amps on a very sunny day.

Our new (to us) pride & joy came with the unexpected bonus of a solar charger.
I've only quickly eyeballed the solar panel & assumed it's a Ring Automotive RSP600 panel but the previous owner is using that panel with an LTD1210D controller to keep two batteries topped up. ?

Maybe there's a DIY project here to boost the charging capabilities.
I won't look at this now, but the controller is a 10A in & out jobby so swapping the solar panel looks the quickest boost to our new home's abilities.
EDIT: too add a real life pic of our in use LTD1210D
Hmm!! I've bumped a 3yr old post - hope that's not a major crime here. Luckily still seems relevant to the OP.

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[pappajohn]

Nearly got caught out again, was just going to reply to the original thread then noticed it was 2 years old.

 

[pappajohn]

Our new (to us) pride & joy came with the unexpected bonus of a solar charger.
I've only quickly eyeballed the solar panel & assumed it's a Ring Automotive RSP600 panel but the previous owner is using that panel with an LTD1210D controller to keep two batteries topped up. ?

Maybe there's a DIY project here to boost the charging capabilities.
I won't look at this now, but the controller is a 10A in & out jobby so swapping the solar panel looks the quickest boost to our new home's abilities.
EDIT: too add a real life pic of our in use LTD1210D
Hmm!! I've bumped a 3yr old post - hope that's not a major crime here. Luckily still seems relevant to the OP.

Yep, you certainly won't get far with that panel.
Even your mobile phone demands a higher charge rate.
No idea what the previous owner was expecting.

 

[Reallyretired]

People here bump ancient posts all the time no problem.
The trouble is that the time when youre not using the motorhome is usually the time when the sunshine is least.I reckon at least 200w to keep everything charged up and even that won't work if it snows.

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[Richard n Ann]

Our new (to us) pride & joy came with the unexpected bonus of a solar charger.
I've only quickly eyeballed the solar panel & assumed it's a Ring Automotive RSP600 panel but the previous owner is using that panel with an LTD1210D controller to keep two batteries topped up. ?

Maybe there's a DIY project here to boost the charging capabilities.
I won't look at this now, but the controller is a 10A in & out jobby so swapping the solar panel looks the quickest boost to our new home's abilities.
EDIT: too add a real life pic of our in use LTD1210D
Hmm!! I've bumped a 3yr old post - hope that's not a major crime here. Luckily still seems relevant to the OP.

The ring controller may well use all the power the panel makes and at only 6w it doesn't need a controller anyway.

Just bought a 5w monocrystalline panel to go in the car windscreen while we're away. Facing south and angled up it will be just the right size to stop it discharging ?

 

[autorouter]

When working away I had to store the MH on a company car park for a few weeks. I bought two solar panels just like that one, and stuck them inside the windscreen. One for starter battery, one for the two leisure batteries. The starter battery stayed charged up, but the leisure battery slowly discharged - slower than without the solar panel. So I conclude they are just about enough to keep a single battery charged.

The panels were connected directly to the batteries, no controller required.

They are popular in big cities in Germany, where lots of people live in flats with no driveway, and no way to run a mains cable to a vehicle.

 

[Richard n Ann]

The ring controller may well use all the power the panel makes and at only 6w it doesn't need a controller anyway.

Just bought a 5w monocrystalline panel to go in the car windscreen while we're away. Facing south and angled up it will be just the right size to stop it discharging ?

Just fitting my tiny (5w) panel today, testing it just resting on the engine angled up at the sun - 230ma ? ?
Later on the dash angled up the same 130ma ?
Obviously the windscreen filters out the UVa and UVb. Anyway it will still stop the battery discharging.

These little battery monitors are great for your car or engine battery..
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[Richard n Ann]

You can see when I had my 12v soldering iron connected (the lows) and the highs in between with the panel connected. Didn't go as high when I'd finished as the sun was going away and the panel was in the windscreen ?. It went into the shade at around 5pm.

I soldered a silicon blocking diode in so I'm watching the voltage doesn't drop now ?

 

[Brendan Stone]

Bumping another older thread.

Like others my van is currently spending longer parked up than usual. I have to park it about 400m from home so can't use EHU.

Last week I went to turn it over (and just sit it in ) but the battery was flat (11.7%). started after a jump from the car.

So I'm looking at solar panels to maintain the starter battery. I don't want/need a full permanent solar set up, so am thinking at something portable for the windscreen (thankfully it's parked south facing).

Found these; <Broken link removed>

There's no controller (available for £15 extra) but i'm not sure if it is necessary for 15w.

Maybe I should be looking for more than 15W for decent top up over weeks?

I also like the idea of this recommended above; Amazon product ASIN B07MY1B3DY
I walk past the van most days so could check via bluetooth without lifting the bonnet and getting the voltmeter out?

Any recommendations for reasonable priced battery maintainer, portable panels? (I've got a live cig lighter or could run cables safely under the bonnet).

Cheers

 

[Richard n Ann]

Bumping another older thread.

Like others my van is currently spending longer parked up than usual. I have to park it about 400m from home so can't use EHU.

Last week I went to turn it over (and just sit it in ) but the battery was flat (11.7%). started after a jump from the car.

So I'm looking at solar panels to maintain the starter battery. I don't want/need a full permanent solar set up, so am thinking at something portable for the windscreen (thankfully it's parked south facing).

Found these; <Broken link removed>

There's no controller (available for £15 extra) but i'm not sure if it is necessary for 15w.

Maybe I should be looking for more than 15W for decent top up over weeks?

I also like the idea of this recommended above; Amazon product ASIN B07MY1B3DY
I walk past the van most days so could check via bluetooth without lifting the bonnet and getting the voltmeter out?

Any recommendations for reasonable priced battery maintainer, portable panels? (I've got a live cig lighter or could run cables safely under the bonnet).

Cheers

If you're fitting a controller bear in mind the controller uses power too, one of the reasons I went for the voltronic controller is because of it's very low power draw, 6ma if I remember correctly ?

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[DBK]

The problem is 15W is going to do nothing in the winter. But if you still wanted to ahead I would include the £15 controller for peace of mind.

For not much more you could buy say a 60W panel and a cheap controller and put this is in the windscreen but why not go the whole way and put one on the roof?

 

[autorouter]

I think a 15W panel angled up behind the windscreen will yield enough energy to keep your leisure and/or starter battery topped up.

If it's less than 30W it won't need a controller, especially in the winter. The windscreen glass only reduces the output by a few percent. Obviously it will struggle to charge up a flat battery, but it should maintain a charged one OK

 

[Richard n Ann]

windscreen glass only reduces the output by a few percent.

It halves mine ?

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[autorouter]

It halves mine ?

Is it tinted or maybe a thermal layer? Clear glass usually doesn't have much effect.

 

[Brendan Stone]

Thanks for replies.

re; a permanent panel on the roof, there are a couple of reasons against at the mo';

1. I'm not sure I have the skills or confidence to start drilling a hole in the roof or running cables around (maybe in the future!)

2. where I have to park the van, it is overhung by trees, which create quite a bit of shade but also make the roof very green, I have to clean it several times a year, so i'm guessing all that algae and gunk will reduce the panel's efficiency? also due to the slope of the hill it's parked on the roof faces the northern sky, whereas the windscreen is in good sun most of the day.

so. for the time being i'm just looking for a temporary measure, until such time as we can all start getting out and about again

should be here right now Vatersay

 

[Richard n Ann]

Is it tinted or maybe a thermal layer? Clear glass usually doesn't have much effect.

Don't know, just original Volkswagen UP windscreen glass.

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