Can I take this folding solar panel which outputs 6.5W:
http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/product_de
tail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524443281438&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396672503&bmUID= 1215034936542&deptid=1408474396672395&ctgrid=1408474396672406&subctgrid=1408474396672503
along with AC charger which came with my electric kit, and when stopping for breaks and meals during a long ride, use the combination to trickle charge the Sealed Lead Acid batteries? This would extend my bike's range and prevent over-discharging the SLAs.
Note, when I return home, I always plug the SLAs back into the wall plug after*EVERY* use. No exceptions.
Would this work?
i think it would work, but it wouldn't do much.. at least on bigger batteries. I think this is the sunlinq charger? I have one coming.. for outdoor activities, charging nimh batts, cell phone, etc. but 6.5 watts is pretty small... 433 mA. It would take about 10 hrs of full sun to get about 4 amps back into one battery. The concept has been done on a bigger scale.. i think someone did a foldout solar charging setup with bigger cells on a scooter a few years back. But it would take several days of full sun to recharge. A trickle charger plugged in to a wall outlet would generally charge more.
I really like solar generating, but the space & time involved to generate usable power makes it not very effective for mobile purposes. It would be better to have larger solar collectors generating into your local power grid, giving you credit for whatever it generates. Then just plug in your chargers.
But it is a fun idea!
scotty
scotty, Sedona, Az
xm-3000 60v, 38ah silicones, since 7/08
quazar 48v, 12x12ah, since '05
5- vector 2/6/10 bank chargers
You guys see new new Prius is sporting solar panels? They say it's enough to power the air conditioner, but not the motor.
I don't know much about solar panels. There are a lot of questions I'd have about it?
1)How well do the GreenSavers hold up to trickle charging? I've read they like to be charged with 3 amps or possibly more, information on this has been scarce. Slow charging leads to corroded plates?
2)Would you need a charge controller for each battery to bank charge it so it doesn't get overcharged? Or would a diode (to prevent battery discharge at night into the solar panel) be all you need if the solar panel outputs below the max float voltage?
3)Can the greensavers be ok if kept for long periods above their unloaded resting voltage if very tiny current is running into them?
XM-3000...
-DC-DC converter replaced with a Dell D220P-01 power supply.
-72V mod
-Expensive bank charger until I come up with something better... Still trying.
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