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Solar Panel Battery Rechargers

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  • 25-05-2006 1:57pm
    #1
    gbh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 429 ✭✭


    This is a long shot but, I saw a quick ad for these somewhere, can't remember where. A solar panel is placed on the dashboard and a current is fed into your battery via lighter socket to charge your battery. Does anyone know if they can be found in car accessory shops or anywhere in Ireland. I think they can be ordered over the net but I'm not sure about shipping.


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    #2
    maidhc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,661 ✭✭✭maidhc


    What is the benefit of this device?


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    #3
    gbh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 429 ✭✭gbh


    It replaces the drain on your battery caused by the use of such items as radio, headlights, wipers. Eventually, every so often you may forget to turn off your lights or your battery may just wear out. And you may be stuck far from home with no jump leads and your car won't start as the battery has died. So I'm hoping to avoid that happening and also hoping to put off buying a new battery every couple of years.


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    #4
    maidhc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,661 ✭✭✭maidhc


    The cars alternator recharges the battery when the engine is running, it is only current drawn when the engine is shut down you need to be concerned about.

    I doubt if a solar panel could generate anywhere near the current necessary to replenish the current drawn by the headlamps if you left them on accidently. It might keep a radio going, but I'd say thats the limit.

    Batteries are cheap, and will normally last about 80k miles from my experience. If they are lasting a good bit less you probably should get things checked out.


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    #5
    BrianD3
    Registered Users Posts: 8,393 ✭✭✭BrianD3


    AFAIK these are completely useless and a waste of time. The solar panels are way too small to have any noticable effect on a car battery.


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    #6
    Del2005
    Registered Users Posts: 18,990 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    I seen them in Maplin's in Blanch a good while ago. But have't seen them since.
    Also a lot of RV owners use them, but bigger, so maybe a camping show like O'Meara or similar.


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    #7
    emaherx
    Registered Users Posts: 6,116 ✭✭✭emaherx


    Most cars have the lighter sockets connected to the ACC switch part of the ignition switch and will not allow current to pass to or from the battery without the keys being left in the ignition. (of coarse this can be bypassed with a little rewiring) This is to prevent lighter socket powered devices discharging your battery.


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    #8
    JamesM
    Registered Users Posts: 1,775 ✭✭✭JamesM


    maidhc wrote:
    What is the benefit of this device?
    I think that the idea is that if you are leaving the car sitting unused for a long time, it will give a trickle charge and keep the battery up.
    Jim.


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    #9
    maidhc
    Registered Users Posts: 7,661 ✭✭✭maidhc


    JamesM wrote:
    I think that the idea is that if you are leaving the car sitting unused for a long time, it will give a trickle charge and keep the battery up.
    Jim.

    That makes sense alright. You would want to be leaving it idle for a good few months though.


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    #10
    IrishRover
    Closed Accounts Posts: 602 ✭✭✭IrishRover


    There are lots for sale on ebay. I have tried a few, including the VW branded one (apparently while their new cars are in transport). This one didn't produce as much volts in the same light as the others though (in the same light).

    Get one that has an attachment with crocodile clips as well as the cigarette lighter attachment because as someone said above, the cigarette lighter socket is disconnected in many cars when the key is not turned to at least position 1.

    Something like this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6061213176

    I found that at least in winter, a small panel like this was not enough to stop a battery discharging. Maybe it would be ok with a bigger one or in summer with longer daylight hours. It doesn't need to be sunny to make power, just light. However, I did charge a battery from flat (multimeter read about 5 or 6 volts) to fully charged in a day (a very sunny day) with a small solar panel the same size as in the ebay ad there.


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