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Home > General > SOLAR BATTERY charger - do they work? |
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Tim in Scotland Member Since: 30 May 2005 Location: Driving along in my automobile Posts: 17476 |
Andrew I used to use a Maplin £10 one with a blocking diode to prevent the solar panel from drawing current at night on my 2007 3.6TDv8 RRS and 2010 FFRR. The panel would not work on either of my Evoques as none of the sockets stayed live with the ignition off although on my 1st Evoque LR did a Battery management software upgrade that re-instated the boot socket by accident but the next software upgrade removed it again! I was leaving cars for 3-4 months at a time with the solar trickle charger plugged into the front socket. The solar panel was left on the centre cubby box lid or the dash and worked fine - in my FFRR I use to leave it on the centre cubby box under the sunshine roof. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
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Mon Apr 13 2015 1:49pm |
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andrew kennedy Member Since: 27 Apr 2010 Location: brittany Posts: 316 |
Thanks for that. Very helpful!! The solar charger I am considering plugs into the plug socket that is situated in one of the foot wells, the plug used to check out the computer. What would you think? A suitable socket to use?!? Andrew Kennedy |
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Mon Apr 13 2015 3:21pm |
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ilard Member Since: 20 Aug 2010 Location: London Posts: 975 |
I would be interested in a complete solution for this (RRS 2011MY), but the key issue as I see it is not having a lighter socket that is live with the ignition off.
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Mon Apr 13 2015 6:05pm |
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ilard Member Since: 20 Aug 2010 Location: London Posts: 975 |
I would be interested in a complete solution for this (RRS 2011MY), but the key issue as I see it is not having a lighter socket that is live with the ignition off.
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Mon Apr 13 2015 6:05pm |
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fkarim Member Since: 14 Apr 2012 Location: London Posts: 2216 |
^^^ In my MY13 I have removed a relay from the fuse box behind glove compartment. Jumped it using a fused wire (don't know if adding the fuse was necessary but I didn't see any harm in doing that). Now the socket behind the centre console and the one in the boot are permanently live and I use a CTEK charger via the boot socket. Can't be too different (if at all) in MY11.
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Mon Apr 13 2015 6:22pm |
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flydive Member Since: 16 May 2007 Location: South Posts: 1213 |
You could connect the panel plug to the towing electrics fuses in the boot. '08 RRS TDV8 I converted my diesel RRS to run on an environmentally friendly mixture of caribou fat and baby seals oil |
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Mon Apr 13 2015 6:44pm |
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Lost for Words Member Since: 15 Jan 2015 Location: Warminster, Wiltshire Posts: 1477 |
Easy enough to wire up a suitable feed and, as above, the towing electrics could be made use of when fitted. Visiting from DISCO3.CO.UK
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Mon Apr 13 2015 6:56pm |
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andrew kennedy Member Since: 27 Apr 2010 Location: brittany Posts: 316 |
I understand that connecting the solar panel directly into the EOBD connecter is the way to go. Andrew Kennedy |
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Tue Apr 14 2015 8:46am |
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viper Member Since: 21 Apr 2007 Location: chester le street Posts: 857 |
Used one on garden tractor for a couple of years been great never had any starting problems each spring 2016 bmw x5 40d m-sport space grey
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Tue Apr 14 2015 12:05pm |
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myfirstrrs Member Since: 20 Jan 2014 Location: Lancashire Posts: 433 |
I haven't had a particular problem with my battery but as my car often goes a week or more without being used I invested in a solar powered maintenance charger form Maplin's, £20. I connected it last Sunday after measuring that the battery had 12.29 volts, left the car all week and now it has 11.86 volts. I'm gutted, but can anyone please help me to understand why a maintenance charger can cause the battery to lose charge? |
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Sat Jun 13 2015 4:51pm |
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myfirstrrs Member Since: 20 Jan 2014 Location: Lancashire Posts: 433 |
Anyone? Before I head off to Maplin's for a refund. |
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Sun Jun 14 2015 8:09am |
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SimonR Member Since: 29 Sep 2013 Location: Horsham Posts: 25 |
You need a charger with some battery management 'intellegence'. Even a blocking Diode is better than nothing. Without it, the panel will draw current when the sun is not shining.
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Mon Jun 15 2015 6:20pm |
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Bodsy Site Sponsor Member Since: 03 Feb 2007 Location: Shropshire Posts: 2162 |
Was it this one....?
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Mon Jun 15 2015 6:49pm |
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myfirstrrs Member Since: 20 Jan 2014 Location: Lancashire Posts: 433 |
It was that one bodsy, but I have now swapped it for this (2.4W instead of 1.5W), just not had a chance to try it yet:
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Mon Jun 15 2015 7:15pm |
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