Solar chargers

[Hibbo]

Has anyone used a solar charger?

I've got a lockup garage and I want to stick a couple of 12v lights in there ran from a car battery. They won't be used often and then only briefly, will the solar charger keep the battery charged?

Can you get weatherproof ones? (for use on about maybe) as it will be fixed to the roof. If not and I had to build an enclosure, would glass or perspex affect its operation?
(I remeber being telt "you can't get a sun tan in a greenhouse..")

 

[Myros]

Hibbo, you need to look at the wattage of the lamps

and multiply that by the time you'll run them. Then look at the tiny wattage of the charger, and the probable time it will produce enough voltage to charge the battery ( in winter). Muliply those together and you'll get a comparison of watt-hours or watt minutes.
My solar charger only gave about two hours of useful charge on Sunday, whic was beatifully sunny all day. It is however overshadowed by bulidings and trees. If I took ot away from those obstacles, it would be better.

I have the Maplins one, and it is not rated weatherproof. However, it's been on my garage wall a couple of months now and seems fine. It is sheltered from all but the most horizontal rain.

 

[television]

Some one has stolen mine, just went down to do some test. Loads of people asked if I wanted to sell it.

Test cancelled.

Malcolm

 

[shj]

I had one for my Golf because it had a tracker device which eats current,the solar worked fine,the problem with useing them on Mercs is that the cigarette lighter socket is not live unless the ignition is on.

 

[television]

I had one for my Golf because it had a tracker device which eats current,the solar worked fine,the problem with useing them on Mercs is that the cigarette lighter socket is not live unless the ignition is on.

A socket can be added for this purpose.

Malcolm

 

[shj]

Malcolm, in laymans terms,how and where.
Thanks

 

[br1anstorm]

Solar charger and live socket...

A socket can be added for this purpose.

Malcolm

I'm another who'd like to know exactly how/where to wire up an extra (and live) socket so that I can use a solar charger panel to keep the Merc battery charged up...

By the way mine is a LHD 1990 560SEC. And I have one of those Maplins panels which at the moment is stuck to the inside of my garage window and wired to my spare Jeep battery-box. I can confirm it does work even when fixed on the inside of the window-glass, and delivers a charge even on a cloudy day.

br1anstorm

 

[television]

The socket could be mounted anywhere that you chose. boot inside,or under bonnet or in the front grill out of sight. It does not have to be a cigar socket.

If you take the jack plug off,do check that there is not a diode wired in serries as this must be left in the circuit.

Number 1 rule, always fit an in line fuse to anything added to a live feed

Live leads in the car are headlamp switch, Hazzard flasher,out side, direct to battery, end of starter motor.

I am happy to take the cars on an individual bassis, also the type of plug and socket, water proof or not.

Malcolm

 

[br1anstorm]

Thanks Malcolm - good point about remembering the inline fuse...

What I'm considering is having solar panel on the dash, or stuck (it has suction pads) to the inside of the windscreen - or even maybe fixed to the underside of the sunvisor so you could fold it down into the sunlight when parked.

Any of which would need a live socket somewhere on, near or under the dash. Wiring that into the lightswitch or hazards presumably means digging around behind the dash. Not sure I fancy doing that...at least not without a wiring diagram or illustrated guide!

By the way, what do you mean by the "jackplug"?

br1anstorm