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motoged
Elite Nomad
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Location: Kamloops, BC
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Solar car battery charger ???
Nomads,
What recommendations do you have for a portable solar (trickle) charger for deep cycle car/boat battery that won't overload battery that costs under
$100?
TIA
Don't believe everything you think....
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
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Location: Looking at the Coronado Islands
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Solar battery tender junior didn't provide enough juice. Waste of funds.
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PaulW
Ultra Nomad
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Quote: Originally posted by motoged  | Nomads,
What recommendations do you have for a portable solar (trickle) charger for deep cycle car/boat battery that won't overload battery that costs under
$100?
TIA |
===
You need something around 1.5 Amp. I cannot recommend one . I use the one that came with my 03 VW.
Paul
[Edited on 12-4-2015 by PaulW]
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larryC
Super Nomad
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In my garage I have 3- 42 watt panels mounted on the roof and wired to a 10 amp morning star charge controller. I then have wires from the controller
to individual batteries in different cars and boats. It keeps them charged pretty well while I am gone during the summer months. YMMV.
Larry
Off grid, 12-190 watt evergreen solar panels on solar trackers, 2-3648 stacked Outback inverters, 610ah LiFePo4 48v battery bank, FM 60 and MX60
Outback charge controllers, X-240 Outback transformer for 240v from inverters, 6500 watt Kubota diesel generator.
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WestyWanderer
Nomad
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Location: San Clemente, CA
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| Quote: Originally posted by motoged | Nomads,
What recommendations do you have for a portable solar (trickle) charger for deep cycle car/boat battery that won't overload battery that costs under
$100?
TIA |
I'm assuming you're looking for a maintainer that you can leave on for months at a time while you're away, is that correct?
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WestyWanderer
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Location: San Clemente, CA
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If so I have had good luck with this unit:
http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-1163-Solar-Maintain...
There are also many different solar panels that are rated for trickle charging but do not have a built in charge controller which means you would have
to remember to take if off so you don't overcharge your batteries. These units sell for as little as $20
[Edited on 12-5-2015 by WestyWanderer]
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Pacifico
Super Nomad
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Registered: 5-26-2008
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Motoged, I just bought a couple of these; one for my boat and one for a trailer I have that has a winch and battery in it.
http://www.solar-electric.com/solar-panels-mounts-kits-acces...
http://www.solar-electric.com/sg-4.html
Be aware there are battery "maintainers" and then there are panels which will actually charge a battery...depends on your application.
"Plan your life as if you are going to live forever. Live your life as if you are going to die tomorrow." - Carlos Fiesta
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
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Location: el charro b.c.s.
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Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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battery savers
its down to volts and not about amps for most systems... a float charge of 13.2 is the norm and unless your running a 8D or larger,, amps don't come
into the picture....BTW, the fastest way to kill a batt is for it to sit discharged,, which it will do slowly all by itself
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motoged
Elite Nomad
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Nomads...as initially stated, I am looking for a PORTABLE solar charger that won't overcharge a deep cycle battery.
I will use battery for a CPAP machine when camping...as well as my guitar amp  and want to not spend more than $100.
Some solar chargers won't have a device that stops an overcharge...so some secondary gizmo that measure battery charge level might be a second piece
of hardware aside from a simple charger.
I am a total marooon with the concepts of electricity (light bulbs still amaze me)...but I do know that the CPAP has a low amp discharge that is about
8-12 amps used overnight....enough to drain a 5-7 volt moto battery...but I also know the deep cycle car battery runs the CPAP for several sleeps
with no real drain....don't know about a 15-20 watt amp yet....
So , a solar charger that kicks out more amps than a usual trickle charger is what I might want...
I am on a learning curve here....
Don't believe everything you think....
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landyacht318
Nomad
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8 to 12 AH consumed overnight sounds pretty low for a Cpap.
A 50 watt panel should be able to return that +10% more into the battery to fully recharge it daily.
Unfortunately you are not going to get a kit with a charge controller for under 100$.
If and only if you actually monitor the battery voltage and do not let it get above 15 or so, you might be able to get away without a controller, but
I would not recommend it.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1/179-5026990-7376712...
Something like this:
http://www.amazon.com/HQ-Monocrystalline-Bendable-Solar-Pane...
and this:
http://www.amazon.com/Controller-Autoswitch-Intelligent-Regu...
Are about as cheap as you will find.
Do note most 12v wet/flooded lead acid batteries, even if they prominently say deep cycle on them, are more of a dual purpose battery, closer to a
starting battery in construction than they are to a true deep cycle battery like a 6v golf cart.
If the Cpap actually does only draw 12AH maximum overnight, then I'd be OK with a 35AH AGM battery, for the portable factor:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3D...
It would be a pretty good match with a 50 watt panel aimed at the sun 3 times a day.
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
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Location: el charro b.c.s.
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Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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For the guitar,, I would get a "Pig Nose" amp...they Rock !! I don't know what the draw of a cpap is ,,but you can find a regulated solar panel for a
good price at any decent marine place..and that would not be Worst Marine !!
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
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landyacht, what does the "charge" side of this do? panel comes in goes and out to the battery but the "charge?"
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TMW
Select Nomad
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Location: Bakersfield, CA
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Looks like it goes to a light bulb or some type of charge indicator to show it's charging.
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Bajazly
Super Nomad
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I got this one earlier this year and while camping out at Animos in May I had my second battery die. I was basically running the ARB straight off the
panel. Had to have the dead battery in line and jump start the panel every morning but for 3 days the fridge ran fine.
A little more than a C note I know but when I bought this one in April it was about $325, a little better now and I'm sure it's all you would need for
a long time.
Renogy 100 Watts 12 Volts Monocrystalline Foldable Solar Suitcase
http://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Watts-Monocrystalline-Foldable-...
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motoged
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6481
Registered: 7-31-2006
Location: Kamloops, BC
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Muchas gracias, amigos......you guys are great for pointing me in a good direction....
For some reason I thought my CPAP drew 1.5 amps/hr.....but, the "electricity" language is still confusing for me.....I will research that further.
I have a few different small amps....the smallest is the size of a toaster (Kustom KGA10 10 watt) and the one with more features is a Line 6 Spider
IV 15 watts and is the size of a carry-on suitcase.
I am following up on your suggested links....
Don't believe everything you think....
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landyacht318
Nomad
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I believe this is a load diversion. When the controller/solar combo has the battery upto absorption voltage, then the amperage needed to hold
absorption voltage begins to taper, and these extra amps get turned into waste heat, OR if something is hooked it the terminals on the far right, it
can send the extra juice there.
Some choose to wire load diversion to the engine battery to top it off if the charge controller is hooked to an Auxiliary battery. Nothing HAS to be
hooked to those terminals.
I am not familiar with that exact controller so can't say for sure.
I'd buy two of those at that price, one as a backup/ barter.
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woody with a view
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my truck had a red top Optima AGM in it. it sites for weeks/months at a time. with infrequent runs around town the battery never really gets a good
topping off and wants to rest around 12.3-5v i have this: http://www.amazon.com/Battery-Tender-021-1163-Solar-Maintain... but i believe it doesn't put out enough juice to keep the battery topped at 13.6
or thereabouts.
i'm looking for suggestions for a system to keep the battery topped off. its a year old and gets put on a charger occasionally.
edit: ideally, i'd like to hook a panel to your controller and set the panel on the hood, leaving the controller under the hood clipped to the
battery.
[Edited on 12-6-2015 by woody with a view]
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landyacht318
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AGM batteries can vary widely as to the manufacturer charging recommendations, although they tend to get painted with the same brush by many.
AGMs seem to fall into the + or - 30% category, either they recommend a minimum charging rate when deeply cycled, or a maximum / do not exceed rate.
Even the lesser$$ AGMS which say not to exceed 30 amps per 100AH of capacity benefit from recharge rates upto 30% applied from the most depleted
state.
Higher $$ AGM like Odyssey, Lifeline and Northstar have basically no easily achievable upper limit on amperage.
My recommendation on an AGM that seems to be weak, is to discharge it to 12.1 to 12.2v rested, meaning the voltage does not rebound to 12.3+ when the
load is removed, then apply a 30% charge rate until 14.4v is reached, then hold 14.4 until a 100AH capacity battery can only accept 0.5 amps.
If a Lifeline, Northstar, or Odyssey, then the higher the amperage, the better, as long as ~14.4v is not exceeded at the battery terminals. (14.7v
for Odyssey, at 77f)
Optima's charging instructions make little sense. I have no confidence or respect for optima batteries, but I'd drain it to 50% and give it a high
amp recharge and hold absorption voltage 14.4 to 14.8v until the amps required to hold it at absorption taper to 0.5% of capacity.
Trying to top charge a weak AGM is not going to restore capacity. the 50% depletion and high amp recharge stands a much better chance of restoring
lost capacity but by no means is a guarantee.
Obviously this requires some special charging equipment, and the battery still might not respond to a high amp 100% recharge.
Vehicular voltage regulators rarely hold the right voltage long enough to actually top off a depleted battery. Expecting a vehicle to 100% fully
recharge a depleted battery, is unwise, and the battery will suffer for it.
80 to 100% charged takes about 4 hours minimum, no matter how powerful the charging source might be, so the guy who needs a jumpstart and thinks a
drive around the block or 2 is all that is needed, is seriously deluded.
Maintaining any lead acid battery at 100% is always the wisest course of action, but doing so to a sulfated battery is not going to restore lost
capacity. The 50% depletion followed immediately by a high amp 100% recharge is likely the most effective method of capacity restoration on an AGM
battery, and to a lesser degree on a flooded battery.
While a slow recharge is less abusive to a battery, the heat generated by high amp recharging can help to dissolve the sulfation back into the
electrolyte.
Grandpa's trickle charger mindset is mostly wrong. If one has days and days, go for it, but a higher charge rate stands a better chance of returning
Specific gravity to its maximum baseline on a chronically undercharged, unhealthy battery.
When the next discharge cycle begins soon, then low and slow trickle chargers make no sense. Better to start a discharge cycle from the highest
state of charge possible.
If one is going to hook a maintenance charger to a battery, one should have the battery 100% charged by another charging source first.
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woody with a view
PITA Nomad
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i just checked it and it's sitting at 11.75 after 3 weeks off the charger. i must have a drain somewhere. i'm going to put it back on the http://www.amazon.com/KeyLine-Chargers-KC-75A-MP-Maintainer-... until tomorrow. i hate to disconnect the battery while the truck sits because the
ECU needs to relearn all of the parameters.
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landyacht318
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That charger is only 0.75 amps. If the battery were healthy and depleted to 11.75, it would take days and days to even approach 90% charged. It
depends on the max voltage the charger will seek and if it only ever seeks 13.6v it will likely never be able to fully recharge that battery, as that
battery wants to be brought upto at least 14.6v and held there for hours. One day of 0.75 amps is not going to do much at all, besides perhaps tickle
the battery to its grave.
11.75v is a very discharged battery. That small maintainer should be left on it while it sits, not used after the battery voltage has dropped to
11.75.
Unhealthy batteries have more self discharge than a healthy battery. 11.75v does not necessarily mean a high parasitic drain, but wireless door locks
and alarm systems can fully drain a battery in 3 weeks, or less, on more modern vehicles.
There are some devices that can be used to keep the memory settings of the ECU when the battery is disconnected.
A slow draw down to 11.75v is basically batterycide. Did you get your money's worth from this battery?
It might recover some lost capacity and give some timespan more service if fully charged, but it is like a gas tank which has shrunk from 35 gallons
when new, to 7 gallons now.
You can still fill the tank, but you only have 7 gallons.
The higher the state of charge a lead acid battery is stored at, the longer the gas tank remains near that 35 gallon capacity.
It is basically impossible to restretch that 7 gallon tank back up beyond a 10 gallon tank ever again, and 35gallons, is a pipe dream.
In the future, if you still want an AGM, skip the Optima. Go for Odyssey or Northstar. 25% more capacity, nearly the same price, and keep it topped
off with that maintainer when parked and sitting.
Batteries+ relabels a Northstar AGM battery as X2power, and adds another year to the 4 year warranty.
Lifeline batteries are top DOG deep cycle AGM, and still have more than enough cca to be used as a starting battery, and will stand a better chance or
recovering from deeper discharges/abuse.
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