Solar Battery Charger

**Jcarere** · 12-10-2005, 12:16 PM

Ive been thinking alot about my battery dieing due to power draw from my opus power supply. My current battery is a 70ah but I offten leave the car and not run it for atleast 2 days or so. I have a moon roof on my car that I almost never remove the sun gaurd unless i have it open. So I was thinking about buying a 15watt or so 12volt solar pannel and a charge controler to maintain and charge up my battery. http://www.batterystuff.com/productd...?id=620&c=9&f=
I would mold it ontop of my moonroof and cover and seal it with plexy. It would raise it about 1/4 of an inch and wouldnt look outa place. Any thoughts or would it work as well being mounted on my rear deck under neath my rear window.

**Jcarere** · 12-10-2005, 12:54 PM

anyone have experience with solar battery charger or comments / suggestions????

**kirbycope** · 12-10-2005, 01:11 PM

You can do it yourself for sub $100. and use the

Solar panel battery charger

**Bugbyte** · 12-10-2005, 02:01 PM

This comes up about every 6 months.

1. Solar panels don't generate enough power to run your computer unless you cover your car with them.
2. You don't need a solar panel when the car is on
3. Solar panels are wicked expensive. Instead, install a tank circuit (search terms: "tank circuit" or check the FAQ Emporium
4. If you computer is either hibernating or off, it won't kill your battery. If it is sleeping, perhaps....JUST PERHAPS a solar panel is an option, but since the Opus has a low voltage cutoff, it won't run your battery dead if it is working properly. See also: tank circuits

Solar: An expensive and impractical solution to a problem you can solve more cheaply and reliably using other methods.

**ODYSSEY** · 12-10-2005, 04:02 PM

Looked into this years ago. Price vs amps sucks.

**MatrixPC** · 12-10-2005, 06:48 PM

Actually you guys miss the point of his post.
Well, the Opus is draining the battery so he's trying to use solar panel to keep the battery charge.

I think you can use it if the solar panel can supply more juice than the draining by the PSU.
Well, to really solve the problem, you have to fix the draining.

**arebelspy** · 12-10-2005, 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by kirbycope

You totally confused me kirby, I thought there was a new search picture.

-arebelspy

**kirbycope** · 12-10-2005, 10:03 PM

i am slick like that:
http://pages.infinit.net/bluefire/

**Bugbyte** · 12-11-2005, 12:02 AM

Originally Posted by MatrixPC

Actually you guys miss the point of his post.
Well, the Opus is draining the battery so he's trying to use solar panel to keep the battery charge.

I think you can use it if the solar panel can supply more juice than the draining by the PSU.
Well, to really solve the problem, you have to fix the draining.

I didn't miss the point. It's cheaper to use a tank circuit. Who knows if the sun will be shining when he needs it to be? A tank circuit is both cheaper and the Opus can cut off the computer when the volts get too low.

Worst case scenario is when he starts the car, the computer reboots.

Now, if you want solar because it's cool, well then, okay. But it ranks pretty low on the practicality/cost scale.