Thread: Solar power
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Old 05-09-2008, 09:23 AM   #3
Bugbyte
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Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Corning, NY
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What voltage is the solar panel? Unless it is greater than 12 volts, I don't think you'll be charging the battery.

Also, if it is possible for it to generate more than 12 volts, I would worry about overcharging the battery, so you'd probably want to put some kind of battery charger in line with the solar array.

Solar panels generate very little electricity unless you have a large array of very efficient ones. To tell if this will be worth it, you should measure the current draw of the car when it is off using a digital multimeter.

Then, see if the solar panels can output that much current. If so, they might help. If not, they will only slow your battery drain.
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