Solar powered battery charger/maintainer for truck dash

[TractorGuy]

I've bought some stuff from these folks and been very happy with their products. I think I will get one of these and glue it to the top of my backhoe.

5W Mono-Crystalline Solar Power Panel with 12V Charger Controller - Solar Power Panels

Here is the list of their products. I don't see a 24 volt option so you could call to see if they have one of those if needed.
Going Green with Solar Power Panels - Instapark

 

[powerscol]

After reading reviews on the others, I am considering this one http://www.batteryminders.com/12-volt-solar-charger-maintainer-desulfator-panel-scc-015
Any thoughts?

 

[Ford850]

After reading reviews on the others, I am considering this one http://www.batteryminders.com/12-volt-solar-charger-maintainer-desulfator-panel-scc-015
Any thoughts?

I don't have their solar charger, but I do love the little 1500 I have. You can read some reviews of the one you are looking at here http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200328565_200328565 and here Amazon.com : BatteryMINDer Solar Charging System - 12 Volt, 15 Watt Panel, Model# SCC-15 : Battery Minder : Patio, Lawn & Garden

 

[John_Mc]

After reading reviews on the others, I am considering this one http://www.batteryminders.com/12-volt-solar-charger-maintainer-desulfator-panel-scc-015
Any thoughts?

I'd take the BatteryMinder product over the BatteryTender you linked earlier. I'm fairly sure the BatteryTender chargers do not have the desulfation circuit. That can be a big deal if you want to maximize the life of your battery.

 

[TractorGuy]

Just ordered this 10w panel to put on top of my backhoe. It says you don't need a controller but I will use one to be safe since I had one left over from my last panel purchase. Turns out my gate opener had a controller built in so I didn't need the one I ordered with the 30w panel I put on it.

 

[RNeumann]

I'd throw the solar panel idea in the lake and get one of them lithium ion "jump start" packs that would fit in a backpack. If you were worried about fragile electronics with low voltage I'd disconnect the battery between uses as well.

Btw the math was awesome! Only other variable, and what pushed me to write what I did was the roof of the vehicle and winter. Even if the car was parked with windshield facing south and the panel at an ideal angle you are still going to be limited.

I'm all for keeping batteries charged and understand the losses of not doing so. But batteries at wear items- like tires. If you are near shore power, hook up a charger. However, away from shore power just unhook it and jump it next time. I'm just not seeing the risk of damaging $1000 computers because you saved $20 worth of battery.

Good luck and back to solar panel math!

 

[dickfoster]

I'd throw the solar panel idea in the lake and get one of them lithium ion "jump start" packs that would fit in a backpack. If you were worried about fragile electronics with low voltage I'd disconnect the battery between uses as well.

Btw the math was awesome! Only other variable, and what pushed me to write what I did was the roof of the vehicle and winter. Even if the car was parked with windshield facing south and the panel at an ideal angle you are still going to be limited.

I'm all for keeping batteries charged and understand the losses of not doing so. But batteries at wear items- like tires. If you are near shore power, hook up a charger. However, away from shore power just unhook it and jump it next time. I'm just not seeing the risk of damaging $1000 computers because you saved $20 worth of battery.

Good luck and back to solar panel math!

I wanna know where you're buying your batteries. That's one heck of a deal.

 

[RNeumann]

Typical battery is about $100 and will last about 5 years. If it was not getting charged between monthly starts I'm assuming it would take about a year off the life of the battery...or $20

Plus the little jump start packs are nice to have and a perfect Christmas gift for under $75.

 

[Fallon]

I'm happy with my BatteryMINDER. The 15 watt pannel I got with it was to big & awkward to mount, so I'm using a cheap 5 watt panel with suction cup mounts inside the windshield. I like the desulfation & the charge controller. I'm one that subscribes to the needing a controller to avoid overcharging & boiling your battery theory. Others disagree & that may be the case for solar's intrinsically limited charge duration, but I prefer the more cautious controller route.

 

[RNeumann]

I'd agree with the controller if you go that route- more damage from over charging than letting it drift down.

I know I kinda dropped a bug in the punch bowl with my comment. I just didn't see a good setup that hit the $75 mark. Everything I saw was a compromise that probably wouldn't end up being a solid long term solution.
Was your setup under $75 all in? CO is a sunny state statistically. Do you have to deal with much snow on the windshield where you are at?