Anyone got good recommendations for a solar panel to sit in the car? Don't worry about wiring I'll deal with that. My car uses about 25ma quiescent, and 600ma when the becm is awake. All I want is to trickle it when stood still, I have a smart charger as and when I want to charge it properly, and a volt meter on the cigarette socket. I suppose 15W will give good coverage,
and diode protection to stop overnight discharge. Not sure if I need to care about a charge regulator, but they're not so expensive. SunPower monocrystalline seems to come up as good tech....blah blah, but does anyone have any specific ones to recommend?
I bought two panels that fit either side of the rear parcel shelf. don't know how many watts they are.
Never fitted. Another project that was never completed. Got them from Maplin, who have since gone bust.
Of course all of this is not the slightest help to you. Sorry.
Now's your perfect time to complete Dave. I got a Maplin's one for my Dad a few years ago, but it didn't seem terribly sophisticated.
I was thinking this one, for example:
25 watts is a serious "Trickle" charger.....
3-5 watts from a "Self regulating" (Read: 15voc) panel is usually adequate
I have had good luck with something like this:
Sticks on the inside of the windscreen, and has plugs and leads for hooking to an always hot terminal.
The difference between you and me is that you're thinking Hawaii/ Oz :-)
It has a regulator too, 15w wd be fine if it was achievable
Most of the time we'd be better off with a windmill or a water wheel :)
Here's a little lockdown project more suited to the UK than solar https://greenterrafirma.com/making-pvc-wind-turbine-blades.html
That triangular hub there looks like an old diesel flexplate would be about right... :-)
So, charger fitted. I used the connector in the left rear 1/4 that should connect with the aux power socket. I had to repin it as the +ve connection had packed up.
Thus far...does around 60ma in shade, up to 1A in the direct sun, so I don't think I'll ever be over-charging the battery. The tinting in the rear tailgate glass seems to block about 1/4 of the power.