| Author |
Message |
Spencer Champion (Spencer)
Registered Member
Username: Spencer
Post Number: 9
Registered: 4-2006
Posted From: 68.223.104.107
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 13, 2006 - 6:17 pm: | |
Looking to get a solar charger to put on the roof of a D3 Bulldozier. I see lots and lots on ebay. I have no idea which ones would do what I want which is to just keep the battery topped off or charge a little. Thanks for your replys. Spencer |
Douglas Wotring (Tekebird)
Registered Member
Username: Tekebird
Post Number: 23
Registered: 10-2004
Posted From: 69.136.90.146
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 13, 2006 - 8:28 pm: | |
I got mine from Solarpath.com
been working great for 5 yearrs now |
George M. Todd (George_mc6)
Registered Member
Username: George_mc6
Post Number: 36
Registered: 8-2006
Posted From: 207.231.80.150
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, November 13, 2006 - 10:13 pm: | |
Spencer,
A small one will do well, but it MUST have a regulator. Otherwise on summer days it will boil water out of your batteries.
George |
Spencer Champion (Spencer)
Registered Member
Username: Spencer
Post Number: 10
Registered: 4-2006
Posted From: 68.223.104.107
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - 7:03 pm: | |
Thanks George. By regulator you aren't talking about a diode are you? Do you think 300 ma will boil a 4-d battery? Thanks for the help. Spencer 4501-281 |
George M. Todd (George_mc6)
Registered Member
Username: George_mc6
Post Number: 37
Registered: 8-2006
Posted From: 207.231.80.150
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, November 14, 2006 - 10:15 pm: | |
Spencer,
I guess there is a fine line between a panel that is too small to do much good, and a panel that is too large to boil a fairly large battery without being regulated. 300ma is only a third of an amp, so in just over three hours of bright sunshine, you would have one amp hour of charge, which isn't much. If your cat has an alternator, or a generator, and the battery is fully charged when you shut down, a 300 mil panel probably wouldn't cook a 4D. It wouldn't do much good in the winter either... Some of the larger panels come with a voltage regulator, (I should have said that the first time) which does exactly the same thing as the regulator on your car/bus, etc. I would get a larger panel, 1 amp=1000 mil, or so, either with a reg, or buy an add on, and it will do exactly what you want! A diode just keeps the panel from discharging in the dark, and all of them that I know of come equipped.
HTH, George |
Spencer Champion (Spencer)
Registered Member
Username: Spencer
Post Number: 11
Registered: 4-2006
Posted From: 68.223.104.107
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, November 15, 2006 - 9:16 am: | |
Thanks George that was just what I was looking for. Spencer |