Solar battery panel

Turn_to_Grey

Hi all,

The car is going to be laid up at an airport car park for around 6 months. I have searched on this forum for posts about these solar panels and the last post was over 5 years ago, so I was wondering if there is any more thought on the use of these solar battery panels. Views were mixed at the time. Has technology moved on since then ?
It's going to keep a fully charged battery topped up, thats the plan anyway.
Anyone use one ? If so, what type, make ? Pros / cons ? Sunlight won't be a problem, there's plenty here where the car will be parked !

w06

My van has 20w of panels on the dash (inside the windwo) charging the 10 year old, original, van battery via a controller. The van battery isn't in great nick and i had had to jump start it a few times in the first few months of ownership. Since fitting the panels it's stood undriven for 4 months in mostly overcast weather and then started first time. they were well worth buying.

One problem i had was the nice thin resin panels had great chunky diode cases on the back and so didn't lie flat, attacking with a stanley knife and resoldering the diode without it's oversized box was well worth the 30 mins work.

knightstyle

Important to get a decent regulator that varies the charge to the battery depending on the amount of sunshine and the state of the battery.
Google Sargent EC400/450 for an explanation. That is what I have with a 40w panel. Works extremely well.

wgl2014

Could you just disconnect the battery? I appreciate this will depend on where the car will be left.

Herzlos

I hope you're not paying for the parking...

caprikid1

There has to be a better way than leaving it in an airport car park.


Storage ??? Leaving a car outside in public space for six months ?? Just Sell it ??

Turn_to_Grey

@ w06, thanks for that info. Helps me understand what I need.

@ knightstyle. and thanks for your info. Am looking at a panel and regulator setup.

@ wg12014, The battery is the 12 year old original and while I am confident in its day to day use, I am not so sure disconnecting for 6 months will leave me with a battery I could count on. I could be worrying for nothing, the parking may have a jump start facility !

@ Herzlos. Yes, I am paying ! 176 days for 161€. Friends came over in June, left their car in Manchester airport, £70 for 7 days, so I think I have a bit of a bargain !

@ Caprikid1, Isn't airport parking the same thing as storage ? Storage would not offer a shuttle service either. Public space, if I knew the area, maybe, but again, still have to get to airport and back and still have the issue over the battery. Sell it ? The airport is about 171 kms away, we live in a very rural area with poor public transport so issues over that, then obtaining a new ( to us ) replacement. But thanks for your comments.

caprikid1

No in terms of storage I meant internal storage, storing a car for 6 months outside without being started etc is just likely to cost more than it saves.


Is this a holiday home ? Why are you storing a car for 6 months at an airport ? It is likely to get hit ? Vandalized ? Stolen ?

agrinnall

Given your references to the cost in Euros and the distance in km can we take it that this airport is not in the UK? It may be worth telling us where it is, as leaving a car outside for 6 months in the south of Spain may be a different prospect to doing so in the north of Germany.

Turn_to_Grey

No, this is our permanent home, we are going to Canada for 6 months to stay with our daughter and family. The airport is Alicante, and the airport parking is a firm I have used before, but only for 3 to 4 weeks in the past. The parking area is run by a British family who live on site, offer airport parking long, medium and short term with a shuttle service to the airport.
I just wanted to know if anyone had experience of solar battery charging and could enlighten me, given my concerns over leaving the car for 6 months and keeping the battery in shape.