Hi Guys
I\'ve just got myself a nice 12v 12w Solar panel, to help keep my battery topped up whilst i\'m not driving it. However, it\'s a bit chunky (~1m long).
As i actually use the boot for luggage etc, it was thinking of mounting the panel on a hinge, bolted to the inside of the cabin roof. The idea being that i can swing it down to sit behind the rear window to charge, and swing it up out of the way when i\'ve got junk in the car / driving.
The rear seats aren\'t used (and will be removed shortly) so headroom isn\'t an issue - but i was wondering if anyone has any suggestions of how i should mount it to the roof. I don\'t fancy putting bolts through to the outside etc. (although that may be an option - see my other thread)
Would you not be better mounting it at the bottom and swinging it up? That way you wont have to drill into the roof and i\'m sure you can get a catch to hold it there, that way you\'ll not have any dangers of it coming loose and it swinging about when you drive.
alternatively you could just put a quick release connector on it and then mount it to the window with suction cups??
I don\'t see the point in this at all, buy a better battery?
I did think about that - but i tend to have to put a lot of bags in the boot (when away for weekends etc).
Unfortunately, due to it\'s width, it can\'t go fully on the parcel shelf (it clips the hatch sides). Instead, i currently have it balanced on the turret brace bar (when in used), and put it in the boot for storage - but because it is a bit fragile, i don\'t want to put anything on it.
Likewise, i\'m planning on having the rear seats out, to make room for a small suitcase / wheelie-bag thingie (passenger luggage) - on the basis that having a passenger will halve my fuel bills :D But this means i don\'t want it to hang down from the turret brace either.
I think my problem is in part due to trying to do too much with the car :D
Quote from: SmbFD3S;501259alternatively you could just put a quick release connector on it and then mount it to the window with suction cups??
Thats an idea, although it doesn\'t really help with the storage of the panel whilst driving. It seems to work OK at the moment when balanced on the parcel-shelf/turret brace - it\'s just finding somewhere to put it out the way where it\'s not going to get knocked/cracked/etc.
Quote from: T11MNMI don\'t see the point in this at all, buy a better battery?
The problem is that i sometimes don\'t get to drive it for three or four weeks at a time. The parasitic drain of the alarm/immobiliser + sat tracker is enough to flatten even a large battery.
More importantly, i don\'t want it to be even slightly low, as I would prefer to avoid any risk of flooding the engine. Because the alarm is old, disconnecting the battery isn\'t an option (the immobiliser engages, and is a pig to reset). And as i park in an open shared car park, not using the alarm isn\'t an option anyway.
It\'s a sports car! lol, it\'s not meant to carry suitcases, big bags and stuff :)
Quote from: SmbFD3S;501267It\'s a sports car! lol, it\'s not meant to carry suitcases, big bags and stuff :)
yeah yeah - i know :)
But i live in central london - so i prefer to get away for the weekend to somewhere nice (with good roads :D) - and then have fun for the weekend.
Which means it has to carry the bags for the out/return trips.
just fit it when your not using it and then just put it back into your house when your done with it?!
seriously you realise that you bought probably the most unpractical car you could have?!? lol
heep it on trickle charge like people do with bikes...... problem solved!
Quote from: FD3SNuttah;501273just fit it when your not using it and then just put it back into your house when your done with it?!
seriously you realise that you bought probably the most unpractical car you could have?!? lol
Yeah - it\'s not the most practical - but it is serious fun! ;)
Unfortunately, as the car is parked out in an open car park (and i live in a single room on the 18th floor of a tower block) i don\'t really have anywhere to store it - not to mention the hassle of carting it up and down each time i take the car out :D
I would prefer to trickle-charge it - but big carpark = no power sockets. Hence the solar trickle-charger.
Maybe i\'ll find a way to strap it to the back of the driver seat, or something...
Why dont you have a sunroof made and fitted with a solar panel incorporated into it :):)
just buy one of these
http://www.nigelsecostore.com/acatalog/Solar_car_battery_charger_2W.html
you dont need a maahooosssivvve panel
there are several different companies already making these small ones
Now that is a nice idea!
Any one got any idea of companies that do aftermarket sunroofs? :D
the small one i suggested would also fit on a rear of a the sunvisor
Wow, you learn something new everyday, apparantly the RX7 was the first car to have a tilt/slide sunroof!!!!!
Anyway, think it would be a bit expensive to be honest lol, i think Dean\'s idea is better :)
Have you thought about buying a battery cut off switch for when your not using it? I\'ve got a couple on my cars as I dont get to drive them as much lately.
Yeah - the smaller one would fit on the visor - but it wasn\'t enough to handle the drain from my satelite tracker (required for the insurance)
I\'ve got the bigger 12w one now - nice piece of kit, but it measures 98cm x 30cm - which is a wee bit bigger than the sun visor :D
The battery cut-off switch has the same issues as just disconnecting the battery - the immobiliser trips, and has to be reset. plus, i don\'t want to leave the car without the alarm, given it\'s not in a garage.
you can get flolding ones in 12W
http://www.thesolarcentre.co.uk/products/Sunlinq_12W_Folding_Solar_Charger-10-9.html
maybe a solar powered parcel shelf?
you can also get a 6W equivilent of the smaller one too
http://www.electronichealing.co.uk/products/solar_chargers.htm
enjoy
i personaly think these things are crap had a customer of mine with a flat battery every two or three days without use turned out the solar charger had over cooked the battery and melted the side of the battery causing it to go flat very quickly
Why not have 2 sun visor ones and wire them both in.
Quote from: batman;501372i personaly think these things are crap had a customer of mine with a flat battery every two or three days without use turned out the solar charger had over cooked the battery and melted the side of the battery causing it to go flat very quickly
Given the low total power of a panel (even one the size of mine), i can\'t see it cooking a battery that is in good condition!
Like i say - I\'ve already got the solar panel - I\'m just trying to work out where i can store it in the car without it getting in the way of something else. I had planned on mounting it on the parcel shelf, but its just a little bit too wide :2Rolleyes