heelix

Question for you all - anyone else use a solar panel to trickle charge your car in the winter? Looks like I'll be on the road in the bitter parts of the Minnesota winter.

(Yes, the car gets parked outside. Still trying to finish the airplane to free up my side of the garage)

Marc Gelefsky

At least get a car cover!

Antigravity

Yes and these do work fine... you need such of course and keep the snow of it so it get sun but they will work provided you do have some sun... any questions reach out to us here or at Chad@antigravitybatteries.com

They are the Antigravity Batteries Solar Charger and Solar Panel. You would also want to get a larger Solar Panel such as 100w so you can capture as much of the sun as possible when it is out during the winter. Smaller panels just won't get you enough watts to put a good charge on the Battery if the sun is in and out alot. Again this will vary due to how much sun you have be they do work well for doing what you are thinking about.

https://antigravitybatteries.com/pro...ers/ag-bc-scc/

https://antigravitybatteries.com/pro...0-solar-panel/

steam_mill

You need a sizeable solar panel to actually charge the battery. Those $20 panels with a couple of watts will not charge the battery. At best, it may maintain the battery. On my fishing boat, I have a deep cycle battery for the bilge pump and trolling motor. I put 2 of those on my boat. Boat sits all week. I don't get a charge at all. I think calculated the amount of milliamps on the charge. Assume 10 hours of sunlight, 80 degree weather. The milliamps will at 18volts will not provide any significant charge. To accomplish your perceived goals, I think you will need a panel of 50 to 80 watts.

jayzbird

This has been plugging away for the last 4 years on my Jeep parked outside (note I’m in Ca) keeping the battery from going flat.

Sunforce 50022 5-Watt Solar Battery Trickle Charger , Black

steam_mill

I can leave my jeep parked for weeks...Always starts. Cold weather combined with a 996 that is always drawing power, 5 watts would at best be marginal.....

SoCal911t

Not a charger but a maintainer I used with great results until it cooked my battery. Made by Schumacher and consisted of a solar panel and a 'charge controller'.
It worked great for about 8 months and then was overcharging the battery. I removed it and never really followed up on investigating what went wrong. I assume just crappy Chinese manufacturing .














Hooked up straight to the panel:








And hooked up through the charge controller: