[Pb]

This is kinda goofy, but I was itching to build something this evening. Plus I like messing with solar panels. They produce free electricity. Cooooool.

I got this idea from here. http://www.break.com/index/how-to-build-a-solar-powered-usb-charger.html

I got two solar panels from some old garden lights, and wired them together in series. Together they can put out about 14 volts.

I used laminate sheets to seal it all together, like the stuff you use to laminate membership cards and stuff like that. You can't stick ridgid solar panels through a laminating machine, so I got some bubbles when I heated up the laminate with a heat gun. The bubbles don't affect the capability of the solar panels though.

I cut off the end of a cell phone charger and soldered the wires to the solar panels. Then I took the circuit board out of the inside of the cell phone charger so that the 14 volts would go straight to the contactors on the cig plug.

Then as long as you have done the Cig Outlet Always On Mod then these solar panels will send voltage to the trucks battery through the cig outlet wiring.

It actually works, I think. When I plugged it into the cig outlet the voltage on my trucks battery went from 12.57 to 12.59 within a few seconds. These don't put out much current, but if you left your vehicle parked outside at an airport or something for a week then it would probably add up and make a difference in the state of your battery. It should be able to more than make up for the power that your trucks security system is sucking from the battery.

I've got to do some testing to see if this thing was a waste of time or not. I'll leave it on my dash board while my truck is parked at work, and I'll test the battery before and after I use the solar panel charger.






It easily lights up this 194 LED bulb.


I glued some vinyl on the back to make it look nice and keep from scratching up my dash. It folds in half like a big wallet.

 

[dktaco]

The MASTER PB is at it again! :worship:

 

[luka]

how much would it cost to make one? might be nice to make use of the sun when i park at work hehe

 

[njmueller363]

I don't even know what to say about that. Kind of wierd I guess :ugh3: but hey if it works. To get an accurate reading make sure you test your battery before and after work for a few days without the panels so you can learn what the battery does on its own with no help from the panels, it will give you a better baseline...Always keepin it real :smokin:

 

[Pb]

To get an accurate reading make sure you test your battery before and after work for a few days without the panels so you can learn what the battery does on its own with no help from the panels, it will give you a better baseline...Always keepin it real :smokin:

That's the plan.

I know it's weird, but it didn't cost me any money, and I was itching to tinker with something. Might as well give it a try. :dunno:

You could also convert the end to a female cig outlet end, and then you could plug a car charger into it and charge up your cell phone or iPod if you're out somewhere away from your vehicle. Hiking maybe?

 

[Pb]

how much would it cost to make one? might be nice to make use of the sun when i park at work hehe

If you have the solar panels just laying around then go ahead and make one, but you can also buy this kind of stuff already made. This is not a new idea.
http://www.batterystuff.com/solar-chargers/

 

[tooblutacoma06]

You would..

 

[blackhawke88]

that is so sick. You should turn your truck into optimus prime, I seriously believe you can pull it off.

 

[b0r1cha]

haha glue the whole bed of your truck with solar panels! hahahaha

 

[lotust]

 

[kimera]

That's clever. Congrats on a nice execution of a good idea.

I have an offroad vehicle that has a full roll cage. Same idea. The center portion has a built in photovoltaic panel to act as a trickle charger. Works well.

 

[daniel240]

These things come in new volkswagons. They have 4 suction cups that you stick on the inside of the windsheild and it keeps the battery charged while the new cars are being transported and while sitting on a lot. When I worked at the dealer we had hundreds of these things laying around and they ended up just throwing them away. I got a bunch of them but I think I sold most of them on ebay.

 

[dbbd1]

If you have the parts laying around, I would say make it. But, Harbor Fright has them and usually on sale for about 12.00. 1.5 watt, the only thing is that you need to do the cig power port mod, otherwise it will only charge when the truck is on (for all the good that will do you!). Of course, you could rig up a power port directly to your battery or a power port to some alligator clips and clip it to your battery. I, personally, use one all of the time (my truck sits during the week and I drive a work truck), with all of those memory circuits draining things down....

 

[lotust]

If you have the parts laying around, I would say make it. But, Harbor Fright has them and usually on sale for about 12.00. 1.5 watt, the only thing is that you need to do the cig power port mod, otherwise it will only charge when the truck is on (for all the good that will do you!). Of course, you could rig up a power port directly to your battery or a power port to some alligator clips and clip it to your battery. I, personally, use one all of the time (my truck sits during the week and I drive a work truck), with all of those memory circuits draining things down....

X2 on the HF solar charger. I picked this up last year when we went caming. Its worth 12$ for sure.

 

[BlueSport]

I find myself going between laughing that you actually took the time to do this to completly understanding why you took the time to do this. Its wierd.

 

[Rodge]

Maybe I should make one of these seeing as how I had a truck that wouldn't start again due to a dead battery today.

 

[Mike38]

Volkswagen Dealerships have products similar to these in all their new vehicles. They keep them on the window to keep from draining the battery while the cars wait for homes. Good idea though. Props for the how to.
Mike

 

[lotust]

These things come in new volkswagons. They have 4 suction cups that you stick on the inside of the windsheild and it keeps the battery charged while the new cars are being transported and while sitting on a lot. When I worked at the dealer we had hundreds of these things laying around and they ended up just throwing them away. I got a bunch of them but I think I sold most of them on ebay.

Daniel Beat you to it Mike

Volkswagen Dealerships have products similar to these in all their new vehicles. They keep them on the window to keep from draining the battery while the cars wait for homes. Good idea though. Props for the how to.
Mike

 

[Pb]

These things come in new volkswagons. They have 4 suction cups that you stick on the inside of the windsheild and it keeps the battery charged while the new cars are being transported and while sitting on a lot. When I worked at the dealer we had hundreds of these things laying around and they ended up just throwing them away. I got a bunch of them but I think I sold most of them on ebay.

Like this? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-02-08-MODEL-OEM-VW-SOLAR-PANEL-12V-BATTERY-CHARGER_W0QQitemZ170190956854QQcmdZViewItem

Kinda neat that it plugs into the OBD port.

There's a lot of VW employees that are making some nice extra cash by digging through the trash. Wish I had a buddy that worked at VW.

 

[boone]

These things come in new volkswagons. They have 4 suction cups that you stick on the inside of the windsheild and it keeps the battery charged while the new cars are being transported and while sitting on a lot. When I worked at the dealer we had hundreds of these things laying around and they ended up just throwing them away. I got a bunch of them but I think I sold most of them on ebay.

Hmmm I wonder if they would give me a couple if I went down to the dealership.

They are pretty neat and it would be nice to use when my truck sits for a week at the airport when I'm away.