Solar battery tender

[Bullwinkle123]

If you're still looking for a solution it should be simple and I can go out to the barn and look up my charge regulator for my 35 watt panel.

Solar panel + not-too-expensive 3a regulator kept my battery alive for over 10 years. No off or on, it just responds to voltages I think.

Caveat: this was a deep cycle battery in a solo setup for powering non-engine type stuff. (12v tools and such)

 

[ArlyA]

If you're still looking for a solution it should be simple and I can go out to the barn and look up my charge regulator for my 35 watt panel.
Solar panel + not-too-expensive 3a regulator kept my battery alive for over 10 years. No off or on, it just responds to voltages I think.
Caveat: this was a deep cycle battery in a solo setup for powering non-engine type stuff. (12v tools and such)

Thanks! We don't see the much of the sun here and since this building is without power, are looking at this machine. We won't get 15 watts from this machine! What do you think??

Amazon.com : Sun Energise 3?W 12V Solar Panel Kits- 3? Watt Mono Crystalline Solar Panel + Intelligent 1?A Charge Controller with Dusk to Dawn Control + Cable Adapters for Off Grid Boat, Marine, Trailer, Cabin : Garden & Outdoor

 

[Bullwinkle123]

Thanks! We don't see the much of the sun here and since this building is without power, are looking at this machine. We won't get 15 watts from this machine! What do you think??

Amazon.com : Sun Energise 3?W 12V Solar Panel Kits- 3? Watt Mono Crystalline Solar Panel + Intelligent 1?A Charge Controller with Dusk to Dawn Control + Cable Adapters for Off Grid Boat, Marine, Trailer, Cabin : Garden & Outdoor

Really hard to tell. All I can say is this stuff is so much cheaper than it was in the 90's because the cost of solar has gone down so much.

Ultimately all the technology is really the solar panel itself. My Siemen's 35 watt panel is a work of art, it has crossed my mind to hang it on the wall.

Beyond that, you just have some cabling from the panel to the charge controller so you don't overcharge the battery, and from the charge controller to the battery. So collecting the power is simple! It's what you do with it after that that can be a challenge. Only one thing to remember, DC voltage drops a lot per foot of cable, so you want the cables connecting panel <-> controller <-> battery to be as short as possible.

 

[Bullwinkle123]

As for calculating the right size solar to yield the needed watt-hours of energy per day, I can't comment too much on that. It will depend on your latitude, percentage of sunny days, placement w.r.t. facing the sun, etc. There's probably some constant or formula for calculating the energy lost by the time it gets stored too.

 

[salberto]

Yea, I've been there and checked it out. I'm thinking I need (3) items;

Amazon.com: Battery Tender 12V, 27mA, 5W Solar Battery Charger - Weatherproof by Deltran 21-1163: Automotive

Amazon.com: Battery Tender 25 FT Extension Cable for Battery Charging and Maintaining by Deltran - 81-148-25 at A1SolarStore Automotive

Amazon.com: Battery Tender Ring Terminal Accessory Cable: New World Diamonds: Automotive


I assume the third item will allow me to plug into the tractor without having to open the hood to disconnect the cables. Am I right?

Kevin

There are plenty of used solar panels designed exactly for this purpose. You used to be able to find surplus VW ones with 12V plugs already attached on Ebay all day long for $5.

 

[newbury]

Welcome aboard.

used to be able to find

Do you have any good present day links?

 

[Williy]

I purchased a battery maintainer from Harbor Freight

1.5 Watt Solar Battery Maintainer

Amazing deals on this 1.5 Watt Solar Battery Charger at Harbor Freight. Quality tools & low prices.

www.harborfreight.com

I just clip it to my little lawn tractor and instead of lasting 1 to 2 years I can get 3 to 4 years keeping the battery charged up

willy

 

[Zeus24]

Depending on the surface you want to install the solar panels on. Personally, I have mine installed on the roof. I have two medium-size panels, and to be honest, I am happy with them. Still, I am not a professional in this field, so I recommend you speak with someone more experienced than me in this field. For instance, you can get in touch with the guys from dragonsbreathsolar.co.uk .This, the company from where I got my solar panels, so I assure you that the services offered by these guys are on top.

 

[dennis103]

I emailed Deltran (Battery Tender brand), looking for a solar powered charger for a dump trailer that is parked in an area w/o electricity. This was the conversation.



Dennis,
You will want to look at the 17 watt or the 35 watt panel depending on the amp hour rating on your battery or batteries.
These panels are not vibration or shock proof. They are weatherproof.
Thank you for reaching out to Deltran.

---------- Forwarded message ---------

Date: Sun, Dec 5, 2021 at 12:21 PM
Subject: Customer Request: Dennis D
To: <support@deltran-global.com>

First name: Dennis
Last name: D
Email: dowsauto@icloud.com
Customer message: Do you offer a weather proof solar charger that I could use on my dump trailer to keep the battery charged when it is setting without electricity near by? Would the windshield one work or would being exposed to the weather kill it. Love your tenders I have 4 of them. Thanks, Dennis D
--
Thank you,

Customer Service
Deltran USA, LLC
801 E. International Speedway Blvd.
DeLand FL 32724
386-736-7900

 

[Bullwinkle123]

I emailed Deltran (Battery Tender brand), looking for a solar powered charger for a dump trailer that is parked in an area w/o electricity. This was the conversation.



Dennis,
You will want to look at the 17 watt or the 35 watt panel depending on the amp hour rating on your battery or batteries.
These panels are not vibration or shock proof. They are weatherproof.
Thank you for reaching out to Deltran.

---------- Forwarded message ---------

Date: Sun, Dec 5, 2021 at 12:21 PM
Subject: Customer Request: Dennis D
To: <support@deltran-global.com>

First name: Dennis
Last name: D
Email: dowsauto@icloud.com
Customer message: Do you offer a weather proof solar charger that I could use on my dump trailer to keep the battery charged when it is setting without electricity near by? Would the windshield one work or would being exposed to the weather kill it. Love your tenders I have 4 of them. Thanks, Dennis D
--
Thank you,

Customer Service
Deltran USA, LLC
801 E. International Speedway Blvd.
DeLand FL 32724
386-736-7900

If you just want to keep the charge topped off, you don't need a 35 watt panel. If you want to recharge a deep cycle battery after it's had light use, then a 35 watt panel will do that nicely.
Unless you're buying some el-cheapo panel for use on a backpack or in your car, they'll be weather proofed. I have a 35 watt panel I bought in the 90's (Siemans or some such), it's a thing of beauty, worthy of hanging on the wall, well sealed. Buy a commercial 35 watt panel, a 3 amp charge controller, and you can wire up whatever kind of enclosure you like.

(Not suggesting that's what you need, just that it's easy). The thing you wouldn't want to do is try to use too little solar power to recharge a big battery, especially the CCA batteries to start a car. It'd be too slow, and the battery would degrade in a low charge state.

 

[oosik]

All my outbuildings are wired with 120V power. We get enough winter snow and overcast days that solar wouldn't provide much power.

Example - I have a solar powered beacon light. It's across my lake and up on top of the cliff. This time of year it peters out after about two hours of dark. During warmer/sunny weather it shines all night.

 

[rd_macgregor]

I have a Coleman brand battery tender with direct battery connection or cigarette lighter type plug. Unfortunately, the 12V power outlet on my Kioti is energized only when the key is ON, so I can't use the tender the easy way.

 

[charlessenf]

I have this setup works great......View attachment 676092View attachment 676071

What make, model, etc? Hard to tell what it is from the pitchers! Please

 

[charlessenf]

I have a Coleman brand battery tender with direct battery connection or cigarette lighter type plug. Unfortunately, the 12V power outlet on my Kioti is energized only when the key is ON, so I can't use the tender the easy way.

OK, but does it work?

 

[charlessenf]

I just ordered a (quite fancy) 10 amp solar battery charge/controller off Ebay from China for EIGHT BUCKS! With temperature compensation too. Just sayin.

And, 2+ years on, how's that Chinese Tender Working?
If it is, how about a link?

 

[charlessenf]

Yea, I've been there and checked it out. I'm thinking I need (3) items;

Amazon.com: Battery Tender 12V, 27mA, 5W Solar Battery Charger - Weatherproof by Deltran 21-1163: Automotive

Amazon.com: Battery Tender 25 FT Extension Cable for Battery Charging and Maintaining by Deltran - 81-148-25: Automotive

Amazon.com: Battery Tender Ring Terminal Accessory Cable: New World Diamonds: Automotive


I assume the third item will allow me to plug into the tractor without having to open the hood to disconnect the cables. Am I right?

Kevin

The Extension and Accessory Ring Terminal bits need not be BRAND NAME search on Amazon for "Quick Disconnect SAE Extension Cord" (for instance) and you should find several less expensive alternatives. Pay attention to the WIRE GAUGE in an extension - smaller the number the better - " our 18 AWG gauge cable is more flexible and thicker "
Up to 10GA available: " 10 AWG SAE Cable Connector, SAE Socket Chassis" allows you to add a socket to the tractor so you can leave the charger in place and not have any loose wires about. Could also use it to make up your own 'extension' with regular wire and a soldering iron.

 

[charlessenf]

I swap my 30W panel back and forth between a car and tractor from time to time so I ran the panel positive wire through a toggle switch. I turn the panel switch off before I disconnect the controller and turn it back on after it's connected to the other battery.

A 3 POS DPDT Switch would allow you to have both connected simultaneously and switch between them with the OFF in between!
GAMA Electronics 30 Amp Toggle Switch DPDT 3 Position On-Off-On
Or, why not connect both batteries at the same time? With a splitter extension?

 

[charlessenf]

""Masculine Republics give way to feminine democracies and feminine democracies give way to tyranny" Aristotle"

So, Aristotle was a misogynist? ("Aristotle believed women were inferior to men. For example, in his work Politics (1254b13–14), Aristotle states "as regards the sexes, the male is by nature superior and the female inferior, the male ruler and the female subject".")

He also believed in a geocentric universe. "In 1543, Nicolaus Copernicus detailed his radical theory of the Universe in which the Earth, along with the other planets, rotated around the Sun. His theory took more than a century to become widely accepted."

So, what did Aristotle actually get right after all?

 

[nyone]

Personally, I'd be afraid of an 8$ solar battery charger. Don't get me wrong, I buy cheap stuff from China all the time, but for this, I'm going to be a little more careful. I don't want to cook my battery or burn down my tractor and shed. Like I said, I'm a novice when it comes to electricity.

Kevin

Me too. That $8-20 battery tender is just going to be a 12v wall wort style tender.

 

[cqaigy2]

All my outbuildings are wired with 120V power. We get enough winter snow and overcast days that solar wouldn't provide much power.

Example - I have a solar powered beacon light. It's across my lake and up on top of the cliff. This time of year it peters out after about two hours of dark. During warmer/sunny weather it shines all night.

Not wanting to side track the thread, but what's the beacon for?