Solar Golf Cart Chargers

[BorisM]

Does anyone use solar golf cart chargers to charge the batteries?

If solar panels are installed on the roof of the golf cart and connected to something like DPI XSun 220W Step Up Solar Power Charger it might actually work.

DPI even has a video of how to do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tEUgpYuHsk

Does this really work? Is it cost effective?

[JohnnieB]

If you had a 36V-225AH battery pack or a 48V-170AH battery pack, both of which store about the same amount of electrical energy (8.6 vs 8.7 kWh), the Sun won't shine enough hours in a day to keep the batteries charged with a 220W solar panel, if you used the cart very much.

My cart is fairly energy efficient and I average from about 150 to 220 Watt-Hours per mile traveled depending on the terrain and how heavy my foot gets, so an hours worth of sunshine on a 220W solar panel would move my cart about 1.5 miles at best or about a mile if I drove it hard.

Some guys have had some success using smaller solar panels to extend the run time on their 12V auxiliary batteries while they are out and about, but I can't remember of anyone doing it for the main battery pack.

[rib33024]

SC Carts built a solar power cart




http://www.buggiesgonewild.com/road-...ered-cart.html

[BorisM]

Originally Posted by JohnnieB

If you had a 36V-225AH battery pack or a 48V-170AH battery pack, both of which store about the same amount of electrical energy (8.6 vs 8.7 kWh), the Sun won't shine enough hours in a day to keep the batteries charged with a 220W solar panel, if you used the cart very much.

My cart is fairly energy efficient and I average from about 150 to 220 Watt-Hours per mile traveled depending on the terrain and how heavy my foot gets, so an hours worth of sunshine on a 220W solar panel would move my cart about 1.5 miles at best or about a mile if I drove it hard.

Some guys have had some success using smaller solar panels to extend the run time on their 12V auxiliary batteries while they are out and about, but I can't remember of anyone doing it for the main battery pack.

Another words, If I install a 120w solar pannel (not 220w for financial reasons) I would be able to get about 5-6 extra miles during an average sunny day. Correct?

[JohnnieB]

Originally Posted by BorisM

Another words, If I install a 120w solar pannel (not 220w for financial reasons) I would be able to get about 5-6 extra miles during an average sunny day. Correct?

Yes, any energy added to the battery pack between regular charge cycles will increase the cart's range, but without know how many Watt-Hours the cart uses per mile and some other factors, it cannot be quantified.

[Volt_Ampere]

Charging an electric vehicle with a small solar panel is not quite like Pi$$ing in the ocean but it's close. It will charge it if you leave it in the sun long enough.

[BorisM]

Originally Posted by Volt_Ampere

Charging an electric vehicle with a small solar panel is not quite like Pi$$ing in the ocean but it's close. It will charge it if you leave it in the sun long enough.

I am not trying to charge an electric vehicle with a solar panel. I am trying to minimize the number of times my wife charges the cart.

The golf cart is for my wife to drive kids around in the summer inside a gated community. All they do is drive to a pool/lake and then back home. Pool is about a mile away, so 4 miles a day if they go there twice. Once a week my daughter has tennis lessons about 2 miles away. They might go for a playdate somewhere, let say 2 miles round trip.

Based on these calculations on average the cart is driven 4-6 miles three days per week and once a week 4-8 miles. Total a maximum of 26 miles in four days.

Assuming I get a 120w solar panel that adds 4 miles worth of charge to the golf cart on daily basis. The batteries should be at worst at 50% capacity by the end of day 4. Then I come and plug the cart in.

Assuming the calculations are correct, am I killing the batteries by not charging them fully for four consecutive days a week ?

[yurtle]

Originally Posted by BorisM

I am not trying to charge an electric vehicle with a solar panel. I am trying to minimize the number of times my wife charges the cart.

Assuming the calculations are correct, am I killing the batteries by not charging them fully for four consecutive days a week ?

You should charge the batteries EVERY time you use it. You can use it on and off all day, but that evening, if you don't charge it, you ARE killing the useful life of the pack.

[bigstik40]

Originally Posted by yurtle

You should charge the batteries EVERY time you use it. You can use it on and off all day, but that evening, if you don't charge it, you ARE killing the useful life of the pack.

The experts here have been preaching this till they are blue in the face and I take it seriously !! In my opinion, if you have 110 volt power available, you should forget the solar and charge daily as suggested. Just my $.02. RAY

[branson]

you will be shortening the life of the batteries if you let them go that low for any amount of time. you really need to teach you're wife to plug the batteries ln any time the cart is parked at home. if you can do that they will last for years. don't forget to check the water on a regular basis