Charge them batteries while you work

[Mike Dabrowski 2000]

Dug out some solar panels and built a portable solar rear hatch window shade that charges my boost batteries.
http://www.99mpg.com/TheBestHybridmix/p ... hargingsy/
150W @ 56V
Can track the sun for maximizing pickup.

car batteries

[IamIan]

I think that will be a great add on while the car is parked....

I remember reading how solar car races used to use large flat solar trackers ... the idea was to angle the solar cells to get the most solar energy they could ... but most of the modern solar cars have gone with the idea that aerodynamics is more important that the extra power from a properly angled sollar panel.... In lower speeds and stop and go traffic the aerodynamics would matter much less , if at all ... but at higher speeds the aerodynamics matters more... with drag from aerodynamic friction increasing with the square of the velocity .... I wonder where the break even point is drag vs power generated ??? Although I guess you could just make use of them outside the car only when parked .... and then have them inside the aerodynamic shell and windows of the car while driving.... at least until some great sponsor comes along that is willing to donate some flexable solar pannel sheets that could be molded to the shape of the car so as to not disrupt the Cd

great stuff though....

[Resist]

Good idea but I think the cost outway the benefit.

[clett]

Cool! I like it!

They say that solar panels in the average US location can generate their rated power x 5 Wh per day (annual average, more in summer less in winter).

I'm guessing you could collect about 750 Wh per day with that set up, maybe enough for 4-5 miles EV mode per day? A lot more if you switched to more expensive Sunpower A300s (which should give about 400 W from a 2 m2 panel).

[Mike Dabrowski 2000]

If I were to buy the panels for that purpose, it is questionable if it would be worth it, but I had the panels in my"stuff" pile, so it was only the $15-20 of aluminum and the time.
The down side, how to keep people from swiping my solar panels when I am in the grocery store or mall.
I was thinking of charging the whole car and panel with several thousand volts so you would get a shock if you touched them. I had made a system like that for my camero back in the 70's. People liked to lean on the car. it worked well untill I got someone angry, so they threw a big stone at the car.
Can't win.

[Arturo]

Well, he deserved the shock as far as I'm concerned. I just hope he paid for the damage. I like the idea of charging with solar so when you take off, your battery is fully charged. I assume this would increase the milage of your vehicle. Maybe mounted on your house is more efficiant but then you don't get the charge when elsewhere.