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Solar charger?
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#1
03-09-2019, 05:48 PM
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Solar charger?
I bought a 1.5w solar battery charger/maintainer at Harbor Freight. Essentially a solar panel and a wire to hook it to the battery in the car. In the directions it mentions a charge regulator. Do I need that? It seems I can use this as is, or so I thought.
What say the experts?
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1983 911 SC Targa - 1990 944 S2 
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#2
03-09-2019, 07:17 PM
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link to product?
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David D. '87 Targa - 2021 quickly disappearing...
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#3
03-09-2019, 07:27 PM
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Sure, this is it: https://www.harborfreight.com/15-wat...ger-62449.html
This is the regulator, but seems like overkill for a small panel....what do I know? https://www.harborfreight.com/7-amp-...tor-96728.html
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1983 911 SC Targa - 1990 944 S2
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#4
03-09-2019, 07:49 PM
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My take on it is no one uses one, but it is recommended by the manufacturer to prevent damage.
Not sure why on earth they do not include it.
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David D. '87 Targa - 2021 quickly disappearing...
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#5
03-09-2019, 08:05 PM
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You generally dont need them until you have bigger panels. Thing is, I had one kill a battery years ago, dont think it had a diode to prevent when it wasnt charging. I hope/assume even the POS HF stuff includes simple backflow prevention today.
I've had similar units on the trailer battery and use a bigger version on the boat, no regulator.
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78 SC, the 'Red Car'
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#6
03-09-2019, 09:43 PM
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Plug it in and watch it now and then for a few months.
I have 50+ good ones left over from when Audi was shipping each car with one installed. They stick to the inside of the windshield and plug intro the OBDII port. Regulated and no back feed loss when it is dark. First few who come and ask for one get one free. Sorry, no shipping....... My plan is to make a large PV array from most of them, keep a few unmolested for the cars, trucks and make a couple backpackers power supplies.
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http://vimeo.com/29896988 “Those that can make you believe in absurdities can make you commit atrocities.” Voltaire. "There is grandeur in this view of life...." Darwin. The mountains are calling and I must go. “The earth has music for those who listen” Shakespeare. You Matter. (Until you multiply yourself times the speed of light squared. Then you Energy) “We’ve got lots of theories, we just don’t have the evidence’.
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#7
03-11-2019, 09:07 AM
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A 1.5W panel will deliver AT MOST ~100mA. You have a ~100Ah car battery. Thats 1/1000C charge rate = not even a decent trickle charge
 Panels that size typ don't use a regulator. There does need to be a diode so that it doesn't drain your battery at night. Unknown if its built in or not.
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Stephen www.salazar-racing.com 1970 914/6 - 3.0L GT 1983 911SC - 3.32L IROC 1984 930 2008 S2R1000, dirt bikes (some gas, some electric), Sherco trials bike Sold: 2001 Boxster (hers), 2003 996tt x50  , SpecE30, 1996 E36M3 GTS2 racecar, 2015 Mustang GT
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