11 replies to this topic

[nextekpowersysytem]

Hi friends,

I am Jack Travis. I have a small doubt in solar panel. I am using the battery car. Now i have planned to fix a solar panel on my car. My choice is single axis tracker solar panels.

My doubt is whether the solar panels will observe full sunlight while in motion than in normal fixed position????

[jasonb]

Most probably less... due to constant motion of car (turn left and 90 deg out of sync) you will continually have to track (may be better with two-axis tracking), but the fact is that the electrical motors to constantly track will eat out more power and so is better to have fixed position, on the limited space on roof it will be not viable for aerodynamic reasons to be able to track sun and may lose more due to aerodynamic resistance than gaining in having panels orientated to sun...

[Phil]

Doesn't make sense on a car.  You'd get much more bang for your buck by buying a microconverter and mounting the panel to your house.

Here is a link:  http://enphase.com/

[nextekpowersysytem]

thank you so much for your valuable replies...

If I drive my car in 40kmph and then can I get the sufficient energy needed for my car battery to recharge???

[Phil]

No chance of  that whatsoever, you are talking about orders of magnitude from what you need.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

You could probably power small things inside the car?

[still learning]

Recent solar powered drag-race results, 29.5 seconds for quarter kilometer, top speed 25 mph, here: http://www.greencarc...orld-recor.html

Not exactly NHRA stuff yet.  http://www.sfgate.co...als-3742462.php

[Phil]

Ah the good old days!  The smell of nitro, burning rubber, and bleach, the feel of the engine pumping your diaphragm as it revved up to the line.

[nextekpowersysytem]

Can we combine the solar power with the wind generated power to generate high energy?

[Phil]

Yes, but not on a car.  An EV battery can be 25KWH or more.  My roof is paved with solar panels and only produces 10KW, (8KW out the inverter).  Most micro wind turbines are 500W, perhaps double that.  A 5KW turbine is huge even by home standards.  Wind turbines create drag, (that's how they work), so whatever you gained in energy could quickly be lost in wind drag if you drove an any decent speed.

[E3 wise]

You are also missing an important point here.  Solar batteries are not the same as car batteries.  Car batteries are designed for cranking amps, meaning they have lots of smaller, thinner lead plates.  They are not designed to be discharged to 50% or more and then be recharged.  Doing so will wreck the car batteries in days.  Solar batteries are designed with much thicker and heavier lead plates that can be discharged and recharged a thousand times or more.

Example the average car battery weighs 20 to 30 pounds and cost $45 to $100.00 dollars US.  Solar batteries for 225 amp hour AGM weigh 165 pounds and cost $700 dollars US.  Finally all solar requires a charge controller that is not compatible with your cars electrical system without major modification and money.

Now as stated the best method is to have a ground mounted or roof mounted solar system, and charge an electric car in that manner.  The average electric car requires 20 to 25 panels of at least 200 watts each getting at least four hours of sun per day.  Otherwise all you will be doing is ruining your cars electrical system.

[Phil]

Yea, like he said! :<)  Do solar on the house and micro wind if it makes sense in your area.