battery solar trickle charger

mustang · 02-25-2011, 11:39 AM

Am thinking about purchasing a solar trickle charger. Do you have one that you like or find it helpful for your battery etc,

clutch · 02-25-2011, 09:11 PM

With the items in most trailers that pull power you will need to get a bigger one than you might expect.

aipaohana · 02-25-2011, 11:13 PM

I installed the 3 panel 45 watt solar charging kit from Harbor Freight and am just thrilled to death with it. I also added 2 more batteries. The panels keep the batteries charged between 12.4 - 13.2 volts every day.

psw757 · 03-03-2011, 08:58 AM

Hi, we have a new Greyhawk 31ds on order and are thinking about adding a solar battery charger like the battery minder since the rv has only one coach battery. Anyone have any ideas for how to install one of these without permantly mounting the panel to the roof? I'm hesitant on drilling holes in the roof of a brand new rv. I would like to mount the charge indicator and controller in the area of the battery as well, don't really want to go cutting and drilling all over the inside. Any ideas on how to do this??? Thx!

bbhoth · 03-03-2011, 11:22 AM

Hi aipaohana,

would love to see pictures and get more detail on the Harbor Freight kit. I have been thinking about that kit myself.

Thanks!

psw757 · 03-03-2011, 01:22 PM

I'm either considering the Battery minder 15watt system or a unit I stumbled across called a sunsei se-500 it is 7.5 watts, the nice thing is you can get a mount that will attach to the ladder on the back of the rv or any kind of pole or railing. The mount is called the sunsei solar mounting grip if anyone wants to check it out. I'm kind of leaning this way since I don't want to drill any holes in my roof. Plus we will be storing for winter with a cover, this would allow me to attach to ladder over the top of the cover. Just want to make sure the the 7.5 watts would be enough to keep 1 possible 2 group 27 batteries charged and in good shape????

Jim Manley · 03-03-2011, 06:46 PM

Hi PSW757,
I have the 15W battery minder. Works great. It won't charge your battery (at least not enough for you to use at night) but it keeps it from discharging and de-sulfanates(I think that's the term, too lazy to look it up

). I don't attach the panel to anything because I want to move it to the spot with the most sun. I have one for my boat as well and the battery is 9 years old and it turns it over right out of the shoot every year.
Jim

Seann45 · 03-04-2011, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aipaohana

I installed the 3 panel 45 watt solar charging kit from Harbor Freight and am just thrilled to death with it. I also added 2 more batteries. The panels keep the batteries charged between 12.4 - 13.2 volts every day.

This is a trickle charger for RV's. Those little 7.5's and single 15's are a waste of $.

cekkk · 03-17-2011, 01:26 PM

I'm in the dark about solar chargers. Will the smallest keep a battery up over the winter without tending to it, assuming you have a battery disconnect switch? I've never removed a battery from our RV, our ATVs or my tractor, just put an ac trickle charger on them for several hours every month or so and have never had a problem. Never did anything to the tractor, just cranked it up to plow when it snows. That battery is almost ten years old. It's always a mystery to me why folks remove batteries. Admittedly, it's never hot here and even in summer the night often drop into the 40s, so batteries do better here than, say, Phoenix.

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