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Originally Posted by 2007HCHOttawa
This isn't really a HCH2 specific topic but I couldn't decide where else to put it. So please bear with me.
Browsing through my weekly stack of flyers, i came across "dash-top solar panels" that can be plugged into the 12V socket in your car and charge the battery. I was wondering if this is at all useful for Hybrids?
- The solar charge would go to the 12 V battery so less energy from the ICE or IMA charge would be used to top it up.
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Yes, but the 12v battery is seldom discharged too much after driving a while.
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- If the car is left out in the sun for a while ... would the charge then flow down to the IMA battery once the 12 V battery is topped up? [I know I'm treading into phev terrain here]
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No, in most hybrids the 12v energy can't directly flow back to the "Main" battery. It tends to flow the other way.
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- If the charge doesnt flow through to the IMA battery ... what happens when the 12 V battery is topped up?How does the solar panel system deal with the generated energy?
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It can tend to overcharge the 12v battery. The excess energy should be dumped and this requires a "smart" charging module that will behave in a manner similar to that of a Battery Tender or Float Charger.
Note that these small solar units don't generate much electrical power as they have a small surface area and have poor conversion efficiency.
JeffD