Simple solar solution!
 

Why not have a small solar panel that sits (integrated) on the dash or the back window that has just enough size to top off the battery pack while parked at work throughout the day?

Or how bout a fold out plug in unit that stows in the behind the passenger seat in the seat pocket, and can be positioned on the dash or rear decklid and plugged into a socket located near the 12v accessory outlet under the stereo or another socket on the rear decklid?

This would increase MPG as it would reduce forced charging events and increase assist. This would not increase EPA estimated mileage but would increase real world mileage and customer satisfaction. One of my gripes and lack of initial satisfaction was that I didn't see full charge on the battery pack for nearly a week after buying it!

Now I would really like to see something like this, and I'd be willing to buy it as a factory option even if it costed hundreds more!!!
Dave

Re: Simple solar solution!
 

given that a 200watt panel costs about 1000 USD this would be more than a few hundred dollar option.

to get 200 watts peak would require a panel about the size of the rear window.

while it certainly would make for a fuel economy improvement you would be better off putting the panel at your house and charging there. This is where the plug in hybrids come in.

a photovoltaic panel is very nearly not worth the investment when its producing power at every possible opportunity such as with a house or roof top installation. Putting one in a car for sporadic use would almost certainly not be worth it.

just push the manufacturers for a plug in and then install an array at your home.

Re: Simple solar solution!
 

Thanks for the reply. I was curious as to how feasable it would be and it sounds as though it is not. I'm with you on the plug in thing, and if and when I ever get a home to call my own, I'll definately look into solar. I think homeowners associations are going to put up a fight though as to their presence and appearance in the neighborhood. We had a neighbor growing up that had solar panels to heat his pool and he was the enemy of the block cause everyone though they were ugly. I was just a kid then so I didn't care. I just wished our pool was warm like theirs. My dad always said it was too expensive to heat the pool. That's where a black bottom pool comes in.

Re: Simple solar solution made more complex and capable.
 

I am using a flexipanel (about 7 watts nominal) to do the same as the originator above...

I want to hack into the HV NiMH batt and integrate a large battery of PVs laminated into the roof to top off the NiMH bank throughout the workday

Why?

1. Because I can: the car is at 59k miles in 2.5 years, and paid off.
2. I get 52.3 annually, with 47.5 in winter, and 54.5 in the summer: crossing the mason-dixon. I want real hyper mileage.
3. I park in a garage at home, but my office lot is bathed in sunlight.
4. If I can prove a 160V DC PV system works, a plugin or fuel cell add-in will work too.


Does anyone have any electrical or mechanical schematics for me to work from, before I pull my NiMH and have-at-it?

Re: Simple solar solution!
 

First off there is no "Simple solar solution." Than being said msantos did attach one to the 12v battery in an attempt to keep it topped off thus not requiring the IMA system to do it. You can find the instructions here. Also if you search that site for "solar" you will find some discussions that resulted from this install on whether it would be possible to do the same for the Nimh battery pack. For those that can't find it there here was the gist of the conversation.

Re: Simple solar solution!
 

You may want to consider buying a service manual, if you haven't already. It will help a lot.

Re: Simple solar solution!
 

I agree with the premise -- that we should have some way to harness energy during down time. But the reply is right that the solar option is cost prohibitive.

I live in North Texas, where the average sustained wind speed is 11 mph. It's a perfect place for wind generation. So I checked into installing a small wind generator in my back yard.

Guess what? It costs $30,000! And I'm not even sure that it would power the entire house. I didn't ask, because it doesn't matter. $30 K is simply prohibitive. My average electric bill is $120. It would require 21 years just to break even on that deal.

Re: Simple solar solution!
 

@1stpik,
I could have seen your wind idea on a totally different plain if I didn't read the whole post!!

Imagine that, a wind generator on the back of the Civic !! (hehe)

Re: Simple solar solution!
 

the producers of the Knight Rider put a pop-up CHPs light array in the cabin: why not a pop up turbine?

Have you checked the smaller ones (wind generators) used for sailing vessels?


On a serious note: I want to build an array from individual PV cells in serial, so I do not need to step-up voltage: I won't get a ton of current, but I can still prove a concept.

Thanks for the advice on the service manual: I was hoping someone out there could point me at the correct blue wire with the white stripe, if you get my meaning.