Solar panel for battery maintainer

[Limeymav]

Anyone use a solar panel to keep their battery charged up , i only drive it about every 8 or 9 days

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[InfoSports]

I haven't done that with my Maverick but I have seen many people with RVs doing that when they have them in storage.

 

[MAVRICK]

Anyone use a solar panel to keep their battery charged up , i only drive it about every 8 or 9 days

So, this is something on my list of items to prototype on the HYBRID ... the idea is to have the solar panel (see below pic & Amazon link) somehow attached (it would be great if it was already built-in) to the hard tonneau cover panel closer to the back of the truck cab and then feed the charging cables to the 12V battery through the existing cabin pressure release vents in back of the rear seat. For now, it would have to be a removable panel so that it wouldn't get damaged if a tonneau cover panel was folded on top of it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JLWFPX6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[bill67]

Use it on RV and mav. RV mechanic recommended staying at 2 watts or under.

 

[gzmn5m]

I do. Got stuff from Amazon. Never get the message that system is shutting things off to retain battery anymore. Works great.

OBD2 to Cigarette Lighter Female Connecter Vechile Car Constant Power Cable 16AWG Safely with 15A Fuse https://a.co/d/gESuYl0

Battery Tender 5 Watt Solar Panel 12V Battery Charger with Charge Controller - IP67 Weatherproof - Windshield Mountable for Motorcycles, Cars, SUVs and Campers - 021-1171 https://a.co/d/gwlp2JM

 

[Ozarkbeard]

I used a solar one for a while on my F-150 I owned for many years. It kept the battery charged, but failed way too early to recommend one.

On my last vehicle, a Subaru, I bought a NOCO Genius 2 maintainer and it worked well on the Subie and now, my '23 Maverick Hybrid. You can get them at walmart & amazon.

Battery maintainers usually seem to increase battery lifetime quite a bit, at least in my experience with flooded lead-acid batteries. Can't comment on AGM batteries.

 

[The Real Maverick]

Two things:

You need a solar panel specifically designed to recharge 12v batteries. You cannot use "any ol' solar cells" you find.

Regular solar cells can act as a load and DRAIN your battery when in the dark. Regular solar cells won't automatically shut off and can over-charge your battery.

Second: I tried this. I have one. It looked good in the photos but does not lay flat. It has and electronics battery management box connected to the back side (I mean, where else would they put it?) but I wish it was detachable. You'll need a control box of some sort too- hopefully separate from the panel. I also wanted to "velcro" it to my hard top. But it's not flat on the back.

Lemme see if I can find a photo.

About the size of a dinner mat.

Hard but flexible and waterproof.
But had this unfortunate box on the back.

 

[Benilla]

I just use a regular battery charger that I plug into the wall. I just leave it overnight and its all charged up by morning, cost like $30

 

[ndmiller]

Just get an optimate battery maintainer. You can get 30ft leads with multiple attachment points. Put a pigtail on the battery and plug in to let it do its thing. Used on Motorcycles for over a decade and Porsche for about 5 years.

 

[Abeldanger]

I got a free-to-me 25W motorcycle solar battery maintainer and some rubberized magnetic mounts (like the type you use to put lights on a roof temporarily) - was thinking about putting some clear acrylic over the solar panel to protect it from falling objects (acorns where I park the truck), magnetically clamping it to the roof, and just letting it soak up some free energy to keep my XLT Ecoboost topped off. Question for those more in the know, though: can I add charge to the system through the 12V power rails in the back of the bed (negative off the maintainer to frame ground), the pair that have little covers over them close to the tailgate? Since there's that big exposed hole under the driver's side rear quarter panel was thinking about running a cable from the panel under the bed to there rather than trying to snake it forward to the battery terminals.

 

[Randy C]

I do. Got stuff from Amazon. Never get the message that system is shutting things off to retain battery anymore. Works great.

OBD2 to Cigarette Lighter Female Connecter Vechile Car Constant Power Cable 16AWG Safely with 15A Fuse https://a.co/d/gESuYl0

Battery Tender 5 Watt Solar Panel 12V Battery Charger with Charge Controller - IP67 Weatherproof - Windshield Mountable for Motorcycles, Cars, SUVs and Campers - 021-1171 https://a.co/d/gwlp2JM

How is your solar Battery Tender set up working out? Any issues arisen? Do you keep it inside on the windshield? I just ordered one...

 

[gzmn5m]

Works great. No issues. Haven't gotten the message since I started using it. Cords are very long so you can really put it anywhere. I keep it inside the windshield, sitting on the top of the dash

 

[inline_five]

How is your solar Battery Tender set up working out? Any issues arisen? Do you keep it inside on the windshield? I just ordered one...

FWIW I purchased a 35w 12v maintainer from Amazon for around $30 and use it on my airport car. Car sits for 3-5 days in the summer and winter where it gets below freezing at night. So far so good. Have been using one for many years but just recently upgraded to the 35w panel. It's got a BMS on it so it will not overcharge the battery, I believe it stops around 12.9v.

The bigger the better because the windshield stops 99% UV light and you won't be able to orient it directly into the sun all the time (south is best).

I've thought of rigging one up on the Maverick using one of the bed bolt holes in back, but so far don't have a need. Any car that sits outside would benefit from them, it greatly extends the lifespan of the battery.

 

[Rogue]

So, this is something on my list of items to prototype on the HYBRID ... the idea is to have the solar panel (see below pic & Amazon link) somehow attached (it would be great if it was already built-in) to the hard tonneau cover panel closer to the back of the truck cab and then feed the charging cables to the 12V battery through the existing cabin pressure release vents in back of the rear seat. For now, it would have to be a removable panel so that it wouldn't get damaged if a tonneau cover panel was folded on top of it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JLWFPX6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Mavrick, Did you ever get and set up this solar charger? If so, how did you set it up and how is it working for you?

 

[Lasourme]

I’ve had a smooth experience getting solar panels through them, especially because they help with both the tech side and the financing. The mix of good brands and solid support made it easier for me to plan my setup without second‑guessing every choice. If you’re trying to sort out a reliable option without jumping through hoops, their setup made the whole process feel a lot less stressful.

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