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Solar panel mod for Hybrid Maverick?

Adeveda

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Exactly. I drive 16 miles a day. 8 miles generated would cut my energy needs in half but they are already low. How much would the weight of the solar (and cd if it isn't absolutely flush) counter the gains I'd get from using it? In my case, it makes more sense to have the solar on the house and charge from there since I park in my garage when not at work. That way, I'd get 7 days of solar and I can arrange the cells to be in their ideal angle to the sun.
This is definitely a great option if you don't live in an area choked to death by power monopolies and lobbying. I've lived in places where rooftop home solar panels were banned by city/county ordinance and/or by the state law. Either because of existing public private partnerships with the power company or because some pearl-clutcher on the city council thought they were "unsightly."

I guess a car-based solar backup may still have a role for situations where you''re low/out of gas in the country. Even it does nothing more than keep the AC going while you wait for AAA.
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TyPope

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This is definitely a great option if you don't live in an area choked to death by power monopolies and lobbying. I've lived in places where rooftop home solar panels were banned by city/county ordinance and/or by the state law. Either because of existing public private partnerships with the power company or because some pearl-clutcher on the city council thought they were "unsightly."

I guess a car-based solar backup may still have a role for situations where you''re low/out of gas in the country. Even it does nothing more than keep the AC going while you wait for AAA.
...or maybe it'll keep the batteries charged while it's parked at the airport.
 

Decayed

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Depends on what they actually need to power and a reasonably expectation of downtime is. Just need to power a few critical items for a day? Or like some people sizing generator capacity apparently as soon as the power goes out they feel the need to do all of the laundry, cook out on their electric range, blast the A/C, and watch TV from the comfort of their jacuzzi.
Oh no this article made it sound like you could power your entire house off a solar generator AND completely recharge it in one day off the solar panel. The author was one of these 27 year old know nothings that writes things because it feels good.

Charge phones, run a laptop? No problem. Lights, fan, fridge? Not even close. And you will have to choose between charging and discharging the battery pack during sunlight hours.

Battery packs are great and definitely have a place but there are people who think you can power the world on good intentions and unicorn farts.
 

MakinDoForNow

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the 12 v outlets time out.
Yes they do but the outlets are not the only thing connected to the 12 v battery. Think of Ford pass app communication. The "my fob is approaching activate the door lock circuit for when the handle is pulled. What is temperature of HV battery? Will I need to turn on elec auxillary heat for hvb "coolant"? Etc, etc. I would prefer that the bms send a text/email/Ford pass "12v battery low = truck needs starting within 1 (2/3?) Hours or I will deep sleep".
 

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Dad

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Further, trickle charging is healthier for the longevity of a battery.
I agree with using the trickle charger rather than the solar option. I'm fortunate enough to be able to keep my Maverick in the garage, so solar is a nope. Also, the trickle charger is a lot less hassle.
 

garryjohnson

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Clubs
 
You should look up some videos on the Aptera Electric Car, which has solar panels. They talk about why most hybrid cars don't have solar panels. Very interesting. You would not get 10-20 miles a day but more like 1-2 miles a day (I think). You have to have a super light car that is very aerodynamic and be covered in solar to get 10-20 miles a day from solar. I probably have some of those numbers wrong. But the youtube videos were very interesting.
Link for Aptera: https://aptera.us/vehicle/
I believe that with all of the solar panels, you can get up to 40 miles a day depending on where you live (depends on amount of sunshine). Both plug-in and solar is probably one of the best EV solutions I have seen. Of course it is not a family car as it seems to only seat two. Would make a great commuter second car. I'm seriously thinking about investing and reserving one. Click on the reserve button to see the options available.
 

gte105u

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Battery packs are great and definitely have a place but there are people who think you can power the world on good intentions and unicorn farts.
Ford Maverick Solar panel mod for Hybrid Maverick? ofh6xbe8xv271
 

Greg_in_GA

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What would the downsides or risks be?

One big problem is that it would almost certainly void the warranty on your car.

Another is that most likely when you park the car your battery will likely be almost fully charged anyway so you could not gain much. It isn't like you are dealing with an electric car or a plug in hybrid.

That said they do make solar trickle charges for RVs that sit for months without being started. I think some of these just go on the dashboard after you park the RV but I know little about them.
 

Timbersaw

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Adding a solar panel to your Hybrid Maverick's 12v battery is an interesting idea. It could potentially help maintain the battery's charge, especially if you use accessories while the vehicle is off. Mounting the hardware securely and using magnets to prevent sliding sounds like a practical approach.
To get more insights and professional advice, you might want to reach out to experts in solar panels. For example, you can explore options from solar panels dublin. They could provide you with valuable information and guidance to make an informed decision. Good luck with your project!
 
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Montauk

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It’s about $. As far as solar HV charging, It’s hard to justify spending $1,000 to properly install a system that gets you $1 worth of charging on a good day. A few manufacturers offer panels in roofs but it’s usually to power a vent fan. Solar efficiency has plateaued. 1KW per sq meter is about it. 1 kWh costs from 7 to 27 cents depending on where you live.

Apteras get measurable mileage out of their panels because the cars are as light as golf carts and slip through the air like a wing.

I’ve thought about adding a flexible panel to a trifold bed cover for trickle charging to patch the deep sleep issue but it would be cheaper to replace the oem battery with a good one and reset the bms.

Again, not a bad idea if done safely but it’s only worth it if it’s done for the personal satisfaction.
 

Tech Tye

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I have solar on my 23 hybrid. It’s only for the 12 volt battery tho as I have strobe lights running and it almost will keep the battery fully charged while they are running. I mounted a BOUGE RV CIG panel to the roof using 3M black hi bond tape. Was going to mount it to the BAK cover , but was too stiff to roll up with it. Been thru plenty of car washes with no issues. I had to snap off the rear corner roof rail and epoxy it back to make room for the wires. The channel is hollow until it gets about an inch away from the corner. I’m using a BOUGE RV solar control to do the charging. The CIG panel is super thin and flexible. Doesn’t care which way it points either. Can also be partially shaded with minimum effect. Getting around 7 amps out on a summer day , less during the winter. Also had to upgrade my 12 volt battery to an optima yellow top DH5. This all started with the deep sleep and couldn’t run my strobes over 10 minutes before the battery choked. I do have battery protect circuit so I don’t kill the battery with my lights running. The DH5 fixed my deep sleep and I can run the strobes all day without issues.

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