Solar battery optimiser

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MattG#116 · #1 Post by **MattG#116** » Mon Nov 10, 2014 5:57 pm

Has anyone used a solar bateery optimiser - more specifically Oxfords Solariser? Where my bike is kept i have no mains electric access but have seen the solar ones for sale at sub £30. I know the sun isnt exactly bright at the moment but the battery is a brand new gel motobatt so only need something to keep the batery topped up a little... any reviews welcome...

fatboy · #2 Post by **fatboy** » Mon Nov 10, 2014 7:32 pm

New generation solar panels dont really need bright light just light to create voltage.
I rely on a solar trickle charger, cheapo Maplins one died very quickly.
Make sure it has a blocking diode so in darkness the panel does not pull the charge back out of the battery( or reversal).
Remember that if the panel is left in daylight and not connected to a battery it will start to burn out as there is nowhere for the charge to go so cover it if dissconnected.
As you dont have mains, solar is far far better than nothing

MattG#116 · #3 Post by **MattG#116** » Mon Nov 10, 2014 7:34 pm

fatboy wrote:New generation solar panels dont really need bright light just light to create voltage.
I rely on a solar trickle charger, cheapo Maplins one died very quickly.
Make sure it has a blocking diode so in darkness the panel does not pull the charge back out of the battery( or reversal).
Remember that if the panel is left in daylight and not connected to a battery it will start to burn out as there is nowhere for the charge to go so cover it if dissconnected.
As you dont have mains, solar is far far better than nothing

thank you. So which do you use now?

fatboy · #4 Post by **fatboy** » Mon Nov 10, 2014 7:43 pm

Cant remember brand name but German 1.8 watt thing, only downside is lifting the seat to connect croc clips to battery, shop around and you may see the perfect item.

MattG#116 · #5 Post by **MattG#116** » Mon Nov 10, 2014 7:44 pm

fatboy wrote:Cant remember brand name but German 1.8 watt thing, only downside is lifting the seat to connect croc clips to battery, shop around and you may see the perfect item.

i will have a look. Cheers.

Aladinsaneuk · #6 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Mon Nov 10, 2014 8:26 pm

or perhaps graft a set of opimate style connectors for the solar charger.....

wayno · #7 Post by **wayno** » Tue Nov 11, 2014 7:47 am

I used to use an oxford one, fantastic in the summer, not enough guts in the winter. I ended up using 2 of these from maplins. The oxford one is about 1.5w max, these are 2.4w max each. I used a permanent plug from an old charger and used sets of bullet connectors so that I could swap from charging the bike to charging the car battery I used for lighting.

They have a diode so your battery won't discharge.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/solar-powered ... rger-n59fu

MattG#116 · #8 Post by **MattG#116** » Tue Nov 11, 2014 8:41 pm

wayno wrote:I used to use an oxford one, fantastic in the summer, not enough guts in the winter. I ended up using 2 of these from maplins. The oxford one is about 1.5w max, these are 2.4w max each. I used a permanent plug from an old charger and used sets of bullet connectors so that I could swap from charging the bike to charging the car battery I used for lighting.

They have a diode so your battery won't discharge.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/solar-powered ... rger-n59fu

unfortunately these omes need to be kept dry. What ever i use will be lefr in all the elements...

wayno · #9 Post by **wayno** » Wed Nov 12, 2014 8:24 am

Mine used to sit outside in the rain and snow at the foot of my garage door and they were ok for a year, in fact I still have them in my garage (but we moved and I now have power in the garage.

MattG#116 · #10 Post by **MattG#116** » Wed Nov 12, 2014 12:31 pm

wayno wrote:Mine used to sit outside in the rain and snow at the foot of my garage door and they were ok for a year, in fact I still have them in my garage (but we moved and I now have power in the garage.

That's not so bad then. there seems to be a few available.

randomsquid · #11 Post by **randomsquid** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 6:48 pm

I don't have any experience with solar chargers but I'll probably pick one up because my newish Oxford bike cover has a waterproof pocket to put one in.

Just a thought though Matt. If you have a Motobatt battery with the two sets of terminals I'd rig the charger or accessories up to the spare set to keep the best contact possible for the battery leads on the other.

MattG#116 · #12 Post by **MattG#116** » Thu Nov 13, 2014 7:17 pm

randomsquid wrote:I don't have any experience with solar chargers but I'll probably pick one up because my newish Oxford bike cover has a waterproof pocket to put one in.

Just a thought though Matt. If you have a Motobatt battery with the two sets of terminals I'd rig the charger or accessories up to the spare set to keep the best contact possible for the battery leads on the other.

good thinking