Quote:
Originally Posted by JSH
I was speaking about a manufacturer adding solar to a new car. That is where it can be added in the most cost efficient manner and most effective manner.
(You would likely need to change the programing of how the car uses the hybrid battery. If you are charging with solar you want the draw down the battery before you park so that the solar can then charge the battery. If the battery is topped off when you park the solar does nothing.)
I can't imagine retrofitting solar to an existing car would ever cost-justify. You would need solar panels at retail price plus a charge controller capable of converting low voltage / low amperage electricity from the solar panel to high voltage needed to charge the hybrid battery. It would likely be cheaper and simpler to just disconnect the 12V battery from the DC - DC converter and charge the 12V only on solar. People here on ecomodder do something similar by removing the alternator and charging their 12v battery from their house.
However, I expect the real gains will be minimal - much less than the factory designed system in the Hyundai Sonata.
Again, if you have $500 to use on energy efficiency there is likely someplace else in your life where that money can be used more effectively and save more energy.
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Getting high voltage isn't too hard. You just need enough PV cells in series. Of course that would drive up the size of the solar panel(s) unless you use smaller PV cells or cut bigger ones into smaller ones.
If you know how, you can drive in a way that uses more battery so you end up at your destination without much charge.
The hardest part would be to get it to not over charge. I understand the principles of electronics but making a +250V charger controller is a bit out of my league.
I do think for my family that if we put that $500-$1,000 towards some sort of enclosed (for weather) pedal powered family vehicle would be much more effective in the long run than PV, as long as the pedal powered vehicle isn't much more than that.