solar panel dissapointment

[quigzsolar]

Thanks for sharing this. I got the black gen2 Insight and I have been wanting to tint the windows black for appearance purposes. However, I highly recommend you look into solar window tint, maybe not as strong as a solar panel but at least the best of two worlds. It is new technology and I have not been able to find a garage that applies it to cars. My personal experience, I got a 5watt panels -no tint and see a HUGE increase in miles per gallon (tree hugger hybrid guy here, not really, I just want to save gas money!) For example, I can have the pedal to the metal all day long and get no less then 40 miles per gallon and if I be nice I get in the ball park of 65 mpg. You can check out what I am doing at my blog: ht tp:/ / quigzsolarideas.blogspot .com
P.S. Solar window tint is available -they are just not putting it on cars yet, I would pay for that!

[3dplane]

Originally Posted by gabi

so.... i bought a pair of solar panels 5 watts each to install in my car,back window
the problem is that i have tinted windows 75%, and i knew i wont get the rated power,but i'm berely getting about 1 watt from each panel....and thats at high noon ,perpendicular exposure to the sun
thats at load,when they are hooked to the battery
at no load i get a little better, about 2.25 watts out of each

You can not measure wattage without load. Only open voltage which is meaningless by it self.

While the panel is connected to a battery, measure voltage,then disconnect to hook meter in line in the circuit to measure amps if you only have one meter.
(V x A = W )
So maybe you are getting closer to rated then you think at this point : )

[Joenavy85]

Originally Posted by 3dplane

You can not measure wattage without load. Only open voltage which is meaningless by it self.

open circuit voltage x short circuit current = panel rating. that is how they get the rating for the panels

[bandit86]

If the battery is full you will not see any more current out of the panels, if you put a 12v load Or dead battery on you might see more, see what I'm trying to say here. You 12v panel might put out 14v bu once your battery gets to that voltage it zannot accept more current. Connect a car light bulb a d measure current again