Solar Powered QFC MkII?

[orenda635]

I'm just wondering if this is possible. I saw a 2.2 watt solar panel on sale for $30. It's meant for keeping car batteries topped up.

If I replaced the 12v automotive socket with some connectors, could I use it to run my Hobbico Quick Field Charger MkII? I'm using the charger to charge 1100mAh NiMH batteries.

This is the panel I'm talking about. The 2.2 Watt one.
http://www.canadiantire.ca/assortments/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=84552444328 1870&FOLDER%3C%3EbrowsePath=2534374303517494&FOLDER%3C%3EbrowsePath=2534374303517530&FOLDER%3C%3EbrowsePath=1408474396670123&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=1408474396670123&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=1408474396670271&bmUID=1122169677297

[Comatose]

Not really. If you assume that your charger is 75% efficient, that leaves you with 1.65W of power to charge the batteries with. If its an 8 cell pack, then you would only be able to charge at about 130 milliamps. So an 8 to 9 hour charge.

A 15W panel (or 7 of these guys in parallel, but that's more expensive) would let you do a 1 hour charge. If the sun is out at good intensity.

[orenda635]

Not really. If you assume that your charger is 75% efficient, that leaves you with 1.65W of power to charge the batteries with. If its an 8 cell pack, then you would only be able to charge at about 130 milliamps. So an 8 to 9 hour charge.

A 15W panel (or 7 of these guys in parallel, but that's more expensive) would let you do a 1 hour charge. If the sun is out at good intensity.

Too bad then. I was hopeing I could go fly my electric all day. Perhaps I'll just get a big lawnmowed battery instead. A 15w panel costs $140 which is too much.

[grimreaper]

you can get the solar pannel and use it with a quick charger....you gat a 12v gell cell battery, solar pannel and quick charger....wire the solar pannel & battery in series with the quick charger. the solar pannel keeps the battery charged while your at the flying field all day long.....i use this setup on my charger for charging both my radio & receiver packs at the same time....the quick charger i use is a hobbico mk2. if you go to harbor tools or home diy store you can get the solar pannel for about 30-40$

[intheswamp]

you can get the solar pannel and use it with a quick charger....you gat a 12v gell cell battery, solar pannel and quick charger....wire the solar pannel & battery in series with the quick charger. the solar pannel keeps the battery charged while your at the flying field all day long.....i use this setup on my charger for charging both my radio & receiver packs at the same time....the quick charger i use is a hobbico mk2. if you go to harbor tools or home diy store you can get the solar pannel for about 30-40$

Wire them in series??? Hmmm, standard procedure as I understand it is to wire the battery/panel parallel and the load in parallel...basically drawing amps from the battery while the panel charges the battery. A good panel can put out 16v-17v (maybe 18v?) easily in full sun. The battery acts as the "regulator" for the circuit as well as for energy storage.

orenda635, you really need a much larger panel than this. To run a charger straight off of a panel you're really talking in the 100w+ size range(~6.5amp output). A smaller panel in conjunction with a good battery would work since you would be replenishing energy to the battery in between uses...it would still need a sizeable panel, though.. There are really few situations that pv panels are using in stand-alone use, the only one I think of at the moment is for pumping water from a well. In most all other instances a battery is involved in the system where the idea is to store energy. The small panel that you mentioned is basically a trickle charger intended for charging a battery that might be sitting static for a while...to keep the clock, phathom loads, etc., from discharging the battery over a period of time such as an auto sitting in the parking lot of an airport for an extended length of time.

Now if you took the charger out of the system and went direct to the battery from the panel that's another story, and as comatose stated, you'd still be looking at a lengthy charge time (and no regulation, but this is done with larger batteries in some situations). Even with a panel big enough to operate your charger you still need a battery in the system for the regulation.

Ed
Intheswamp

[grimreaper]

on my reply i made a mistake......wiring in parellel not in series....thanks Ed for catching that