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SmartNoob Hi! (ED solar charging)

2K views 7 replies 7 participants last post by  NCC1701 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi everyone, I'm not a SmartCar Noob just a SCOA noob. I've had a smart since 2012 eh maybe 2011 and have converted to the all-electric and have been with it came out a year or so ago and never looking back.

Immediately I do have one major question that has been driving me and everyone else that knows I drive a smart nuts!

Solar Charging. To greatly reduce the amount of researching and explanations, I've worked with solar panels, controllers, understand most power terminology, etc. but I have yet to figure out a way to solar charge my smart car (safely). Whether it's just to add a single mile when it's in direct sunlight for a full week or just to at least trickle charge, something has to work.

I understand the square footage vs paneling issue which is why I use portable foldable rollable solar panels for many electronics.

There's the solar cube from Wagan and a new model which I love but does that suffice? I know the American SmartElectric 2014 demands a 15 Amp connection through 120v AKA "american plug" and I do have a 25 Amp cable for power extension safety conditions. I wouldn't have a problem storing the solar cube in my smart "trunk" either as long as it wasn't too tall to begin blocking the rubber window in the back.

I'm assuming there are 100's of solar posts on this forum as I've already found a few but I can't read them all to find out what I'm looking for, that might take days O_O

Also, long story short. I signed up earlier on this forum as a colleague of mine accidentally left my car lights on with the car unfortunately parked. When you do this, not only does the car battery die, so does the 17.6 non-industry grade kWh lithium ion battery. So he went digging all the way through the floor to access the 12v and charged it bare naked with a 12v charging station he went out and bought which took nearly a full day plugged into a 120v! I just found StealthLink® Smart which may have alleviated all that havoc to get the car to move ten feet to a charging station but maybe that was the only way.

Thoughts?
 
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#4 ·
Solar Charging. To greatly reduce the amount of researching and explanations, I've worked with solar panels, controllers, understand most power terminology, etc. but I have yet to figure out a way to solar charge my smart car (safely). Whether it's just to add a single mile when it's in direct sunlight for a full week or just to at least trickle charge, something has to work.

There's the solar cube from Wagan and a new model which I love but does that suffice? maybe that was the only way.

Thoughts?
Welcome to SCoA.

Unfortunately like battery pack technology, EV solar solutions without deep (think Musk/Tesla) pockets are in need of some quantum leaps in technology. Currently, without a significant array footprint solar is not yet ready for EV prime time.

Your example of the $1,000 Wagan Solar e Cube weighing in at 85 pounds falls short of ED's appetite. That doesn't stop you from buying it from HD and trying it with a 30-day return option?

Now if you have $40,000 in mad money lying around, the EV ARC (16kWh per day) by Envision Solar might fit your needs?

http://envisionsolar.com/ev-arc/
 
#5 ·
The best option (at the moment) for solar charging any electric vehicle is to put solar panels on the ROOF of your house, garage, or both?
When tied into your local grid, your normal house meter will run backwards for a good part of the day (when nobody is home and current draw is minimal).

Then, when you get home and plug in, you end up charging for FREE?
 
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