12v 4watt solar panel

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DEFENDER90-DAZ

DEFENDER90-DAZ

New Member
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Location
Scotland - Houston
Hi my mrs has bought me a 12v 4watt solar panel to use in my landrover to keep the battery topped up when its not being used.
The solar charger came from maplins and has a cig plug connection and croc clip connectors. Think its designed to be plugged in the cig lighter and charge the battery that way BUT i think the cig plug only becomes live when the ignition is on???
If it is how can i wire it up so i can place the panel on the dash??? :doh:

Cheers
Daz
 
DISCOVERY1-DAZ said:
Hi my mrs has bought me a 12v 4watt solar panel to use in my landrover to keep the battery topped up when its not being used.
The solar charger came from maplins and has a cig plug connection and croc clip connectors. Think its designed to be plugged in the cig lighter and charge the battery that way BUT i think the cig plug only becomes live when the ignition is on???
If it is how can i wire it up so i can place the panel on the dash??? :doh:

Cheers
Daz
Click to expand...

use the croc clips :doh:
 
As MHM says.
But what I'd do is, cut them clips off extend the wire and route it out of the way and connect it directly to the battery and mount the panel on the roof.
What type of panel is it?
I have actually work with small scale solar arrays and know a micron about wiring up a small array.
One other question, do you get enough sun in scatland to make it work?:lol:
 
Yep could use the croc clips and put the panel on the bonnet and it will probably stay there for an hour before the local scum pinch it! :doh:

I'll check the cig lighter isn't switched before i consider other options, thanks for the sensible replies :D

Daz
 
I think you have a perm live for the courtesy light. Wire it up to that, running wires up the A-post. Then you got no visible wiring and permanent connection
 
cigar lighter socket is not live without ignition on as i found out when my phone was still flat after leaving it pluged in for a few hours
 
I fited a second cigar lighter socket into the rear of the car (In the Centre Console) for the kids DVD player and games consoles etc., this is permantley feed from the Battery.

If you did thgis you could then plug in the panel as well as having a useful permant live feed
 
I have one of these panels on my van and on my Africa Twin motorbike and they work really well, but you must not run the engine while they are connected (according to the instructions). Obviously not a problem on a bike, but with my van I wired an additional cigarette socket (via a fuse) straight to the battery with a switch on it and this works perfectly. All components were bought from Maplins.
Is it just my local store (isle of Wight) or are these the most helpful staff anywhere?? :)
 
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