12v to 6v drop
mdm
cabin. I have upgraded to a much larger system. My question is-I have
a 6v tractor that we will be using on occasion and want to hook the
small system to it to keep the battery charged up. I will be
converting the tractor to 12v at some time so I don't wish to spend
alot on a voltage drop. Is this possibe? Thanks for any help. Mike
Norman Webb
the 6v tractor circuit. The second battery wouldn't have to be too flash.
Just so long as it passed some current to trickle charge the good battery.
mdm wrote in message
<8c10c36c-a780-4696...@25g2000hsx.googlegroups.com>...
Eric Sears
wrote:
As I understand it, you say you have a 45w (12v) panel which you wish
to use to charge a 6v tractor battery?
You could just attach it straight to the battery - it will still only
put in about 3 amps (as it might have done to a 12v battery).
The only problem, if you leave it connected, is that you will
gradually electrolyse the electrolyte; and will need to keep adding
water.
Presumably, because this is a cabin, you are not there to
connect/disconnect the panel easily, and obtaining a 6v regulator
would probably not be easy. A simple 6v regulator could be built if
you are handly with a soldering iron.
Alternatively, you could limit the current into the battery by putting
a bulb (perhaps a 12v, 5 watt tail lamp bulb) in series. which would
put in maybe a bit less than half an amp. This would greatly reduce
the electrolysis, but should be sufficient to maintain the battery.
For those occasions when you are there and want to "boost" the
battery, you would just short the bulb.
Best wishes
Eric Sears in cool and sunny Nelson, New Zealand.
bea...@gmail.com
Does this panel have a junction box on it or just two wires coming out
the back?
Junction box - Many panels are in fact two panels in series, i.e. they
can be rewired in the junction box to produce 6V.
Solar Flare
"mdm" <mdmil...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:8c10c36c-a780-4696...@25g2000hsx.googlegroups.com...
mdm
What I have is an inexpensive 3 15w panel kit. I have just wires
coming out of each panel combined together on a strip.
mdm
> Can you get a 6v heated dipstick and put in series?
>
>
> news:8c10c36c-a780-4696...@25g2000hsx.googlegroups.com...
>
>
>
> >I have a small 45w 12v system that I am no longer going to use at my
> > cabin. I have upgraded to a much larger system. My question is-I have
> > a 6v tractor that we will be using on occasion and want to hook the
> > small system to it to keep the battery charged up. I will be
> > converting the tractor to 12v at some time so I don't wish to spend
>
> - Show quoted text -
I don't know if one is available.
mdm
What if I just used one 15w panel? My new system is going to have 225a
6v batteries for my bank so it need be I could just swipe one of those
to jump the tractor.
Solar Flare
battery. May keep the damp out of your oil.
"mdm" <mdmil...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:bfad78c6-5333-44b2...@26g2000hsk.googlegroups.com...
spaco
just sitting there. Several months between "charges" won't reduce it's
life materially. I have ten vehicle batteries that get trickle charged
twice each winter for a day or two and that works fine.
So, I recommend that you just hook your 45 watt panel up to the
battery for a day or two whenever you are visiting the cabin, unhook
when you leave and let it go at that.
If those panels are the HF $200 kit kind, they won't ever put out
more that about 2.2 amps no matter what the battery voltage is, from a
dead short up to about 14.5 volts.
If you think 2.2 amps (in full sun) is too much (I don't), then yes,
go with just one or two panels.
Pete Stanaitis
-------------------
mdm
>
> - Show quoted text -
That is the the 200 one that I have. Good way for me to learn. I thank
everyone for all their help and suggestions.