Solar charging question

Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic

   No, it's my bad, furpod is correct, I will also want to charge the 2 gc house batteries, but not at the same time as the radrover battery. 

Author	Message Share Topic Printable Version Google Delicious Digg StumbleUpon Windows Live Yahoo Bookmarks reddit Facebook MySpace Newsvine Furl Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic
Motor7 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 09 Jan 2019 Location: E. TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 196	Topic: Solar charging question Posted: 12 Feb 2019 at 7:00pm
	No, it's my bad, furpod is correct, I will also want to charge the 2 gc house batteries, but not at the same time as the radrover battery.
	2016 R-Pod 176T

furpod Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group - pHp Joined: 25 Jul 2011 Location: Central KY Online Status: Offline Posts: 6128	Posted: 12 Feb 2019 at 6:41pm
	My bad.. since he is stating he is boondocking, I did in fact assume he would need to charge his batteries.

Tars Tarkas Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 14 Jan 2013 Location: Near Nashville Online Status: Offline Posts: 1454	Posted: 12 Feb 2019 at 6:40pm
	I just got a RadRover a few months ago. Love it! I haven't boondocked yet with the bike but I plan on using an inverter. Rad Power Bikes seems very specific on warranty issues related to their batteries. The batteries last a long time. Depending on how you ride, a charge will last all day. They do seem to take for ever to charge though, and of course, while you have plenty of time to charge overnight, that doesn't work too well vis a vis solar power. Unless you charge your Pod battery and use an inverter to charge the bikes overnight. TT
	2010 176 FJ Cruiser

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 12 Feb 2019 at 6:33pm
	Motor7 asked if he can get solar modules that can charge his bikes, not that he wanted to also use the same modules for charging his rPod batteries. Motor7, can you provide us with your overall goals for your solar installation? That device is not a transformer. a transformer is an AC device. It is a dc/dc converter. It is not a Li Ion charge controller, they are two different things. To properly charge LiIon batteries, you need a charge controller designed to do that function.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

furpod Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group - pHp Joined: 25 Jul 2011 Location: Central KY Online Status: Offline Posts: 6128	Posted: 12 Feb 2019 at 5:45pm
	But then, can he charge his camper batteries? Seems easiest to me to set up for charging the camper batteries which he needs to do anyways, at 12v, then add a $20 transformer...

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Posted: 12 Feb 2019 at 5:41pm
	Yes you can charge the bike batteries directly from solar modules. Unless you buy 2, 24V modules to get to 48V (which would be spendy) by connecting them in series you will need a charge controller that boosts the module voltage. Like one of these maybe: http://genasun.com/products-store/mppt-solar-charge-controllers/mppt-for-lithium-batteries/ Be sure to get a controller that's compatible with your bike's battery cell chemistry, which appears to be LiNiMnCoO2. Lithium batteries are fussy about max charging voltage, you do not want to ever overcharge them. If you want to be able to recharge the bikes over the course of a sunny day I'd suggest about 200 watts of modules. You could get 2, 12V modules and put them in series and get a 24 to 48V boost charge controller, or get a 12V to 48V boost controller and put the modules in series.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

furpod Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Moderator Group - pHp Joined: 25 Jul 2011 Location: Central KY Online Status: Offline Posts: 6128	Posted: 12 Feb 2019 at 5:26pm
	You can't charge a 48v battery with 12v. You will either need to use an inverter and the charging power supply, or 12v to 48v step up transformer. Solar panels are usually a 19v native voltage if I recall.

Motor7 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 09 Jan 2019 Location: E. TN Online Status: Offline Posts: 196	Posted: 12 Feb 2019 at 4:30pm
	I just bought two RadRover E-bikes. The battery packs are 48V 14Ah (672Wh) with Lithium NCA 18650 Samsung 35E Cells, Rated for 800 Charge Cycles. The charger that comes with the bikes is just a 48V 2 Amp "smart charger" which takes 5-6 hours to completely charge a battery pack. Here is my question...we will be boondocking on out trip out west this spring. I want to be able to charge these battery's using two solar panels that I have not bought yet. Can I direct charge them to speed up the re-charge time? Going thru an inverter, then plugging the smart charger to that seems like a waste of available charging voltage/amps. Am I thinking right, or is this even possible? Oh, and I am still learning, but on the MH I installed a 2 panel 435 watt solar system with a Bogart charge controller and monitor and it all worked as it should to charge the 2 GC house batteries.
	2016 R-Pod 176T