solar charging through 12v socket

acer · Nov 30, 2014

A VW dealer recently told me that you can charge your battery through your cigarette lighter socket using a small solar panel mounted on your dash. I thought this might allow me to listen to the radio when camped up for a few days.
Does this sound like a good plan?
Any recommendations on which system to get and how to buy it?

Freeley · Nov 30, 2014

Have you considered getting your stereo rewired to your leisure battery instead as in the other thread?
Probably cheaper and no faffing about with plugging solar panels in and out.

T5WOB · Nov 30, 2014

been useing a solar panel plug in the front this year . as i had problems with not starting after a camping weekend park up i do have a electric side door .not had any probs so far

Ricotansky · Dec 1, 2014

This sounds interesting for when not using the van for a while, does it only charge the engine battery, or the leisure batteries too?

Is there a solar panel that anyone would recommend. I might put it on my Christmas list!

acer · Dec 1, 2014

T5WOB said:
been useing a solar panel plug in the front this year . as i had problems with not starting after a camping weekend park up i do have a electric side door .not had any probs so far

Sounds really good.
Can you let us know which you are using? And, where you got it from? It just plugs straight into the cigarette lighter, yes? I suppose you could use the same thing to trickle charge the leisure batteries too.

campandfly · Dec 1, 2014

I would go with something that is at least 4.3watts. The more the better.

The smaller cheaper ones are ok with plenty of sun to just help maintain your battery.

If you want to top up or charge you will need at least 4.3 watts and plenty of sunshine.

For about £50 quid you can get a waterproof one which is handy for mounting on the dash or outside without worrying about showers.

If the sunshine is strong all day and your starter battery is full it may help to top up the leisure batteries a bit. If the starter battery is not full it is unlikely it will make any difference to your leisure batteries.

In short
less than 4.3watts will help maintain a battery when not in use. (unless its blazing sunshine 8 hours a day for a week)
4.3watts and up, will help maintain and top up batteries slowly and if you are laid up for a couple of days on site will certainly help. I will be using one of these.

Again a lot will depend on the age and how depleted the batteries are and how strong the sun is and how long it shines on your panel, moving it around helps.

Hope that helps a bit.

After that you are looking at bigger roof mounted panels or fancy fold out jobs.

T5WOB · Dec 1, 2014

got my one from halfords about £40 .i think .i leave it plug in when parked at home to ,

acer · Dec 2, 2014

Thanks for the information and recommendations. Sounds like that Halfords one at 6v should do the trick. Re-wiring the radio to the leisure battery might be something to try after warranty expiry.

nezzler · Dec 5, 2014

Hi all,

Is this just via the dashboard 12v socket or can you 'target' the leisure batteries by using the 12v socket on the kitchen unit?

Thanks

calikev · Dec 5, 2014

I don't see a reason that it wouldn't work using the rear 12v sockets to charge the leisure batteries :thumb

acer · Dec 5, 2014

nezzler said:
Hi all,

Is this just via the dashboard 12v socket or can you 'target' the leisure batteries by using the 12v socket on the kitchen unit?

Thanks

I was hoping that if the solar panel was plugged-in to the front 12v socket and the starter battery became full, the power would then divert to then charge the leisure batteries too (by dint of the VW magic relay or osmotic flux capacitor thingy

).

briwy · Dec 5, 2014

Hate to be a killjoy but the manual states no items generating electricity must be plugged into the 12v sockets. Why I can't imagine unless there is some chance of it causing a problem with the rather complex electronics.
Our solar panel (100w) on the roof is wired via a control unit direct into the battery under the cupboard and has been fine so far.
BTW a 4.3W panel won't do a lot, at best in full sunlight it's only going to produce about a third of an amp. Our 100w panel just about keeps the fridge and few lights going.

campandfly · Dec 5, 2014

My solar panel came with Croc clips, so I suppose it would be ok to attach it directly to the Starter Battery and bypass the cigarette socket.

Agree 4.3watts does not do much even in good conditions. Mine is almost double that and it took over a week to top up a partially discharged battery.

snowy55 · Dec 5, 2014

briwy said:
Hate to be a killjoy but the manual states no items generating electricity must be plugged into the 12v sockets. Why I can't imagine unless there is some chance of it causing a problem with the rather complex electronics.
Our solar panel (100w) on the roof is wired via a control unit direct into the battery under the cupboard and has been fine so far.
BTW a 4.3W panel won't do a lot, at best in full sunlight it's only going to produce about a third of an amp. Our 100w panel just about keeps the fridge and few lights going.

The original poster was told by a Vw dealer that charging via lighter socket was okay. Don't ya love Vw and their dealers :censor

campandfly · Dec 5, 2014

Any Auto Electricians here on the forum :help

lynnos · Dec 7, 2014

Hello,
Yes, the hand book does say "no charging devices to be put into the 12v socket, page 188 in mine. The socket is not live without the ignition on so back charging there would not work. The problem with solar is to have an effective controller so that voltages do not get above 14-14.2. Unregulated they can get to 17/18v and do possible damage and dry batteries out. Clipping directly to the battery would be the safest but still need a controller. I had a Stecca controller on my boat and it worked very well.

WelshGas · Dec 7, 2014

All the 12v sockets on my 2015MY California SE are live without the ignition ON.

AlanC · Dec 7, 2014

So are mine on our 2010MY SE, including the one in the dashboard drinks tray.

Alan

lynnos · Dec 7, 2014

Hello,
My apologies, despite my hand book saying that the dash socket is only on with the ignition on, I have just been out there with the multimeter and yes mine is on also. My van is a 2011 Crewvan that we camp in.

Sp0_0k · Mar 25, 2019

lynnos said:
Hello,
Yes, the hand book does say "no charging devices to be put into the 12v socket, page 188 in mine. The socket is not live without the ignition on so back charging there would not work. The problem with solar is to have an effective controller so that voltages do not get above 14-14.2. Unregulated they can get to 17/18v and do possible damage and dry batteries out. Clipping directly to the battery would be the safest but still need a controller. I had a Stecca controller on my boat and it worked very well.

Does anybody have a wiring diagram for the sockets? Mostly interested in leisure battery ones.
Want to figure out why they warn regarding the current flow into sockets.

Loz · Mar 25, 2019

Sp0_0k said:
Does anybody have a wiring diagram for the sockets? Mostly interested in leisure battery ones.
Want to figure out why they warn regarding the current flow into sockets.

Holy thread resurrection batman!
Camper electrics are in the VIP download area.

As I have explained before, you CAN trickle charge through the 12V sockets on the cali because they are permanently live.
Generally on cars you cannot because they are only live with the ignition on and back feeding would cause you to liven up circuits that are supposed to be off.

campandfly · Mar 25, 2019

WelshGas said:
All the 12v sockets on my 2015MY California SE are live without the ignition ON.

Ditto all mine are live with ignition OFF.
I have a very small solar panel which can produce 500milliamps max and have been too worried about plugging it into the cigarette lighter socket to trickle charge or maintain the starter battery.

I believe the size is 7.5 watts and the Solar Panel manual says that a controller is not necessary when charging a vehicle battery. Not being an electrician type. Should I worry about plugging it into the lighter socket???

Loz · Mar 25, 2019

campandfly · Mar 25, 2019

Loz said:
View attachment 42697

Hi Loz
That panel is similar in size to mine.
Is it about 7-10 watts and did you plug it directly into the cigarette lighter type socket with no regulator??

jts46 · Mar 25, 2019

My panel is also that size but i have fitted a regulator on mine

solar charging through 12v socket

acer

Freeley

T5WOB

Ricotansky

acer

campandfly

.....

T5WOB

acer

nezzler

calikev

Administrator

acer

briwy

campandfly

.....

snowy55

campandfly

.....

lynnos

WelshGas

Retired after 42 yrs and enjoying Life.

AlanC

Traveling

lynnos

Sp0_0k

Loz

campandfly

.....

Loz

campandfly

.....

jts46

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