solar trickle charger

[ctoathkeeper]

anyone know if i can use a solar 1.5 watt charger to keep the batteries(4) charged in my m923a2. or should i just unhook cables off each battery and put each one on a charger?

 

[tbone1004]

if your output voltage is >24v the wattage output won't matter just means they'll trickle really slowly. Assuming the batteries hold a good charge on their own, 1.5w should be enough to keep them topped off. If you don't have a master disconnect that may be a good addition as well

 

[jwaller]

I bought a 12v solar trickle charger for each battery, they do a fantastic job of keeping them all perfectly fresh. Cheap insurance on the expensive batteries.

 

[dk8019]

My truck has a couple of solargizers installed right in front of the windshield. The batteries seem to stay in good shape.

 

[Dr.Jay]

There are 24 volt solar chargers available for sale in the venders forum.
http://www.steelsoldiers.com/showthread.php?102165-Military-Trucks-com/page2
post # 20

It might be more cost effective to install one 24 volt solargizer, than purchasing separate 12 volt 1.5 watt solar chargers for each battery.

 

[tobyS]

I had two solar chargers on a 5 ton and the batteries would not seem to stay up. So I took out the batteries and charged them individually. I left the solar chargers disconnected since I could not get a voltage reading and the batteries seemed to stay up. I don't know if they are now however, since I sold the truck. I was never convinced that such a small panel could or would produce above 12 volt and cannot verify that they work....at least all the time.

Unless you have a 24v charger, you will have to charge them individually. I tried leaving them connected in their original series/parallel connection (hooking to only one battery at a time) and seemed to have mixed results with at least one, not always the same one, showing a low voltage. When I disconnected the center connection, they seemed to individually charge consistently. On ones under about 10 volts, since I'm not using a charger for glass mat batteries, I hook a conventional battery in parallel until they come up. Once up, the battery charger (without the additional battery) seems to work fairly well. But I measure charge time in days now, not hours.

 

[WPNS421]

I know the feeling about low batteries, what my son did was get 2 solar panels and controllers hooked them to 2 batteries (24V) and a booster cable. What we do is plug the panels into the truckfor a day or two the batteries recharge, then we move to the next truck, so at least once a month each truck spends at least 2-3 days on the charger. Since we have started using this system no dead batteries.

 

[Rapracing]

I just picked up 2 of the Solargizer IS-24-L chargers on Ebay for $45.00 each with free shipping. Items are listed as new.

 

[chadande]

For what its worth to anybody wanting to stick a solargizer on their M923, this is how I mounted mine to keep it up in the sun as much as possible.
2 3/4" exhaust clamps fit my A2 spare tire davit perfectly. A0 trucks may be a different size.

 

[Rapracing]

Mine will be on a Mel-002 & 003

 

[jwaller]

A solargizier IS NOT A CHARGING DEVICE! It only desulfates the plates in the battery.


I use 1 solar panel per battery and I have verified with a volt meter that is does indeed put a charge on each battery even on a cloudy day.

 

[Rifleman]

Now i have to tell you right up front i live in Arizona so i have LOTS of sunshine. When i first got my truck it had what looked like new battery's but the truck had been sitting for 2 years so the battery's were low on charge. So what i did was disconnect all the battery's and i slow charged each one by itself and that took over a day to do each one. After that i installed one 24 volt solar charger panel, after that i have not had one problem with my battery's losing charge. The key for me was taking the extra time to top off each battery cell with water before charging each battery, then i installed the solar charger, this ended all of my battery and starting problems.

 

[Rapracing]

i got my chargers yesterday. I didn't actually install them yet but I sat one on top of the generator in the sun this afternoon and it had 30.7volt output. That should keep them topped off just fine.

The only concern I have is potential over charging? Does the Solargizer have a regulator that would sense the battery is fully charged and turn it off?

 

[Heat77]

I have an M35a2 and it also has a solargizer installed right in front of the windshield but it is not wired to the batteries. There are two wires hanging near the batteries and I was told that they were for the solargizer panel. does it matter which + or - I hook them too?

 

[Rifleman]

Heat77, The solar charger cables all have heat shrink labels on each cable telling which cable is positive and which cabel is negative (at least mind does) and to answer your question, yes it makes a difference which cable goes where. I still have the instruction book that came with my solar charger and if you need i can email you a copy to help you hook yours up. If you would like a copy just PM me.

 

[Rifleman]

Rapracing, my solar charger came with a control box that i mounted in the battery box compartment. Now from what i understand that control box/circuit breaker box is a controller that monitors the state of charge of your battery's, thus making sure that the charger doesn't overcharge them.