Video: Solar Charging my E-bike Battery

[Drew]

This past year I've been using a portable solar system to charge the battery in my camper trailer. I recently upgraded the solar panels with an eye towards charging my E-bike battery as well. This an impromptu video of the system in use for the first time.

Solar Charging E-bike - First Test

Correction to the video: The voltage displayed on the Solar Controller display is the output voltage (to the battery), not the input voltage (from the panels).

Equipment I am using (links go to Amazon product pages):

(2x) Renogy 100 Watts 12 Volts Monocrystalline Solar Panel (RNG-100D) (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
Sunix 20A 12V/24V Solar Charge Controller (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)
Samlex Solar PST-300-12 PST Series Pure Sine Wave Inverter: (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

 

[Alex M]

If it were not Bosch battery, I would've bought MPPT controller that does 36V and charged battery directly. But, with trailer system already in place, the inverter route, although lossy, is often the easiest.

 

[Drew]

If it were not Bosch battery, I would've bought MPPT controller that does 36V and charged battery directly.

Interesting idea and my initial research into MPPT boost controllers has me thinking such a system could easily charge a 36V or 48V bike battery with only one 100W solar panel.

But as you've noted, what with my 12V house battery, the inverter approach is more practical.

 

[Boatinbear]

Just wondering if you had any updates on your system? Still working OK? Have you ever measured the amount of current the charger is drawing on the 120v side? Thx for sharing.

 

[SunnyLandEbiker]

I've been eyeing those MPPT solar chargers recently myself. I live in Florida, going solar is a no brainer! I have seen the fact that it only takes about ten cents ($.10!) to charge an average ebike battery brought up elsewhere, it's not the point! At least not for me.

For about $200 I can put together a 200 watt solar charger.I plan to do it this summer. I was thinking with three batteries and the solar charger mounted on a trailer,I could cover the state of Florida!!