Solar for golf cart to extend range of batteries
 

Hello. Has somebody installed a solar panel on top of an electric golf cart, to extend the range of existing batteries? I’m interested on getting the solar roof or the bolt-on solar but wanted to know if anyone here has experience with it. Thank you, -myk

One thing to remember, golf carts are top heavy (high center of gravity), and adding the additional weight on the roof may not be a good idea, please investigate carefully.

Hello. Thank you for the reminder. I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you.. -myk.

I think this is the same reason cars don't have them-- you need a bunch to make a real dent in the needs of an electric vehicle. They sell some as a trickle charger.. which works great. Doubt you will see any range maybe power a small fan with rooftop solar.

Not enough bang for the buck. Fine if you want to park in the sun and wait quite a while for a top-up. Not efficient enough to significantly extend your range while cart is in use.

I plan on doing this. My calculations show I would get about 4-5 miles gain per hour in bright sun. My cart has a AC motor (30% more efficient) and 180AHR lithium batteries so my range is already over 70 miles confirmed. Adding solar would reduce my charge time as well as other benefits. Panels are getting more efficient and cheaper...

Just saying.

I had sent you the private message earlier about Jimbo of Nova Filtration. Were you able to reach him and can you let us know what info he was able to provide? This is his avatar, he's a proponent of solar golf carts.

https://www.talkofthevillages.com/fo...tar30431_5.gif

I am not sure how that could be possible. If you assume a 300 watt (nominal) panel, the most you could possibly realize in an hour would be 300 watt-hours of energy, and generally less. Are you suggesting that you are only consuming about 60 watt-hours of energy per mile? I believe your cart is consuming more like 150-200 watt-hours of energy per mile. Also, the charging is not 100% efficient. I believe a better estimate is about 1 mile per hour. Given that the cost of charing your battery from home is about 2 cents per mile and you have more range then you can reasonably use in a day, I am not sure what the motivation is.

Ohiobuckeye
 

There’s a guy in the village of Charlotte that has a solar panel on his golf cart but I don’t think I should be giving his name out. Go to the Village of Charlotte mail boxes & post a message with your phone # or someway of contacting you & I’m sure he’ll contact you, he’s a super nice guy. Sorry I can’t give out his name without permission!

^^^ this is why it isn't "a thing" ^^^, unfortunately.

Been doing solar carts for 7 years, mine has never been plugged in, I tested mine to 70 miles.

Installed several over the years, but it was an up hill battle convincing people how well it worked.

My focus is in Nova water filters now and don't have time to do solar install/retrofits.

I have about 5 systems that if someone wanted to install one I will sell out right and explain how mount and wire up.

Thank you. I will try to contact him.

I built his

Hi Jimbo. How much is it and cost for showing me how to install it. Thanks. -myk

The panel (Tier 1) is 265 watts and the charge controller I sell for $575 along with the time to detail the install

Bob

Solar for golf carts
 

If you have an e-golf cart and the typical acid/lead batteries, you probably shouldn't use a solar panel on your cart. It takes to a lot of energy to charge those 4, 6, or 8 deep cell batteries and the trickle from the solar panel wouldn't be measurable. It would be better to install a switch to totally disconnect the batteries when not using for a hour or more. I have noticed that on my Tomberlin e-cart, that when I turn the switch off the batters bounce back and maintain a charge longer. For some reason, the cart uses energy even when at rest.

Yes, I was able to reach Jimbo. Thank you very much. -myk

Does it take days of charging before that 70 mile drive or how does that work? I honestly didn't think there was that much energy in a few square feet of solar panels....but I would like to be wrong!

the energy is in battery bank not the panel.

Also the point of going that far was a test, in real life you might go 25-35 miles in one day

Beyond that any cart will get uncomfortable sitting in that long

Thnx sanibel40. I am aware that my e-golf cart power gauge goes up after I switch off for awhile. Example, if it was at 90%, then I switch off for 30 minutes, the power gauge goes back to 100%. But I also noticed after that 2nd time switch off switch on, the power goes down faster. Therefore, I think the idea of power “bounce back” is misleading which is why I wanted a solar to EXTEND the charge or the range of the batteries. After all, it is almost always sunny in The Villages, and the e-golfcart is almost always outside. Have you actually tried measuring how long it will take trickle down charge from solar to the batteries? Anyway, I will give it a shot with the help of jimbo who was in this thread. One of my super power is to do something that said it cannot be done.. although obviously jimbo had done it. I will let y’all know the result. Thank you, -myk

Respectfully you are incorrect:ohdear:

The most I’ve traveled via my golfcar was about 35-40 miles: Drove from Pine Ridge to Palmer Legend, played 18 holes driving my golfcar, drove back home to eat lunch. Then drove the golfcar to Cane Garden & played another 18, then drove back home. That’s with a passenger with his golf bag/clubs too. When done, the battery gauge is at 24%. Most likely the longest I will be driving the golfcar in a day although I still wanted to drive to Brownwood Square that evening which would’ve added another 12 miles round-trip. As I’ve been saying all along, I just want the solar panel to extend the range of the batteries; not as a replacement nor to charge fulltime. Thank you, -myk

I installed a system last year. Flexible unit, taped it to the top (dbl stick 3M) ran the wires to the charger box (comes with the unit). The max output is 100 watts which isn't a lot but if you park in the sun for several hours you will notice a change, although I can't qualify the amount.
Easy install. Worst is removing the top. I put mine on a Club car Precedent

Hi Ezridermd. Thank you for the info. Question: Caught my eye when you said “if you PARK in the sun...”, does that mean the solar aren’t charging the batteries while the golfcar is running? I apologize if that’s a stupid question. I know zero regarding solar panels which is why I post the original thread in the first place. Also what golfcar and type of batteries do you have? Thank you, -myk

Flex panels are not that efficient I think they lose 30-40% so 100 watt is about 60.

As you drive (in the sun) the volt meter increases, showing a charge, driving under say a tree the meter decreases indicating decrease from the bank.

I drove from Brownwood to Spanish Springs and back and see this happening all along the way.

I use a real glass panel

Your charger is 1750 watts to charge a set of batteries to full charge. Ive never seen a solar panel that can fit on the roof of a golf cart that is 1750 watts.

Whatever the wattage is for a solar panel, that is in perfect setting, so decrease its rating by at least 20 percent, then take into account that your not getting full effect of the sun all day long even here in florida. They have charts for the whole country as far as what you can really expect to see with the use of a solar panel as far as charging anything.

So I agree, take any solar panel and take 40 percent right off the top as far as what you are really going to get. Is it going to charge a golf cart to a full charge? The answer is no, as there is not enough "push" to full charge a deep cycle battery. Solar for golf cars has been around since the mid 1980's, so its nothing new. It still doesn't work as some say it should.

Kenny, I speak from experience first hand please don't mis state facts,

they work great the loss on good panels is 17%, and yes it will fully charge a bank with no problem.

It's 40% on flex.

THere's plenty new for those with an open mind

The actual numbers are as follows:

Assume a 6x8volt Trojan battery pack: total energy of the pack is 8.16 kWh. The number would be higher for a 8x6volt configuration. You can use the actual energy capacity of your pack if it is different.

Assume a 300 watt nominal solar panel: the average energy per day that the panel can generate if the cart is left outside all day unshaded would be about 1.2 kWh. This is essentially the integral under the solar curve for an average day in Florida. In the summer, it would be higher, in the winter it would be lower. For a lower rated panel the number would be less.

Therefore, you could take an essentially empty battery pack to full charge in about 7 days ignoring charger inefficiencies and if the cart was left idle and outside all day. Another way to look at it is you can gain, on average, 6-8 miles of range per day if you left the cart outside all day. Or, if you are only driving the cart 6-8 miles per day and you left it outside all day then you may not need to ever plug it in (energy in equals energy out) if you started with a fully charged battery pack. Of course, the cost of plugging the cart in if you are driving 6 miles per day is only 12 cents per day. And there is the rub; for the cost of a solar panel you can drive 6 miles per day for 14 years plugging in at home using SECO.

265 watts at noon on a perfectly sunny day at the equator

A 265 watt panel at our latitude here in TV would generate about 230 watts at noon on a perfectly sunny day mid-spring and mid fall. At the peak of winter that value drops to 160 watts because the sun is at 53 degrees from perpendicular. Cloudy days kill these values. Obviously, these numbers diminish to zero before and after noontime as you approach sunset/sunrise. Additionally, most commercial photo-voltaic cells lose between 1% and 2% efficiency per year so put that into your calculation as well.

Gotta love all the armchair experts!!!!

Doesn't work that way in real time use, fact is never plugged in for 7 years,
an undisputed fact so take your calculations.......

A typical 48 volt battery powered golf cart has 8 6 volt batteries, each with a usable energy of about 200 Ahrs (amp hours). That is 1600 Ahrs total which is good for say 80 miles maximum distance (being generous here). A solar panel (today's technology) is about 16 square feet, about the same area as a golf cart roof, and realistically can produce about 45 Ahrs per day under the best sunny conditions. That equates to about 2.1 miles.

Rather then debate this with people having no practical experience I'll no longer comment.

The end result of all of the solar panel talk on a golf car is, "its not worth it"

Ohiobuckeye
 

Sorry that I could just give his name maybe if you go out there & see someone outside, I’m positive they would know him he’s a very popular guy in Charlotte. Good luck!

Yup, tough to argue with physics. Unless you badly want that extra two miles, this is not a worthwhile investment.

Yeah, cheap Nuclear/NatGas/Coal power kinda sucks the fun out of solar panels. But if you add in the "Cool" factor of a golf cart as a "perpetual motion machine", it makes solar costs, um, seem worth it. :) $600 for 200W system...Eh.

The new Kia Optima Hybrid has an optional solar panel roof that can extend the range 4 miles per day. $1100 option for perhaps 1000 solar-power miles per year in Florida. For what TVGC wants for a gussied-up Yamaha, the Kia seems reasonable :)

Let’s Drive the ALL NEW 2021 Kia Optima with Solar Roof. Is it better than Hyundai Sonata Hybrid? - YouTube

Solar mats
 

I have a solar flexible mat I added to my cart , it is easy to wire in and depending on roof style easy to attach , it claims to add 25% to battery life and does help reduce carbon footprint , they are in process of upgrading their product to generate a larger input for the cart

Hi Garwood1; Can the solar charge the batteries while you’re driving the cart, or does the cart has to be powered off for the solar to charge the batteries? Thank you, -myk

Here is the 180W ENERVOLT system with their Nexus Charge Controller for lead-acid cells. It will be lithium capable in the future. It is programmable via Bluetooth and smartphone app.

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