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Old 03-16-2023, 07:30 AM   #1
Ldom
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Default Solar panel on 36V golf cart

I wanted to put a single 12V 100W solar panel on my 36V golf cart, would something like this work okay for that?

Currently it has 6x6V lead acid batteries but when it's time to change I wanted to go for Lifepo4 batteries, i saw an offer for 3x 12V 100Ah Lifepo4 batteries in series.
Would a solar panel and MPPT work the same with lead acid batteries and lifepo4 where every 12V battery have a built in BMS?
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Old 03-16-2023, 08:24 AM   #2
augiedoggy
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Default Re: Solar panel on 36V golf cart

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Originally Posted by Ldom View Post
I wanted to put a single 12V 100W solar panel on my 36V golf cart, would something like this work okay for that?

Currently it has 6x6V lead acid batteries but when it's time to change I wanted to go for Lifepo4 batteries, i saw an offer for 3x 12V 100Ah Lifepo4 batteries in series.
Would a solar panel and MPPT work the same with lead acid batteries and lifepo4 where every 12V battery have a built in BMS?
my advice is to put as many watts as you can fit up there. you have many inexpensive options these days. I looked on the facebook classified and found a 42v 360w 44x68 solar panel which literally IS my roof and it charged my 36v pack with over 8 amps with this cheap boost mppt charge controller (which was only $40 5 months ago) https://www.ebay.com/itm/39361827450...3ABFBMgqqzqd1h

anyway I got the panel for $90 used as a display. and there are lots of these commercial panels being replaced with newer more powerful ones off peoples homes for sale used CHEAP.

You can also use those flexible solar strips some are using. theses more than a few you tube videos on this to check out as well.

With those 12v rv batteries you will have to constantly rebalance them manually by charging them individually or you will loose capacity. and they wont be good with any aftermarket motor or a high amp controller since they likely have as little as a 50-75amp discharge rate. this means even hitting the pedal to hard too fast on flat ground could cause the bms to trip the safety and shut off the battery current. keep this in mind. I would look for batteries that advertise at least 100amp output with higher momentary peak ratings. multiple batteries in parallel increase these ratings. Series wiring does not it only increases voltage.
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Old 03-16-2023, 08:43 AM   #3
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Default Re: Solar panel on 36V golf cart

[QUOTE=Ldom;1931886]I wanted to put a single 12V 100W solar panel on my 36V golf cart, would something like this work okay for that?




You can do it but to what end? If you are thinking that it would act as some extra range and as a maintainer when not using the cart the money is not going to be very well spent.
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Old 03-16-2023, 09:15 AM   #4
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Default Re: Solar panel on 36V golf cart

So in my case Its to keep my cart topped off and charged to prolong life and reduce maintenance. I will be using mine at a campground and it will see short runs with lots of idle time in the sun. 8amps is also decent charging current to extend the range over the course of the day. But thats 360w not 100.. Ive seen some use 300w with great success on farms and such.
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Old 03-16-2023, 09:18 AM   #5
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Default Re: Solar panel on 36V golf cart

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Originally Posted by augiedoggy View Post
So in my case Its to keep my cart topped off and charged to prolong life and reduce maintenance. I will be using mine at a campground and it will see short runs with lots of idle time in the sun. 8amps is also decent charging current to extend the range over the course of the day.
Big assumption that you will always be parked in the sun and the sun will have perfect production though. If you had the materials laying around from another project it maybe makes sense. Just my option that the $ would be better spent else where of course.
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Old 03-16-2023, 09:21 AM   #6
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Default Re: Solar panel on 36V golf cart

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Big assumption that you will always be parked in the sun and the sun will have perfect production though. If you had the materials laying around from another project it maybe makes sense. Just my option that the $ would be better spent else where of course.
I made those same assumptions when converting my camper to solar back in 2012 and my house in 2020 and have been enjoying the benefits ever since so in my case it was worth the risk, if anything for the fun and experience in doing it.

The great thing with mppt is, it can take whatever voltage and amps its given and make the most of it. if even 3 of the 7 days its sitting on my campsite are somewhat sunny, it will have that battery fully topped off come the weekend for me. and according to the math, every hour it sits in the sun does in fact extend my range a decent amount. certainly enough to reset my bms and get me home if it ever drops below threshold.

People told me putting solar panels on my house in NY would never pay off too... I used to average $120-140 a month in electric bills prior to it.
My bills have only been the min mandatory connection fee of $18 since I put them on my roof 3 years ago. and now my monthly usage would be $160 or more a month. I have since installed central air which runs all summer and it powers my hot tub and reef tank....
I financed the whole thing and my loan payments are $120 a month so I'm already ahead. in 8 years when its completely paid off and electric cars and appliances are so common that the cost of electric has doubled, I'll be even further ahead. If I was allowed to install myself in my area I would have cut that loan in half.
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Old 03-16-2023, 09:32 AM   #7
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Default Re: Solar panel on 36V golf cart

I too have solar on my house in Minnesota. Has been nice, covers all my usage in the summer and then some. 8.2kw system.

Winter months it does next to nothing because I am surrounded by tall pines and the winter sun does not get high enough in the sky in Dec-Jan to generate diddly.

Paid cash for my project and installed it all myself with the help of a buddy so my ROI is just paying myself back.




Quote:
Originally Posted by augiedoggy View Post
I made those same assumptions when converting my camper to solar back in 2012 and my house in 2020 and have been enjoying the benefits ever since so in my case it was worth the risk, if anything for the fun and experience in doing it.

The great thing with mppt is, it can take whatever voltage and amps its given and make the most of it. if even 3 of the 7 days its sitting on my campsite are somewhat sunny, it will have that battery fully topped off come the weekend for me. and according to the math, every hour it sits in the sun does in fact extend my range a decent amount. certainly enough to reset my bms and get me home if it ever drops below threshold.

People told me putting solar panels on my house in NY would never pay off too... I used to average $120-140 a month in electric bills prior to it.
My bills have only been the min mandatory connection fee of $18 since I put them on my roof 3 years ago. and now my monthly usage would be $160 or more a month. I have since installed central air which runs all summer and it powers my hot tub and reef tank....
I financed the whole thing and my loan payments are $120 a month so I'm already ahead. in 8 years when its completely paid off and electric cars and appliances are so common that the cost of electric has doubled, I'll be even further ahead.
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Old 03-16-2023, 09:34 AM   #8
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Default Re: Solar panel on 36V golf cart

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I too have solar on my house in Minnesota. Has been nice, covers all my usage in the summer and then some. 8.2kw system.
I have a 11.5kw setup which makes enough excess in the summer to carry me through the winter. So far my meters been in the negative since day 1. and thats with the addition of the AC I mentioned above in my edit. I wish they would have let me install but I was forced to use one of the state authorized companies with thier 150% markups which brought it up to 30 grand.. the state did give me half that back in tax incentives though. I also had 2 new services installed since I own a duplex.
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Old 03-16-2023, 09:38 AM   #9
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Default Re: Solar panel on 36V golf cart

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Originally Posted by augiedoggy View Post
I have a 11.5kw setup which makes enough excess in the summer to carry me through the winter. So far my meters been in the negative since day 1. and thats with the addition of the AC I mentioned above in my edit. I wish they would have let me install but I was forced to use one of the state authorized companies with thier 150% markups which brought it up to 30 grand.. the state did give me half that back in tax incentives though.
My system started out that size but ended up trimming off 10 panels because they would not fit on the roof of the garage at my new house. System is on its 2nd home.

The 10 panels that didn't get used were the payment to my buddy for helping me install the system twice and uninstall it once lol.
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Old 03-16-2023, 09:40 AM   #10
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Default Re: Solar panel on 36V golf cart

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Originally Posted by jasonojordan View Post
My system started out that size but ended up trimming off 10 panels because they would not fit on the roof of the garage at my new house. System is on its 2nd home.

The 10 panels that didn't get used were the payment to my buddy for helping me install the system twice and uninstall it once lol.
Nice.. I have 6 panels sitting against my garage I received as payment from a buddy like that lol... they will either join the other 6 panels on my garage or go on my future hunting cabin.
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