Lol, what you guys think about this? Solar Panels?

[steve]

+1 chuttered

 

[strokin4dr]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif

 

[boostedinaz]

So ummm yeah. Good job. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

[dmj]

Just when I thought I had seen every mod /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/dunno.gif

 

[RedTwo]

It's a pretty cool idea and it definitely does not look like a hack job! Are they permanent mounts or temporary ie: do you leave them on when you drive?

It *could* have a little bit more time applied to make it less obvious (mount flush with boot lid or paint the car black /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif)
I imagine the windscreen(s) and roof get more sun that the other parts of the car but at least one of those locations wouldn't work /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif

 

[Nabeel]

Save some wight & keep a JUMPER CABLE in trunk instead.

 

[alansupra94]

Quoting steve:
+1 chuttered



Lol I will make sure I rev my engine so I chutter up the whole area.

 

[alansupra94]

Quoting Nabeel:
Save some wight & keep a JUMPER CABLE in trunk instead.



Pretty sure jumper cables are heavier than those panels. I have a set of jumper cables in my garage. Also how does that solve my issue of keeping my battery alive and prevent it from draining, thus killing itself?

The trunk still gets a good deal of sunlight. Also even in indirect sunlight, the panels generate power but usually at 70% maximum which is still fine. They are mounted with 8 stainless steel bolts, nuts and lock washers. I didn't really want to mount it flush with the trunk surface either because it would require tons of cutting and time to get just right. Not to mention a good way of sealing. Also painting my car black wasn't an option /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif.

I get the feeling the drain is probably from the improper removal of the ABS and A/C. Reason I am not tackling it now is I don't have the time. I do have all the parts sitting in the garage. Also there probably is a chance that might not even be my small leak thus wasting more time looking for this really slow leak. I guess you can call it a bandaid but I look at it as a large saver of time for a very small problem.

 

[Terry Posten]

Maybe I missed it but what are you going to do if you store your car in a garage or under a carport/car cover?

Your battery is not going to charge and all you have done is for nothing.

I would rather have a dead battery than have a sun baked paint/interior.

For $25 you can get a battery quick disconnect and if your AEM loses it's memory if you disconnect the battery, you should have went with an ECMLink instead. Something that has non-volatile memory.

 

[alansupra94]

Well it is not going in the garage. I would probably put a car cover with a a small clear plastic part to let sunlight in. I had ECMLink and didn't like it. Plus AEM gives me flexibility to run that VGT setup I want to use.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif

I do see this is bit unpractical but functional /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif

 

[Andy_S]

Quoting alansupra94:

Also Andy_S you would need alot more solar panels to power an engine.



I know that. It just seems you've solved a problem that never really was a problem to begin with.

 

[alansupra94]

*shrug* I guess so

 

[turbowop]

I prefer wind turbines mounted on the roof.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/uhh.gif

 

[AnotherNewb]

^ /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif

 

[stealthtt24]

Personally, I think it would be cooler if it was operating something. Like a waffle maker or a sybian.

 

[alansupra94]

Wouldn't make much sense to do that when I could have the battery operate it and have the solar panel handle it.

I do have a power inverter that I will be installing soon as well. I guess I could test how well it could tailgate using some electronics for this upcoming football season.

I will have to see what I can do about a wind turbine /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif

 

[spooling92vr4]

Quoting alansupra94:
Quoting Barnes:
You should have bought something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Wagan-2017-Solar-Battery-Charger/dp/B000VHT9GS

Intead of chuttering up your trunk.



Chuttering? You mean cutting? or cluttering? Either way I looked at empty space and only required 8 small holes. Worst case, I would just get another truck and remount the VR4 wing. Thats a pretty cool thing though.

Quoting JB:
Why not just unhook the battery when you're away at school?



Problem is that the AEM will lose the tune. Don't get me wrong, I can always upload it but AEM tends to be fickle and I don't want to give it a reason to crap out.

Also Andy_S you would need alot more solar panels to power an engine.




first off you dont know what your talking about, I had my car with a pc680 disconected for years, and first gen AEM.. never lost a tune with it. you may be thinking of the very first dsmlink where you had to constantly keep power to the ecu with one of those cig lighter battery things.

 

[alansupra94]

*shrug* I guess I don't. I turned on my car and my tune wasn't correct and another time it wasn't there at all. Maybe it has something to do with my serial cable adapter?

 

[JNR]

I like the concept, but to look clean the top of solar panel should be flush or slightly below the top of trunk; that means, hacking away on an oem trunk. That presents sealing design issues though, for water, but can be done.

I wouldn't call it hack, but do call it crude looking. Idea is solid, but to do it right, see above.


Another thing I would use it for is a fan to circulate air in the interior, but that would be a direct wiring (so if you can dedicate certain cell rows (?)) and only with the sun is out, to avoid battery consumption.

 

[alansupra94]

Thanks for the idea JNR.

Yeah for it to sit flush, I would have to do some serious hacking and pray I won't have sealing issues. Right now, not a drop of water gets into my trunk.

Maybe in the future I will pick up a scrap bumper and see what I can do.