| Author |
 Topic Search  Topic Options
|
BigGuy1000 
Bronze Level
Joined: 06 Dec 2013
Location: NWIL
Points: 126
|
 Post Options
 Thanks(0)
 Quote  Reply
 Topic: 6V SOLAR battery Maintainer
Posted: 05 Nov 2017 at 12:21pm |
I have found these two items (solar battery maintainer)for my WD(6v, with cutout, in a bldg with no plugin power) to keep the battery in good condition!!! It will take awhile to find out how well it works!!! The first item is the solar panel, must be used with the second item which is the maintainer. AND from a US company(but made in China!)
|
 |
|
Sponsored Links
|
|
|
jaybmiller
Orange Level Access
Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Greensville,Ont
Points: 24336
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 05 Nov 2017 at 12:35pm |
Well I can't make the charger unit for the $13 they want, if I bought new parts...the microcontroller and PWM is silly easy for me, done that for 3 decades..sigh, 1/2 my life, great now I'm depressed, thanks......sniff, sniff I keep buying 'stuff' from www.banggood.com as I can't build for their prices....great deals on all kinds of LEDS, even them old 'Edison' types but with LEDs in them.
|
|
3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
|
|
mdm1
Orange Level
Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Onalaska, WI
Points: 2665
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 05 Nov 2017 at 12:44pm |
|
let us know how it works as I have been looking for something.
|
|
Everything is impossible until someone does it! WD45-trip loader 1947 c w/woods belly mower, 1939 B, #3 sickle mower 1944 B, 2 1948 G's. Misc other equipment that my wife calls JUNK!
|
|
tadams(OH)
Orange Level Access
Joined: 17 Sep 2009
Location: Jeromesville, O
Points: 10609
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 05 Nov 2017 at 12:49pm |
I have a couple of 12 volt unit that I have bought from Menards that work good, I just keep moving them around to keep my batteries charged up.
|
|
DougS
Orange Level
Joined: 03 Nov 2011
Location: Iowa
Points: 2490
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 05 Nov 2017 at 4:44pm |
|
I've used larger ones for river gauges in my old job. 12 volts, but 6 volts should work equally well with a good 6 volt controller. In Ohio you want to aim it 60 degrees up from horizontal and facing south. It should do a good job.
Edited by DougS - 05 Nov 2017 at 4:46pm
|
|
Steve in NJ
Orange Level Access
Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Andover, NJ
Points: 11925
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 05 Nov 2017 at 7:16pm |
|
We've been using solar chargers on our trailers to keep the breakaway Batteries charged up. They work great. I would imagine the 6V version would work just as good...
Steve@B&B
|
|
39'RC, 43'WC, 48'B, 49'G, 50'WF, 65 Big 10, 67'B-110, 75'716H, 2-620's, & a Motorhead wife
|
|
polarbear
Silver Level
Joined: 05 Jul 2016
Location: addieville il
Points: 331
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 06 Nov 2017 at 2:40pm |
|
got mine from NAPA for 12 or 6 volt charges to full charge and then goes to maintain mode has a digital read out tells you what percentage the battery is charging and tells you it is maintaining
|
|
BigGuy1000
Bronze Level
Joined: 06 Dec 2013
Location: NWIL
Points: 126
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 09 Jan 2018 at 12:07pm |
I have run this 6V solar battery maintainer for several months now including recent cold weather. It works quite well, helps my battery problem a lot(search post on 6V WD Pertronix). It is not a charger, will not charge a dead battery, but adds charge only as needed to maintain a charge, to make up for normal leakage and storage loss while the tractor is parked. Recommended!!!
|
|
DiyDave
Orange Level Access
Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Gambrills, MD
Points: 53254
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 09 Jan 2018 at 6:39pm |
6 volt panel offn a solar powered fence charger will work too. Many people throw away the whole fencer, when the battery or connections go bad... 
|
|
mdm1
Orange Level
Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Onalaska, WI
Points: 2665
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 10 Jan 2018 at 6:10am |
|
Could you use a 6v charger from a game feeder? I do have a couple maybe I should try them.
|
|
Everything is impossible until someone does it! WD45-trip loader 1947 c w/woods belly mower, 1939 B, #3 sickle mower 1944 B, 2 1948 G's. Misc other equipment that my wife calls JUNK!
|
|
jaybmiller
Orange Level Access
Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Greensville,Ont
Points: 24336
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 10 Jan 2018 at 6:22am |
|
yes... though I don't know the specs. A 6v battery is a 6 v battery, a 6v charger is a 6v charger...'generally' speaking.
There is a HUGE difference in 'charger' vs 'maintainer'. A charger WILL recharge a low battery,well should... a maintainer will simply 'top up' a fully charged battery
Jay
|
|
3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
|
|
SteveC(NS)
Orange Level
Joined: 12 Oct 2009
Location: Nova Scotia
Points: 663
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 10 Jan 2018 at 7:14am |
|
Coincidently, I heard a seemingly knowledgeable car mechanic suggesting a solar
charger/maintainer that you set on the dashboard and plug into your car's cigarette lighter socket.
I checked with mine and confirmed that the cigarette lighter goes dead when the ignition is off!
Could be a bit disappointing for anyone who follows that advice!
|
|
jaybmiller
Orange Level Access
Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Greensville,Ont
Points: 24336
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 10 Jan 2018 at 7:24am |
 yeah.. 'cigarette' plugs turn off, 'power' plugs MIGHT stay live.... BUT you ALWAYS have to check.... Jay
|
|
3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
|
|
CTuckerNWIL
Orange Level
Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: NW Illinois
Points: 22824
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 10 Jan 2018 at 8:29am |
I have a 12 V solar panel. I never leave it on because it puts out 14 V and there is no "maintainer" circuitry. I wish I knew how to rig it so it work as a maintainer. I'm sure it can be done. My 12volt maintainer is a real handy thing to have around. I have had several batteries that would have just been replaced a few years ago, and now seem to work fine, once they set on the maintainer for a couple days. Last spring I had to take a 6 V battery out of one tractor and bring it with me to the WC to run the 12V maintainer on it for a few days. Maybe I need to find a 6V maintainer
Edited by CTuckerNWIL - 10 Jan 2018 at 8:30am
|
|
|
|
Gerald J.
Orange Level
Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Hamilton Co, IA
Points: 5636
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 10 Jan 2018 at 8:33am |
|
They do make battery charge controllers for unregulated solar panels.
Gerald J.
|
|
jaybmiller
Orange Level Access
Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Greensville,Ont
Points: 24336
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 10 Jan 2018 at 8:48am |
|
CT
The easy way is to put a diode in series..from +solar out -->|--- +battery
The diode drops(use up) .6 volt, so...
14v solar -.6v diode gives you 13.4 for your battery
Almost any silicon diode will do, say 50V, 1A, or better
Jay
|
|
3 D-14s,A-C forklift, B-112
Kubota BX23S lil' TOOT( The Other Orange Tractor)
Never burn your bridges, unless you can walk on water
|
|
DougS
Orange Level
Joined: 03 Nov 2011
Location: Iowa
Points: 2490
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 10 Jan 2018 at 10:41am |
|
I’ve used a jillion solar charge controllers on remote river gauges. They do an excellent job of regulating charge voltage and the ones I used automatically switched to the float mode. An additional benefit is your circuits are fused. Ever see what a battery with a thousand amps of discharge capacity does when something shorts out? It aint pretty.
|
|
mdm1
Orange Level
Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Onalaska, WI
Points: 2665
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 10 Jan 2018 at 4:21pm |
|
You can get a charge controller pretty cheap.
|
|
Everything is impossible until someone does it! WD45-trip loader 1947 c w/woods belly mower, 1939 B, #3 sickle mower 1944 B, 2 1948 G's. Misc other equipment that my wife calls JUNK!
|
|
Gerald J.
Orange Level
Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Hamilton Co, IA
Points: 5636
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 10 Jan 2018 at 9:15pm |
|
A 12 volt starting battery generally needs 14.200 volts for a full charge. Any more leads to overcharging and loss of water from the electrolyte. That is if the battery is at 68F. Warmer or colder the voltage can be a tiny bit higher.
Gerald J.
|
|
BigGuy1000
Bronze Level
Joined: 06 Dec 2013
Location: NWIL
Points: 126
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 26 Jan 2018 at 2:45pm |
Some of the above posters want to use 6volt (from a fencer) or 12 volt solar panels which you already have or can get, to make a 6V maintainer cheaply. Note that when not connected to a load, socalled 6v panels will produce about 7 to 11 volts in full sun and "12volt" panels will produce 15 to 22 volts in full sun. Connect 2 of the 6v solar panels in series (+panel---------+panel-) to make one 12v panel. The maintainer below will not work with only one 6v panel. Get this 6V battery maintainer: and this cable with clamps to connect it to the battery: Plug them together, cut off the plug from the maintainer leaving as much wire as possible, about 2 inches, connect, using your own wire, direct to the solar panel, not to a solar controller. Put the solar panel in a good sunny location, prefer south side of bldg, tilted down about 30 degrees from horizontal. Connect positive (check panel with a meter to find which is positive) wire from solar to the red wire of maintainer, negative to black. Connect the clamp cable to a 6 volt battery, you are good to go! For those who wish to connect a 12 volt solar maintainer to a car, get the 12 volt version of the above, and if the cig. lighter has no power when the key is off, you can also get a cig. lighter adapter which will connect to the OBD connector under the dash and will be live when key is off. Green led on the maintainer lights up when OK! CTucker, I live in your area of IL, I will PM you for contact info.
|
|
shameless dude
Orange Level
Joined: 10 Apr 2017
Location: east NE
Points: 13607
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 26 Jan 2018 at 11:10pm |
|
I bought a 12V solar battery charger from HF several years ago. had the chance to use it one day, I left the 180D out in the pasture one day and forgot to turn off the fender mount radio. then discovered it when I went back to it a couple days later! I put the panel on the hood (tarp strapped it on so wind wouldn't slide it off) and hooked it up. no lights or guage to tell if it was working or not. went back a day later and the tractor started good! so now I know that thing works. just slow as the panel isn't very big. dunno if it would work for 6V, but it should, any thing you can put into any battery should work i'd think! it wasn't very expensive.
|
|
DougS
Orange Level
Joined: 03 Nov 2011
Location: Iowa
Points: 2490
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 27 Jan 2018 at 3:36am |
Just remember that you want a maintainer, not a charger. A charger putting out 7.1 volts will boil the battery, if left on continuously. You want to set it for about 6.75 volts, the typical float voltage. Yes, those few tenths of a volt will matter.
|
|
Dusty MI
Orange Level
Joined: 13 Sep 2009
Location: Charlotte, Mi
Points: 5058
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 27 Jan 2018 at 8:08am |
 jaybmiller wrote:
CT
The easy way is to put a diode in series..from +solar out -->|--- +battery
The diode drops(use up) .6 volt, so...
14v solar -.6v diode gives you 13.4 for your battery
Almost any silicon diode will do, say 50V, 1A, or better
Jay
|
Many years ago I bought solar panel, about 12" x 36", to use on our motor home when camping without electric. I found that it was more bother than worth. But with all the electronics in chassis the engine battery will run down in a few weeks, when not in use. So I put the solar panel in the garage south window, and hooked it to the engine battery, I did add a diode to it. This worked well, kept the battery charged.
Dusty
|
|
917 H, '48 G, '65 D-10 series III "Allis Express"
|
|
Dusty MI
Orange Level
Joined: 13 Sep 2009
Location: Charlotte, Mi
Points: 5058
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 27 Jan 2018 at 8:21am |
Steve in NJ wrote:
We've been using solar chargers on our trailers to keep the breakaway Batteries charged up. They work great. I would imagine the 6V version would work just as good...
Steve@B&B
|
Getting side tracked a little. I had a trailed with break away break brakes with 12v battery, looked about like a 6v lantern battery. The brake system worked fine, and the battery never needed charging. Years later I bought a new 20' trailer trailer with break away brakes. This new one the battery would run down when not in use. So I now unplug when not in use. Are all of them that way now ?
Dusty
|
|
917 H, '48 G, '65 D-10 series III "Allis Express"
|
|
BigGuy1000
Bronze Level
Joined: 06 Dec 2013
Location: NWIL
Points: 126
|
Post Options
Thanks(0)
Quote Reply
Posted: 03 Apr 2018 at 11:25am |
Get this 6V battery maintainer:SORRY, My post above has a bad link for the cable!!! Below are the corrected links for solar cell and cable. Still working fine!!!
and this cable with clamps to connect it to the battery: Plug them together, cut off the plug from the maintainer leaving as much wire as possible, about 2 inches, connect, using your own wire, direct to the solarpanel, not to a solar controller.
|
|
