12 volt Power Source for Field Charging

[JimD]

We attend a lot of three to five day events and may fly 5-8 hours per day. Most all of the fields do not have 110v A/C available, so you need to bring your own power supply for charging. A new Harbor Freight store open near where I live two years ago and everything was discounted below normal pricing (if there is such a thing any more).

While browsing through the store, I came upon their solar panels and got an idea for field charging. I bought the 15 Watt Solar Panel, the 7 Amp 100 Watt Solar Charge Regulator, and a 12 Volt 35 Ah Sealed Lead Acid Battery.

http://www.harborfreight.com/15-watt-12-volt-solar-panel-96418.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/7-amp-solar-charge-regulator-96728.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/12-volt-35-ah-sealed-lead-acid-battery-68680.html

I found a tool tote at Lowe's that holds the battery, regulator, and Hitec X-4 charger. This unit fits in my truck with my planes and is easy to carry out to the flight line at the field. It will charge my two flight batteries, ignition battery, and transmitter all at the same time. The solar panel will keep the 12 volt lead acid battery fully charged and has worked well for those long days of flying!

 

[Bartman]

that's awesome Jim, it looks like about $150 plus the bag and you're good to go!

 

[JimD]

that's awesome Jim, it looks like about $150 plus the bag and you're good to go!

Yes, with the sale prices at the time, my whole setup including the tote was about $150.

I have since switched to A123 batteries (NiMH at the time of the photo) and now use a pair of the CellPro Multi 4 chargers instead of the Hitec X4 charger.

http://www.revolectrix.com/m4_description_tab.htm

 

[CatalinaWOW]

A similar setup with larger batteries has kept a bunch of electric fliers in the air for a few years now in southern Arizona. The Harbor Freight panels may not be the most efficient, but it does the job and it is hard to beat the price for a panel/charge controller combo.

 

[ChickenBalls]

@Paul Puszynski this is what I was talking about the other day, lets plan a HF trip. This would be perfect for Nall @emtp275

 

[JimD]

If several of you are going to share the system, this three panel setup is the better choice and the better buy. You can use the panels separately or together, but you will need another controller or two if you use them separately.


http://t.harborfreight.com/45-watt-solar-panel-kit-68751-8527.html

 

[Twin_Flyer]

My club built a cover for shade where the picnic table is and put a solar panel system on the roof with a deep cycle marine battery in a vented cooler.

There is a panel that can be removed from the cooler and set on the table with connectors for members to connect up to three chargers to top off their batteries while at the field.

The system has had no issues for the last few years keeping the battery fully charged.