solariser - anyone used one?

[ronnie69]

hello,
I store my 1150gs in a metal shed with no power. Having spent much of the weekend removing, charging and refitting battery with my new optimate 3, would like to keep battery topped up from now on. However, don't want extension cables running outside for long periods. The solariser trickle charges and is designed for bikes stored outside - from solar panels designed for placing on shed roofs (rooves?) (sp?) etc.... - no posts or threads on here returned when I search for "solariser" - anyone tried one? any good? about £22.50 / £25 on fleabay last time I glanced I think.

 

[NeverRodeBefore]

Hi Ronnie, I have a similar problem to you in that there is no power to my garage and it takes two very long leads to get power up there.

When I had the Ginetta roadster in the garage I cut a small opening in the door and fitted a small solar panel of the type designed to maintain a battery charge. With the Ginetta gone, the R1200GS is hooked up to it constantly, but it does still slowly discharge, and suffers the usual click click click associated with an under used R1200GS... I've just fitted brand new Tourances and it's too greasy out for me at the minute... that's my excuse and I'm using it

In an attempt to solve the problem I'm (going) to be using a medium sized solar charger fitted in a perspex covered welded steel frame, which will be bolted right through the garage wall (got the second length of threaded rod this evening).

The panel I've bought in the 6W Titanium 400 panel from Machine Mart. It's designed to recharge as opposed to maintain batteries. It seems to be aimed at the leisure end of the marke for caravans and the like... I hope to have the panel up by next weekend. Then I'm planning to fit caravan fluorescent lights to the inside of the garage running off a leisure battery (which can be charged when the GS is out and about). I've bought some junction boxes and cigar lighter sockets that will be located on both sides of the garage walls so that I can charge either bike without running the risk of tripping over a cable

Just as a further point, whilst I was cutting the steel to make the frame up at the garage I had the panel lent on the garage wall for about 4 or 5 hours, and it brought the voltage up in the GS by about 0.5 volts. My bro thinks it should take 2 to 3 days to charge a 50% discharged battery... suits me as I generally only ride at weekends anyway

My two pence says buy a bigger panel.... unfortunately it cost more, but will make more use of the available sunshine during the winter time

 

[dave01]

the biggest problem with solar panels is that they will draw current from your battery in periods of low light. night , overcast etc unless you have a diode filter system to prevent it. you can get do it yourself kits here in oz so i guess you should be able to get something closer to home. they normaly have a voltage regulator/diode filter in one so it will not over charge you battery also.

hope this helps

 

[current]

I've used one of these for a couple of years...stuck it against the Garage window (South facing as it happens) so works a treat....

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=98358&criteria=SOLAR&doy=31m1

 

[Gas'd Off]

I wonder if.........
You got a cheap car battery, fully charged it in the house then connected it to the bike using the auxillary socket whether that would work? Once a month you could just recharge the car battery in the house. Just a thought, never tried it, could cause other battery problems I haven't thought of. Maybe someone else can shed some light on that? Last time battery went flat on me I plugged in the charger via the aux socket and after a few hours it was charged enough to start the bike and the rest was taken care of by running the bike for 20mins

 

[footloose]

I use one of these panels from
www.jaycar.com.au
Cat. No. ZM9018. Use the search function on the front page to see what I am talking about.
The panel is fitted with a regulator, Cat. no. AA0258

This panel has sufficient output for the bike battery, in fact, it is usually hooked up to the battery in a Landrover Discovery that sees very little use these days. Its output is sufficient to keep the battery from discharging from underuse and powering the alarm system in the car.

Most panels will be fitted with a diode to prevent battery discharge through the panel when the sun is down.
If mounting the panel permanently, there will be an optimum direction and angle for fixing the panel to maximise the output throughout the year. You will have to research this for yourself but it's easy enough to find a site dealing with solar power to get these figures.
Please keep in my mind that I see a bit more sun here in Melbourne than what you might.

I don't know where your bike is parked in relation to the nearest power outlet but, when you add up the cost of solar versus running power to where you need it, plus the convenience of power on tap at all times, you might find it better to find the money to do the power option.

Brian.