Hood solar panels

[patc890]

I don't drive my Raptor an awful lot so I often get messages saying my battery is low. I was wondering if anyone is using one of these hood solar panel to keep your battery charged, for instance

https://lensunsolar.com/collections...ger-raptor-lensun-75w-hood-bonnet-solar-panel

Are they any good? Any chance it flies off the hood while going fast, problems getting it off, any chance it could void you battery warranty?

Sponsored

 

[superj]

I have tried other brands in other vehicles. The ones i tried must not have been big enough because they didnt really do anything but this thing is a monster so it should help

 

[patc890]

I have tried other brands in other vehicles. The ones i tried must not have been big enough because they didnt really do anything but this thing is a monster so it should help

Thanks

 

[John E Davies]

“Charge the vehicle battery, leisure battery, or power station(jackery, goal zero, etc) during daylight. Keep your fridges, dash cam, lighting, phones, etc., charged without starting your engine. Do not worry again about a dead battery while camping/off the grid.”

This is a gimmick for wanna-be “overlanders”, if you really need solar for camping, a much bigger portable panel (200 watts or larger) with a long cable that can be placed out in the full sunlight and can be repositioned to follow the sun is the only solution that works reasonably well.

if you are ONLY concerned about preventing a dead battery from long term parking, a 120 volt battery tender makes the most sense.

https://www.ranger6g.com/forum/threads/battery-tender-charger-mounted-high-on-garage-wall.23619/

I wonder how well that hood panel will withstand a rock strike, do they mention that in the description? I am sure the warranty would not cover that sort of failure.

John Davies
Spokane WA USA

 

[patc890]

“Charge the vehicle battery, leisure battery, or power station(jackery, goal zero, etc) during daylight. Keep your fridges, dash cam, lighting, phones, etc., charged without starting your engine. Do not worry again about a dead battery while camping/off the grid.”

This is a gimmick for wanna-be “overlanders”, if you really need solar for camping, a much bigger portable panel (200 watts or larger) with a long cable that can be placed out in the full sunlight and can be repositioned to follow the sun is the only solution that works reasonably well.

if you are only concerned about preventing a dead battery from long term parking, a 120 volt battery tender makes the most sense.

I wonder how well that hood panel will withstand a rock strike, do they mention that in the description? I am sure the warranty would not cover that sort of failure.

John Davies
Spokane WA USA

I don't need it for camping etc just daily keeping the battery charged. I don't drive it a lot so like I said I'm always getting message from the Ford app saying something or other(can't remember exactly) had been shut down because the battery is low. And I have a dash cam connected directly to the battery which disconnects if the battery get below a certain level and that almost never stays connected. I also live in a town house and park a good distance from it so a battery tender is out of the question. Your comment about a rock is valid, I hadn't thought of that. Thanks.

 

[daytoncarter]

This guy: Overland Florida - YouTube

Removed his hood mounted solar and it took the paint, primer and all so beware.

 

[patc890]

This guy: Overland Florida - YouTube

Removed his hood mounted solar and it took the paint, primer and all so beware.

Thanks. I did see that and he said he was going to make a video about it but I can't find it. Do you have a link to that video?

 

[NM Mike]

Just my opinion, but I think that a smart battery charger/maintainer is the way to go if you are just maintaining your battery at home. I use one on my 99 superduty that I only drive once a month or so anymore, and the battery is always ready to go when I am.

 

[patc890]

Just my opinion, but I think that a smart battery charger/maintainer is the way to go if you are just maintaining your battery at home. I use one on my 99 superduty that I only drive once a month or so anymore, and the battery is always ready to go when I am.

I agree except I park about 100 feet across a parking lot so that just doesn’t work for me.

 

[daytoncarter]

Thanks. I did see that and he said he was going to make a video about it but I can't find it. Do you have a link to that video?

I did see the video earlier, but he's apparently taken it down, likely got threatened or paid by the manufacturer.

Either way it baked the paint till all that was left was the galvanized steel hood. He had put down ppf before the solar panel, too.

 

[patc890]

I did see the video earlier, but he's apparently taken it down, likely got threatened or paid by the manufacturer.

Either way it baked the paint till all that was left was the galvanized steel hood. He had put down ppf before the solar panel, too.

Thanks. Not good to hear. Although you’d think there would be others that has happened to.

 

[RANGER PRIDE]

its a trade off...
battery tender, forget to unplug it and drive away, suffer the consequences.
stick on solar panel, potential paint issues later.

I have a solar panel that i park in the 2017 focus, either in the dash, or in the sunroof (it fits nicely) and its never let me down on keeping its battery topped up. quick to remove and drop in the back seat.
Its the 20W i purchased, but you can get up to 100W

 

[patc890]

its a trade off...
battery tender, forget to unplug it and drive away, suffer the consequences.
stick on solar panel, potential paint issues later.

I have a solar panel that i park in the 2017 focus, either in the dash, or in the sunroof (it fits nicely) and its never let me down on keeping its battery topped up. quick to remove and drop in the back seat.
Its the 20W i purchased, but you can get up to 100W

The chance of ruining the paint work is more than I'm willing to take. I was wondering if there was something like you have. That's probably the best idea.

 

[daytoncarter]

The chance of ruining the paint work is more than I'm willing to take. I was wondering if there was something like you have. That's probably the best idea.

Get a bed cover/rack/topper and put it on that?

 

[patc890]

Get a bed cover/rack/topper and put it on that?

That's a good idea, thanks

Sponsored