golf cart roof charger

[SunEagle]

I have built a few solar roofs for friends using a EZ-GO RXV cart that uses 48 volt battery. First thing is you are going about this all wrong with the one panel concept. As you have discovered there is no 60 Vmp panels unless you go with thin film. Think 2 or 3 panels in series.

You do not have to custom design anything as there are companies who make solar panel roof replacements for any make and model golf cart. What I will tell you everyone I have done one for or know has been very disappointed. Most of them actually use them to play golf everyday or as a NEV or both. All they really are is a range extender and a poor one at that. The carts still need recharged every night with charger after use. So don't go getting rid of you cart charger as you will still need to use it. The problem is simple physics as a golf cart efficiency is around 350 wh/mile, and at best on a full sunny day all the panel can do is give you about an extra mile out of the 15 to 20 miles the battery can deliver on a full charge.

At my old job they purchased a golf cart with a solar roof. It was supposed to provide all of the power needed to keep the batteries charged. Big disappointment. The panel barely provided a trickle charge when it was stopped under full sunlight. They had to charge the batteries at night the conventional way with a standard charger. It seemed to be a nice idea but did not pan out as expected.

[Sunking]

I have built a few solar roofs for friends using a EZ-GO RXV cart that uses 48 volt battery. First thing is you are going about this all wrong with the one panel concept. As you have discovered there is no 60 Vmp panels unless you go with thin film. Think 2 or 3 panels in series.

You do not have to custom design anything as there are companies who make solar panel roof replacements for any make and model golf cart. What I will tell you everyone I have done one for or know has been very disappointed. Most of them actually use them to play golf everyday or as a NEV or both. All they really are is a range extender and a poor one at that. The carts still need recharged every night with charger after use. So don't go getting rid of you cart charger as you will still need to use it. The problem is simple physics as a golf cart efficiency is around 350 wh/mile, and at best on a full sunny day all the panel can do is give you about an extra mile out of the 15 to 20 miles the battery can deliver on a full charge.

[rcpaisley]

Boost controller

I found the Genasun 48v/8a Boost Controller on Ebay for $239.
That sounds like it would do the job.

The golf cart sits in the sun 90% of the time, and gets driven for a few minutes here and there (mainly for restroom runs).
My hope is that it rarely needs a plug in after adding the panel.

Robert

Here is the controller manufacturer page:

http://genasun.com/products-store/mppt-solar-charge-controllers/golf-cart-solar-charge-boost-controllers/

[inetdog]

I am building a golf cart roof around a single 260W solar panel.
The cart has a 48v battery setup. I am trying to figure out the best way to mate the panel to the batteries.
Most panels have too low of a voltage to simple connect through a typical MPPT controller.
I have not purchased a panel yet. If I could find a panel with around a 100v output this would be easy.
I have found "Boost MPPT Controllers" that can step up the voltage internally to feed the batteries, but they are quite expensive.

Any one have an easy answer (or reasonable cost answer) for this project?

Thanks,
Robert

I am not aware of any simple and inexpensive way to do what you want. The few solar roofed golf carts that I have seen (for maintenance staff on a university campus, and probably purchased more for PR value than practicality) have used thin film panels in a high enough voltage configuration to use a conventional MPPT CC.

[rcpaisley]

I am building a golf cart roof around a single 260W solar panel.
The cart has a 48v battery setup. I am trying to figure out the best way to mate the panel to the batteries.
Most panels have too low of a voltage to simple connect through a typical MPPT controller.
I have not purchased a panel yet. If I could find a panel with around a 100v output this would be easy.
I have found "Boost MPPT Controllers" that can step up the voltage internally to feed the batteries, but they are quite expensive.

Any one have an easy answer (or reasonable cost answer) for this project?

Thanks,
Robert