Solar Trailer for eBike

[randywayne8983]

Looking for someone who could recommend what I'd need for a solar panel to power my 52V battery and 1500W rear ebikeling motor. I've seen several people online who have done so and want to do the same. I'm going to start my own channel as I travel through the Philippines as soon as they lift this pandemic hold. I want it to charge my e-bike and run a small travel fridge and freezer, plus I want to have a solar powered generator and battery in the trailer as well. Any advise would be great and appreciated!!!

 

[Anton]

Sounds like an awesome trip idea!

Checkout this guys rig over here for some ideas:

Solar battery charger for 1000watt ebike battery?

Hey does anyone know of a solar battery charger strong enough to charge a 1000 watt ebike battery?

ebikesforum.com

How many Watts or Amp Hours is your 52V ebike battery?

 

[randywayne8983]

Sounds like an awesome trip idea!

Checkout this guys rig over here for some ideas:

Solar battery charger for 1000watt ebike battery?

Hey does anyone know of a solar battery charger strong enough to charge a 1000 watt ebike battery?

ebikesforum.com

How many Watts or Amp Hours is your 52V ebike battery?

20 ah

 

[Anton]

Your best option would be getting a nifty little device called an MPPT solar charge controller.

Amazon.com : MPT-7210A Solar Controller street home charging system to adapt to 24/36/48/60 : Garden & Outdoor

Amazon.com : MPT-7210A Solar Controller street home charging system to adapt to 24/36/48/60 : Garden & Outdoor

www.amazon.com

You then have a couple of options:

1. You could wire a 12V solar panel straight to the input of the MPPT charge controller, and then the output to your 52Volt ebike battery.
2. A better option is to use the extra battery in your trailer (eg. a 12V deep cycle battery) to charge your ebike battery using the same MPPT charge controller. Just wire the 12V battery to the input of the MPPT charge controller, and then the output of the MPPT to your 52Volt ebike battery.

Option 2 means you can can run your fridge and charge your ebike battery from the 12V battery in your trailer. You then run your 12V solar panel to charge the 12V battery in your trailer. The solar panel will also need another normal solar charge controller to charge the 12V battery, but these are much cheaper since they don't need to increase voltage. Here is one here which will do the job:

Amazon.com : 20A Solar Charge Controller Solar Panel Battery Intelligent Regulator with Dual USB Port 12V/24V PWM Auto Paremeter Adjustable LCD Display : Garden & Outdoor

Amazon.com : 20A Solar Charge Controller Solar Panel Battery Intelligent Regulator with Dual USB Port 12V/24V PWM Auto Paremeter Adjustable LCD Display : Garden & Outdoor

www.amazon.com

Your 52V Li-ion battery will need to be charged up to 58.8V. I believe the MPPT controller can be dialed in to whatever voltage and amperage your battery requires to be charged at. Although it doesn't specify a 52V battery on the listing, I believe you can set the output voltage and current according to the actual requirements of your battery.

Hope this helps!

 

[Anton]

Also because you'll be in the Philippines accommodation is very cheap ($6/night at a hostel or $12/night for your own room) and you'll be eating out at restaurants a lot. So bring along your normal mains ebike battery charger and plug it when you stay somewhere overnight or wherever you see a socket in a restaurant.

Also bring a small 12V battery charger that runs of mains power to charge your deep cycle battery. Here's a nice compact lightweight one here:

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GENIUS1-Fully-Automatic-Temperature-Compensation/dp/B07W46BX31

If it was me, I would not bother about a fridge or cooler. I had a solar setup on my 4x4 and powering the fridge takes most of the power (although it was a medium sized fridge) and that was with a massive 200W panel and 120Amp hour battery. I would save your precious solar power for charging your ebike battery. Solar power is great, but you have to consider that they only put out their maximum amps when they are in full sunlight and angled directly at the sun.

Have you travelled in Asia before? Cold beer is $0.50 for a pint and hot meals are a $1 for a full plate if you find out where the locals eat! Slightly more expensive if you eat at places which cater to travellers. But just go where the locals eat and point at what you would like and you'll pay local prices!

 

[randywayne8983]

Your best option would be getting a nifty little device called an MPPT solar charge controller.

Amazon.com : MPT-7210A Solar Controller street home charging system to adapt to 24/36/48/60 : Garden & Outdoor

Amazon.com : MPT-7210A Solar Controller street home charging system to adapt to 24/36/48/60 : Garden & Outdoor

www.amazon.com

You then have a couple of options:

1. You could wire a 12V solar panel straight to the input of the MPPT charge controller, and then the output to your 52Volt ebike battery.
2. A better option is to use the extra battery in your trailer (eg. a 12V deep cycle battery) to charge your ebike battery using the same MPPT charge controller. Just wire the 12V battery to the input of the MPPT charge controller, and then the output of the MPPT to your 52Volt ebike battery.

Option 2 means you can can run your fridge and charge your ebike battery from the 12V battery in your trailer. You then run your 12V solar panel to charge the 12V battery in your trailer. The solar panel will also need another normal solar charge controller to charge the 12V battery, but these are much cheaper since they don't need to increase voltage. Here is one here which will do the job:

Amazon.com : 20A Solar Charge Controller Solar Panel Battery Intelligent Regulator with Dual USB Port 12V/24V PWM Auto Paremeter Adjustable LCD Display : Garden & Outdoor

Amazon.com : 20A Solar Charge Controller Solar Panel Battery Intelligent Regulator with Dual USB Port 12V/24V PWM Auto Paremeter Adjustable LCD Display : Garden & Outdoor

www.amazon.com

Your 52V Li-ion battery will need to be charged up to 58.8V. I believe the MPPT controller can be dialed in to whatever voltage and amperage your battery requires to be charged at. Although it doesn't specify a 52V battery on the listing, I believe you can set the output voltage and current according to the actual requirements of your battery.

Hope this helps!

Wel

Also because you'll be in the Philippines accommodation is very cheap ($6/night at a hostel or $12/night for your own room) and you'll be eating out at restaurants a lot. So bring along your normal mains ebike battery charger and plug it when you stay somewhere overnight or wherever you see a socket in a restaurant.

Also bring a small 12V battery charger that runs of mains power to charge your deep cycle battery. Here's a nice compact lightweight one here:

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GENIUS1-Fully-Automatic-Temperature-Compensation/dp/B07W46BX31

If it was me, I would not bother about a fridge or cooler. I had a solar setup on my 4x4 and powering the fridge takes most of the power (although it was a medium sized fridge) and that was with a massive 200W panel and 120Amp hour battery. I would save your precious solar power for charging your ebike battery. Solar power is great, but you have to consider that they only put out their maximum amps when they are in full sunlight and angled directly at the sun.

Have you travelled in Asia before? Cold beer is $0.50 for a pint and hot meals are a $1 for a full plate if you find out where the locals eat! Slightly more expensive if you eat at places which cater to travellers. But just go where the locals eat and point at what you would like and you'll pay local prices!

Great that is a lot of great info, and thanks!!!
l I do appreciate all that info, it was a big help!!!

 

[pishta]

If you need a co-pilot, I'd love to return to the Philippines! Got to ask the wife though....and make sure its not during the rainy season! I remember buying a bottle of San Miguel for 2P (10c US) if I returned the bottle...

 

["A"]

Published on Electrec, not a trailer, but solar panel on the rear of a cargo ebike:

This impressive 1,500W DIY solar-powered car-replacing e-bike does kid carpool and grocery runs

This solar powered electric bike is the perfect way to shuttle the kids to school or do a week's worth of grocery shopping at once!

electrek.co

 

[HumanPerson]

I've been using 4 cheapo 100w solar panels coupled with an MPPT boost charge controller to charge my 58.8v ebike batteries from the free range wattage we get from the sun, with no issues.

Hope it helps.

Ride Safe

HP

 

["A"]

Solar ebikes are slowly catching on:

With two solar panels and one afternoon, I made my electric bike charge from the sun

https://electrek.co/2022/08/25/solar-e-bike-panels-charge-sun/

 

["A"]

Get some new ideas for solar charging while you ride.

 

["A"]

Solar-powered towable electric bike camper includes bedroom and dinette

Solar-powered towable electric bike camper includes bedroom and dinette

As the electric bike camper category grows, we're starting to see increasingly interesting and professional designs.

electrek.co

 

[Hoggdoc]

I hope readers understand that there is no way possible to charge on the run as the panels can't supply enough energy to replace that being used by riding the bike. If you plan to ride during the day (sunlight) how do you plan to charge the battery? I think carrying a small mains charger is a far better idea.

 

["A"]

I hope readers understand that there is no way possible to charge on the run as the panels can't supply enough energy to replace that being used by riding the bike. If you plan to ride during the day (sunlight) how do you plan to charge the battery? I think carrying a small mains charger is a far better idea.

Any ebike sits stationary more than it's being ridden. If you have a drink, snack or meal during a ride, it could be re-charging.
Anytime an ebike sits (or being ridden) in the sun, it could be re-charging when connected to a solar panel with converter.
Depending on how much you consume or collect on your system, with enough battery reserve balance can be found and achieved.

 

[Hoggdoc]

Ask yourself how many amps do you think the small panels that would fit on an e bike would produce while in and ideal sun position? Now how long does it take the average charger to recharge the average battery pack? You will discover that the idea of solar panels on an e bike makes no sense.

 

[JerryB]

I think a solar windmill installed on your ebike would be more practical!

 

["A"]

Ask yourself how many amps do you think the small panels that would fit on an e bike would produce while in and ideal sun position? Now how long does it take the average charger to recharge the average battery pack? You will discover that the idea of solar panels on an e bike makes no sense.

Yes, do ask yourself, how many amps you need to power your ebike on your bike rides:

Granted these videos are a year old, rider using a regen hub; better more efficient systems have come along since.

 

[JerryB]

The future.......watch out for low hangin branches

Copenhagenize.com - Bicycle Culture by Design: Bullitt in the Wind

Got a call from Larry vs Harry the other day. One of their customers had converted a Bullitt cargo bike into a power station with a wind turbine and solar panels charging a battery.That's something I...

copenhagenize.com

 

["A"]

Maybe the future cities will have roads (or bike paths) that can charge your EVs,
so you don't even need to carry a (huge) battery in a EV (or ebike).

 

["A"]