Electric vehicle solar charging - anyone doing this?

[Squaredy]

I am looking into getting a solar panel array to charge my electric car.  I am lucky enough to have not yet been affected by the recent electricity price rises but eventually my fixed rate will end.

 

I do not have solar panels on my house but i am building a garden room which would have space for at least ten or twelve full size panels facing due South.  That would be up to about 3kw of power on a Sunny day.  Even without battery storage this seems to me like a great option as my car is at home three or four days a week minimum.

 

 By the way I am looking at a simple off grid solution probably, as we use very little electricity in the house and I would simply fit them myself (saving thousands I would say).

 

 Have any Arbtalkers constructed an off grid solar array for such purposes?

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, Squaredy said:

I am looking into getting a solar panel array to charge my electric car.  I am lucky enough to have not yet been affected by the recent electricity price rises but eventually my fixed rate will end.

 

I do not have solar panels on my house but i am building a garden room which would have space for at least ten or twelve full size panels facing due South.  That would be up to about 3kw of power on a Sunny day.  Even without battery storage this seems to me like a great option as my car is at home three or four days a week minimum.

 

 By the way I am looking at a simple off grid solution probably, as we use very little electricity in the house and I would simply fit them myself (saving thousands I would say).

 

 Have any Arbtalkers constructed an off grid solar array for such purposes?

I have charged my daughter's car for a couple of hours on a sunny day off the 13A socket, managed to put 5kWh in, about 24 miles of range. Most car charges are 7kW so 3kW of panels won't run one but the inverter can comfortably cope with 2.4kW.

 

The panels are connected to a inverter which has inputs that maximise the power available (Maximum Power Point Tracking) from the panels. Then there are various makes of car chargers that connect to the inverter, Zappi seems to be popular, this restricts the power to that which the solar array can provide.

 

I think I would always advise a battery because that is what makes the solar pv available throughout the day, it would also charge up while the car is away.

 

If you want to dedicate the panels just to charge the car then consider running a hybrid inverter like the sunsynk off grid, most inverters depend on being connected to the grid and must shut down if the grid fails.

[Squaredy]

37 minutes ago, openspaceman said:

I have charged my daughter's car for a couple of hours on a sunny day off the 13A socket, managed to put 5kWh in, about 24 miles of range. Most car charges are 7kW so 3kW of panels won't run one but the inverter can comfortably cope with 2.4kW.

 

The panels are connected to a inverter which has inputs that maximise the power available (Maximum Power Point Tracking) from the panels. Then there are various makes of car chargers that connect to the inverter, Zappi seems to be popular, this restricts the power to that which the solar array can provide.

 

I think I would always advise a battery because that is what makes the solar pv available throughout the day, it would also charge up while the car is away.

 

If you want to dedicate the panels just to charge the car then consider running a hybrid inverter like the sunsynk off grid, most inverters depend on being connected to the grid and must shut down if the grid fails.

Thank you very interesting.  It is very difficult getting information about these matters.  Someone is going to set up a company providing simple solutions and make a killing!

[billy_wizz]

1 hour ago, openspaceman said:

I have charged my daughter's car for a couple of hours on a sunny day off the 13A socket, managed to put 5kWh in, about 24 miles of range. Most car charges are 7kW so 3kW of panels won't run one but the inverter can comfortably cope with 2.4kW.

 

The panels are connected to a inverter which has inputs that maximise the power available (Maximum Power Point Tracking) from the panels. Then there are various makes of car chargers that connect to the inverter, Zappi seems to be popular, this restricts the power to that which the solar array can provide.

 

I think I would always advise a battery because that is what makes the solar pv available throughout the day, it would also charge up while the car is away.

 

If you want to dedicate the panels just to charge the car then consider running a hybrid inverter like the sunsynk off grid, most inverters depend on being connected to the grid and must shut down if the grid fails.

Slightly off topic but what happens when the battery is full if the system is not grid tied?

[Squaredy]

7 hours ago, billy_wizz said:

Slightly off topic but what happens when the battery is full if the system is not grid tied?

Well that is a good question, but as I said, to begin with I would not have battery storage.  When I could afford it I would probably add battery storage so the question is still relevant.

[Woodworks]

Looking to in due course.

 

We are on the grid but planning to add a pile more PV to our current 3.8kWh system plus a battery storage. Would love an EV that could could be the home battery storage ie 2 way charging. Sadly almost none at the affordable end of the market yet but some are in the pipeline like this which also adds a few solar panels

 

[openspaceman]

9 hours ago, billy_wizz said:

Slightly off topic but what happens when the battery is full if the system is not grid tied?

This is the same whether the battery is in the car or in the home system; the hybrid inverter is set to not export so as soon as the battery indicates it is full the inverter shuts down and the panels are then open circuit.

 

I think there are a few arbtalkers  who are off grid and use solar panels this way @Justme??

[Squaredy]

9 hours ago, openspaceman said:

think there are a few arbtalkers  who are off grid and use solar panels this way @Justme??

I was hoping a few people might already be doing what I am thinking….. must be a very common idea with electricity prices going through the roof!

[openspaceman]

30 minutes ago, Squaredy said:

I was hoping a few people might already be doing what I am thinking….. must be a very common idea with electricity prices going through the roof!

Yes demand is sky high and prices are going that way too.

 

Take a look at the camelot-forum.co.uk I am on there with the same username fumbling around trying to decide what I can do next. I am planning to add a few panels just to decrease my grid dependence a few days into what the forum refers to as the "shoulder" months of november and february when solar pv production drops off.

[Squaredy]

1 hour ago, openspaceman said:

Yes demand is sky high and prices are going that way too.

 

Take a look at the camelot-forum.co.uk I am on there with the same username fumbling around trying to decide what I can do next. I am planning to add a few panels just to decrease my grid dependence a few days into what the forum refers to as the "shoulder" months of november and february when solar pv production drops off.

Thank you I will take a look.