What is the solar Panel with the Leaf Good For?

Hi , Ive looked around and could not find out what the solar panel that comes with Leaf is good for .
I heard it charges the 12v battery so...

Will it extend the 12v battery life?
Extend the alternators life?
Is there any real reason for it?
Thank you,
CS

From what I gather, it's only good for keeping your 12V battery topped up, but not charging from a discharged state. Mainly useful if your car sits unused for long periods in the sun. Normal use & driving keeps the 12V battery topped up otherwise.

The service writer at the dealer warned me that it's a $500 battery. If so, it's the only battery more expensive than the little one in my Cessna 152. But a quick search at Walmart lists a 60-month MAXX-51R at $107 for my 2014: https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Maxx-Lead-Acid-Automotive-Battery-Group-Size-51R/28275660

The Leaf uses a cheap little flooded cell 51R. Sounds like the dealer planned to charge you $500 for a $50 battery.

It's useful for gullibility testing. When people ask about it, tell them the car is solar powered. All you have to do is park in the sun for a couple hours and you are good to go for a long drive. If they believe it, stay far away from them. :lol:

Short answer - it's good for nothin

I'd prefer to have the panel rather than not. Parked in full sun for 5 or more hours a day it might keep the 12 volt battery from getting too low to start the car. It would at least reduce the necessary frequency for topping it off.

erco said:

From what I gather, it's only good for keeping your 12V battery topped up, but not charging from a discharged state. Mainly useful if your car sits unused for long periods in the sun. Normal use & driving keeps the 12V battery topped up otherwise.

The service writer at the dealer warned me that it's a $500 battery. If so, it's the only battery more expensive than the little one in my Cessna 152. But a quick search at Walmart lists a 60-month MAXX-51R at $107 for my 2014: https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Maxx-Lead-Acid-Automotive-Battery-Group-Size-51R/28275660

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That one in your Cessna is the same as the $100 battery in a car, but you par $400. Your alternator is stamped Ford, but again, the FAA has to certify, so it's going to carry a premium.

LeftieBiker said:

I'd prefer to have the panel rather than not. Parked in full sun for 5 or more hours a day it might keep the 12 volt battery from getting too low to start the car. It would at least reduce the necessary frequency for topping it off.

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Best example might be if you left your car outside at the airport for a week or two, or at a used car lot. But for an owner to leave it at home sitting around unused for weeks at a time isn't using it very efficently. As it's sitting there (rotting) in the sun, the main battery, tires, paint & interior are slowly deteriorating. Seems like there's an optimal consumption rate to steadily put miles on this car, which automatically keeps the 12V battery topped up.

I looked at it this way..
There have been a lot of reports of weird behavior on this forum where the answer was "12v battery!"

I didn't have any of those issues with my Leaf.
So I chose to believe that even if it was a minimal benefit, it did help avoid some issues.

And as I traded in my Leaf and didn't have issues while I owned it, I maintain that the solar panel made all the difference.
Correlation == everything!! ;-)

desiv

"Tiny Panel"! (Good God, y'all!)
(What is it good for?)
Absolutely Nothing!
say it again.

I had no problems with my 12v battery all summer(think sun) now come winter(think rainy and cloudy all the time) and I'm starting to have 12v battery low problems......now it could be just coincidence, battery getting older or colder temps, but I have to wonder if the solar panel on my SL might just have been keeping the old 12v battery going and now that it's cloudy all the time, I'm having to use my Battery Minder and should probably just replace the battery......
I agree, deliberately parking the car in the direct sunlight to charge the 12v battery may cause more problems than good, having it and getting at least a little charge to the 12v battery when your parking in the sun already, can't hurt

I agree, deliberately parking the car in the direct sunlight to charge the 12v battery may cause more problems than good,

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Most of the US isn't brutally hot. I can park in the sun 340 or so days a year without worries.