Solar to Traction Battery

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DougWantsALeaf

Well-known member
Joined
May 10, 2013
Messages
3,791
Location
Chicago North Side
Has anyone on the thread connected roof mounted solar directly to their traction battery (and ideally has instructions). I have seen a couple threads using solar to inverter to charge cable, but never directly to the traction battery.
 
Piping solar power directly to battery? Not feasible for multitude of reasons.

1. When the battery is off, i.e. , when the contactors are open, the leaf does not expect voltage on the HV side. If you were to pipe some solar power in the form of 400V to this place you will make the car think that there is a leak and it will shut down permanently, requiring Leafspy or dealership to clear the fault.

2. It is hard to reach 400V with solar. One panel usually has a Voc of 22V. You will have to put so many in series to reach 400V, and that wont fit on the car. You could add DC-DC boost converters, but that will increase the complexity dramatically.

3. How do you turn it off? You will need custom charge controllers that handle 400V. Otherwise the solar will overcharge the battery, and make it an extreme firehazard


Just use a Lead acid battery, an inverter, add solar panels to roof and charge from the inverter -> type1 car inlet. This way always works!
 
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