Getting solar panels from VW dealers

[JanGeo]

EDIT: Oct 31/06 by metrompg: split these posts from the thread Alternator v. no alternator - 10% gain @ 70 km/h (http://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=1074) , since there is some potentially good info in here.

If you want some cheep solar panels visit your local VW dealer and ask for the panels that come with the new cars - they throw them away - suction cup mount to the windshield and put out 200-250ma - I have a stack of them. I also inquired yesterday on pricing for the SunPower cells and panels. $9 per cell quantity 50 pricing was what I got a few years ago and each cell puts out 3 watts 5.5 amps peak sun at .65 volts. You need high efficiency when you want to power up a car electrical system since sunlight surface it minimal.
Also note that not all cig plugs are connected to the battery when the key is off so charging there will not do much other than power up any accessories that are connected to the same circuit with the output of the panel, which under no load can reach 24 volts POOF! Both my Scion and 94Geo are on/off with the key.

[MetroMPG]

If you want some cheep solar panels visit your local VW dealer and ask for the panels that come with the new cars - they throw them away - suction cup mount to the windshield and put out 200-250ma - I have a stack of them.
That's a really interesting tidbit. I'd love to have an unlimited supply of free 250 mA panels! (I could cover the ForkenSwift with them!) No VW dealer in town though :(

[guvmint_cheese]

JanGeo - Why do VW's come with solar panels on them brand new?

Jeff

[SVOboy]

I wondered as well, I should call damn vw and try to get some.

[JanGeo]

yup they sit in dock yards for months and the alarms and other stuff in the cars slowly drain the batteries and are a big problem when the power goes out from a dead battery. SLA batteries are damaged if not kept fully charged.

[guvmint_cheese]

What are the dimensions of those panels? At 200-250mA, that would throw about 1-1.5W per panel?

I'm gonna have to haul myself to a VW dealership. Thanks for the tip!

Jeff

[SVOboy]

Wow, def have to call VW, writing this down...

[guvmint_cheese]

Well, if you live in the Houston area, don't bother. Since VW's port is here, the dealers ship all of their solar panels back.

Bummer...

Jeff

[SVOboy]

Called VW and they said it was more of a 2004-2005 thing, but every once in a while it will happen. The manager told me to call the parts department on monday and see if they had anything lying around. I wonder if any other makes do this...

[SVOboy]

I will have to call audi later and see if they have any, I'll prolly try a lot of dealerships in monday because this is amazing. You can get them on ebay for about 20 shipped for a single or less if you buy a lot, I need to learn some wiring and mehbe turn this into a summer project, :)

[MetroMPG]

I read this recently about a Montreal-based company:

ICP Solar Lands Automotive OEM Supply Contract
http://www.icpsolar.com/4105/news_details.asp?news_id=10

Looks like just the type of panel we're talking about. Maybe it recharges through the ODB2 port, based on the connector...

http://www.icpsolar.com/filesUpload/editor_images/CRW_0360_pic3.jpg

[SVOboy]

VW has gone through two styles. The old style charges through the cigarette port and the new through the obd2 port.

[ZugyNA]

They have them on EBAY:

http://search.ebay.com/solar-battery-charger_W0QQfkrZ1QQfromZR8

I bought one from Harbour Freight for $10...the red framed one...but it seemed to drain the battery. The battery is bad...or it has a bad diode.

[SVOboy]

I realize they're on ebay, and it's a fair price for what they were made for, mehbe, but I intend to use them like regular solar, which is why I need them free or very close to or I might as well go buy something more efficient that's already set up for AC. Damn ebay.

[budomove]

i will check audi and vw this week and let you know.

I will share with you if i can get some.

[MetroMPG]

Update on this topic: rumour confirmed first hand, sort of.

I knew I was going to be going by a VW dealer on a trip into Ottawa yesterday, so I stopped in and asked about panels.

Sales Guy said they don't all come with them, and more often in the winter. Since they come with the car, the customer gets them (if the prep guy remembers to put it in the car after clean up etc).

However, Service Guy says they're supposed to ship them back to VW, but since it's another job to do, it doesn't always happen, and they sometimes pile up.

So he called Service Gopher Guy in and asked him if he'd seen any kicking around. Gopher goes and checks the parts room and comes back with one, which Service Guy generously hands over to me. Have a nice day!

I joked with him: "So the rumours of bins of solar panels being put out at the curb on garbage day isn't quite true?"

"Nope, sorry!"

Seems to me like if you have an "in" at a VW dealership, you'd have all the panels you want.

[Brock]

The funny thing was when I got my VW I asked about the panel. They said my car didn't come with one, I asked about any left over and they said they couldn’t give them away and have to send them back. I had other issues with this dealer and won't go there again.

[MetroMPG]

Sounds to me like each dealership has its own policy.

[JanGeo]

Things are free until somebody wants them - then the price goes up . . . supply and demand.

[Lug_Nut]

I have two of the VW panels. They go up to 18 VDC at no load, not 24 as implied (or was that the SunPower that went to 24?).
I use one to keep the battery topped off when the car sits in long term parking at the airport. The other keeps a battery charged in my storage shed. I use that one with an inverter and fluorescent lights for occasional nighttime searches in there.