# small solar panel on dashboard



## 128208 (Sep 24, 2009)

I am over wintering our camper this year for three months,I have a 100 watt panel for battery charging on the roof,would it be "over the top"if I used the above as well for charging the vehicle battery ??

Dajo1


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## lgbzone (Oct 8, 2008)

Hi

On the dash of my hymer i have an se500 and an se1500 made by sensei, the se500 trickle charges the engine and the se1500 trickle charges the leisure battery. they both have their own charge controllers and they stop the batteries going flat no problem, obviously i don't use them in the same way as you can use your 100 watt system, but as trickle chargers they are excellent. i have left our hymer in the past for several months and the batteries remained fully charged.

Lee


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## 128208 (Sep 24, 2009)

hi igbzone,,
thanks for the info do you use the cigar socket for both??
dajo1


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## littlenell (Aug 1, 2008)

I think I read that if you use the cigar socket, then it must remain "live" even after ignition is off...so that may have impact on how you connect. My leisure cigar socket is live as a small led stays lit, but I think my ignition one on dash, is not.


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## lgbzone (Oct 8, 2008)

dajo1 said:


> hi igbzone,,
> thanks for the info do you use the cigar socket for both??
> dajo1


Hi Dajo1

I don't use the cigar socket although the panels do come with cables for this, i ran cables from the small controllers to the batteries, and then from the controllers to the panels. i have seen panels on ebay which usually get a bad review, i'm extremely happy with the ones i have but they're not the cheapest, mine are the newer sunsei ones, they are yellow in colour.

Lee


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## lgbzone (Oct 8, 2008)

The ones i have are these Sunsei panels the se500 looks rectangle in the pictures but mine is square, i got them both from CPC (farnell). i know that the panels i have don't need charge controllers but i used them anyway, model cc10000 < here >, after saying that i can tell by the lights on the controllers that they manage the charging, i.e. the light comes on for a few seconds and then off again, shortly later it repeats this as it tests the battery, this happens when the battery guages in the van are at maximum.

Lee


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