Quick Update on my project to power the vehicles 12v systems off the solar battery bank, and more

Sorry for taking so long to get the video out on this project. A full step-by-step tutorial is in the works! The final version of this system will enable us to divorce our 12v loads from the main HV battery. This will add a little range, and reduce the cycling rate of the HV battery. I'm also going to try and connect the inverter in the back to the vehicles HV battery via the vehicles DC-DC converter.

[realsolarcars]

Nice project! A great way to maximize the functionality of our electric vehicles. I don't know about the LEAF but on the Volt the high voltage supply to the DC-DC converter can be easily unplugged. According to a test by evtv the Volt's DC-DC converter looses at least 60 watts no matter the load. That is additional load that can be removed from the traction battery.

[ZenInnovations]

You are doing some Very nice experiments. keep it up!

[rhmagalhaes]

Your videos always amaze me because of your thought process.
Great job on the conversion.
As soon as someone can get your specs and replicate you can move on to other project.
I wonder what Leaf spy say about your car... 🤣🤣🤣

[kevintdickson]

I did this to my Leaf.
I used chassis ground for negative to save the wiring cost

[CookeCraft]

This is totally awesome. Let me ask how you were able to get around the the lack of a ground on your inverter as I know one of the tests the granny charger does is check for a ground other wise it won't work. Great channel and information.

[RajGiandeep]

That's a great idea. While driving, could you run the solar to the 12V battery bank in the back to offset the 12V main battery use? Or would you just use whatever reserve is in the battery in back?

2013 Nissan Leaf SV owner aka Sir Leaf A Lot

[neliosamch]

I have that system in my 8 year old miev and still has the original 12v battery.

[jestronixhanderson]

Hey this is exactly what I was talking about a few months back :) in fact I would run a thicker 1000w capable, yes thick expensive battery wire to your boot, skip lead acid all together, remove that lead weight. Making sure you get no sag in voltage. In theory that 12v load which is some times higher, especially at night could all be fed from your rear pack. I suspect that load is higher at times, maybe 500-600 watts ? And maybe 3kwh over the course of a charger or two. Problem is how do you ensure the main pack isn’t feeding things before your 12v from the main pack ? Main pack will always feed maybe 13v in when rear pack might be 12 ?

[ratgreen]

Where did you get that 250w constant load value from? Surely thats only when there is load on the 12v system, headlights and heaters or low battery voltage etc. Theres no way the DCDC converter takes 250w at idle.
But yeh you should do a range test, one with the car as stock. And one with the solar 12v system hooked up, and compare range.

[charlschuck]

Nice so let me clear up your expanding the LOW VOLTAGE 12DC battery system and adding more batteries right ? How are you recharging those solar batteries ? Another question would this help w keep that voltage up12v anyways but then the quest pops, are you adding more weight to the rear your hv engine will need or use more power to move additional weight ? I have an inverter in the back of my car and works fine when on on the auxiliary battery don’t need to add more batteries but it’s just for emergency now yes there is a downside when running all electric car cause then your hv batteries will ONLY PROVIDE power charge to the smaller 12 battery system and this will drain the overall hv batteries 🔋 . You know what would be awesome it’s just a thought adding a way to charge the hv battery with an inverter / transformer big enough to supply energy to those hv that way you would gain more miles I’ll be abit complicated ... it’s just a thought

[neliosamch]

I have that system in my 8 year old miev and still has the original 12v battery.