We want to share an important update with our Betfair Community users.
Over the coming months, the Betfair Community platform will be winding down. The final active day for the platform will be December 21st. From December 22nd, users will no longer be able to access the platform.
Your discussions, insights, engagement, and, most importantly, feedback have helped shape the platform and guided innovation. Your feedback continues to be important to us, and we will continue to listen via our dedicated feedback channels, as well as through product testing and innovations.
To share your feedback and experience, visit: https://support.betfair.com/app/home
Chit Chat
There is currently 1 person viewing this thread.
15 Jun 15
20:05
Joined:
Date Joined:
01 Feb 12
I have a mobility scooter that is powered by 2 x 12volt 50 ah batteries. I've seen an advert for a small solar panel that charges a 12v 55 ah battery and I've had the bright idea of fixing it to the scooter. Now this isn't my forte so am I correct in thinking that this would not work unless I set up 2 of them? If it could work I would be able to travel miles without the worry of the batteries going flat.
sort by:
Show
per page
Replies: 22
|
By:
Firstly, you should check the charging rate of the aforementioned solar panels. Your present charger probably 'reloads' your batteries with a charge of 5 or 8 amps. If it was possible to run your scooter, or any other vehicle, from a solar panel, they would ALL be doing it! It is not practical at this time.
What you would need is a big solar panel with a small motor attached. And a lot of nice weather. |
|
By:
thanks naydam. There is no mention of the charging rate of the panels, you're right if it was viable it would already be in operation.
 oh well at least I never jumped in first. |
|
By:
your solar panel is going to be about 200ft across and with your scooter hung underneath that just about constitutes a hang glider, so you needn't worry about battery life
|
|
By:
it was a small one advertised for leisure use ie boats, campervans and golf buggies. It was only 6" square but the spec sounded ok.
|
|
By:
Is this the one you mean, BB?
.http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trickle-Charger-Batteries-Mobility-Disability/dp/B005F98IKU It might be worth giving it a try. |
|
By:
yes that's it MD but that's not the ad I saw, it specifically mentions scooters on the one you've found
|
|
By:
seems like it wouldn't charge fast enough while the scooter was in use
|
|
By:
Something for you to invent, BB
 |
|
By:
I've a little solar panel about 10x8" and it can barely charge a mobile phone :(
It's handy if in the great outdoors though, for when we flee to the countyside after the zombie apocalypse. That panel posted above is apparently just 1.5w and that's probably in full sun, mine is probably similar but folds like a book. |
|
By:
move to Benidorm Burt suits madge
|
|
By:
How about a little suitcase petrol generator? :)
It's not unusual in modern ships for example to have a hybrid power system where there is a say a turbine to create electricity that powers electric engines, rather than powering it directly using fossil fuels. Our new aircraft carriers work that way I think. I wonder what the rule is if you did the exact same principle, and had a normal electric scooter with a mini petrol generator stuck on the back powering it?  |
|
By:
Hmmm. I think the solar 'trickle charger' is to keep a battery 'topped-up'. Batteries in cars or scooters slowly lose their charge when left unused. I would guess that this simply covers that 'leakage'.
It might be able to generate enough power to cover your car's losses caused by leakage, the clock and alarm system but it would be useless to charge the battery in any meaningful time-frame. This is just my, totally unprofessional, opinion. |
|
By:
Just Checking. They would call it a hybrid.
|
|
By:
have you considered installing a wind turbine on it?
|
|
By:
farting ?
|
|
By:
Or even a pedal-powered generator? You could make the world's most inefficient method of transport.
|
|
By:
naydam if I could pedal I wouldn't be using a scooter
a chap put a motorbike engine in his scooter and raced it at Santa Pod and got around 70mph out of it. |
|
By:
Without prying too much, did you have a work accident BB? I remember you mentioning something about it on the thread I started about my missus. You seemed to be able to relate to her.
|
|
By:
yes is your wife still recovering s.k. ?
|
|
By:
She's still recovering, I don't know how much better she'll get though. Her left arm has very little movement (she gets more movement from involuntary spasms) and her left leg is weak. She can get around the house without a stick but couldn't/wouldn't go outside without it. She's walked about half a mile so far without needing a break, we never thought she'd manage that.
Since it's all happened I'm amazed at the amount of people I see each day who need help with walking, whether that be with a stick, crutches or wheel chair. Until something like this happens then you don't really notice it. |
|
By:
yes that is very true, I hope she can improve some more
|
|
By:
Cheers mate.
 |