Grenadier with the Lensun solar panel

[MaxGas]

Hi Grenny community
Been a happy owner for a few months now and got myself the lensun bonnet solar to keep the batteries in good shape. I did add the CTEK solar charger and a victron shunt to monitor while I was at it.
Happy to answer any questions - but it came out very well and has been quite effective. Left it on the top level of the MEL airport carpark (my new favourite park so I can get sunlight...) with some soda water in the fridge. Flew back a couple of days later and had a cold drink of the drive home

 

[rob88]

Nice setup. That's a clever way to keep the battery topped up and run a fridge.
How did you route the wires from the bonnet into the cabin? Was it straightforward?
Also, have you noticed a big difference in how long you can park without worrying about the battery?

 

[MaxGas]

Wire routiing was very simple…on all vehicles there are some small grommets on the firewall available. Just pushe done out, drilled a small hole in it and then popped it back in. Cable then runs under the passenger kick panel and into the protected wiring channel all the way to the rear. I used a coathanger to get started and pulled it through really easily.

I never worried about the battery previously as I normally run the vehicle every few days. While camping pretty much every day so battery went down overnight and alternator charged next day. The starter battery did get low ~50% but was supported by the aux. I can see the starter battery getting the odd charge from solar when I review the logs from the victron.

I do seem to have something draining the starter - maybe the head module stays on / gets woken up a lot? I have noted turning the main power switch off helps a lot. But then you need to flick it back on when you want to use it. Solar panel support seems to help with this.

 

[Rayzar]

In our mining vehicles we have battery isolators either under the bonnet or on the bull bars. Would it be a problem with the cars electronics to install a battery isolator on the car to prevent battery drain?

 

[Clark Kent]

In our mining vehicles we have battery isolators either under the bonnet or on the bull bars. Would it be a problem with the cars electronics to install a battery isolator on the car to prevent battery drain?

You'll likely get a few different ideas on this.
If an isolator was installed in the main battery negative cable (that's the convention) it would be the same as disconnecting the battery which is easy enough to test. You would always need to wait for the vehicle to go to sleep before isolating the battery or you would trigger the airbag warning light that at this stage can only be cleared by an agent. That's not a reason against doing it, just something to know as part of using it.

Other FIFO workers are using trickle chargers to keep the battery healthy.

 

[Rayzar]

Good point about the airbag alarm.

 

[Brityrrell]

Hi Grenny community
Been a happy owner for a few months now and got myself the lensun bonnet solar to keep the batteries in good shape. I did add the CTEK solar charger and a victron shunt to monitor while I was at it.
Happy to answer any questions - but it came out very well and has been quite effective. Left it on the top level of the MEL airport carpark (my new favourite park so I can get sunlight...) with some soda water in the fridge. Flew back a couple of days later and had a cold drink of the drive home

Was the wiring hard to run ? I’ve bought it but not started working it out yet

 

[MaxGas]

See my reply above. I found it very easy to pull wire through the firewall grommet and then through the existing wiring channel under the door sills.

 

[smbennett]

So, about to pull the trigger on the Lensun here in the Northeastern US. Are people still recommending it after living with them for a bit ? Of course, not expecting miracles here in Vermont/New Hampshire this particular time of year with solar...

 

[Jonny72]

I’ve just received mine and will be fitting soon. Rather than running the wires through the bulkhead and back to the battery, is there a reason why not to connect to the +ve post / earth under the bonnet in the engine bay?

 

[Logsplitter]

I’ve just received mine and will be fitting soon. Rather than running the wires through the bulkhead and back to the battery, is there a reason why not to connect to the +ve post / earth under the bonnet in the engine bay?

I’ve used portable panels with inbuilt mppt controller connected to the jump start post and worked very well. So if you put your solar controller for the Lenson solar panel under the bonnet I personally can see no reason why it shouldn’t work OK.

 

[Dokatd]

I have my Lensun on my Gwagon wired through the jump terminals and it works perfect. I would assume the same results with the Grenadier.

It's amazing not having to worry about the battery in my Gwagon. It used to die regularly and now it's always 100%.

 

[LabRat]

Works well and don't worry about keeping my Dometic CF50 powered 24/7 that is wired to my aux battery. Have the Lensun wired into a CTEK 250.

 

[HereinDaRockies]

I have seen some horror of hood mounted solar panel cooking the paint underneath by trapping engine heat

 

[LabRat]

I have seen some horror of hood mounted solar panel cooking the paint underneath by trapping engine heat

The only ones I've seen have been on Yotas where there is a known paint issue.