Quickly searched the forum but didn't found any thread showing it done. If I mis-searched, thanks to direct me to an existing thread. Sunny days should be back during next weeks, so a project is coming back in my head... On the net there are several threads where people are adding a small solar panel to the 12V battery of an HCH. I did so with a low grade amorphous 13W panel to my Mégane (old turbo diesel) through a charge regulator that I configured so it charged the battery only while the alternator was off (glides ICE off). The goal is to set and forget it. The charge controller has a small LCD screen so I can verify it, but I don't think to put it on the dash, as it contains a thermometer that should be at a temperature close enough the the charged battery. Also that little LCD screen doesn't love sun at all : after a couple of minutes under direct sun it becomes black for a couple of hours... Would it be OK to do the same to the Prius 12V battery ? Is setting the charge controller to limit the charge @13.7V would be OK ? Of course it will not charge the HV, but it would be sad to let the charge controller and the panel in the garage... Denis.
I got a free VW OBD2 solar panel and an OBD2 splitter. See http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-...isconnect-reconnect-cycles-2.html#post1298659.
The Prius Gen2 uses a DC Converter to charge the 12V auxiliary battery using power from the HV battery when needed. I do not see much point in using a solar panel for this application. However I use a solar panel mounted on the inside of the rear hatch window to power a series of fans to cool down the cabin. I have PHEV kits which need cooling down. See this link http://priuschat.com/forums/prius-p...-dc-dc-overheating-issues-10.html#post1472841
^^^ The point is if one drives very short drives, the dumb charging system charges it at a very low rate and amperage. This might not allow enough time for the 12 volt to really ever get charged, esp. w/the parasitic draw from the rest of the car and the SKS. See http://priuschat.com/forums/toyota-...-tsbs/44308-12-volt-battery-5.html#post793503, for example.
