Introduction
In this video, we’re going to take a look at the Harbor Freight 1.5 watt solar battery charger.
Problem Statement
What’s up, people? I knew the day would come when my golf cart, because it’s not used regularly, would have a battery issue. It started up with low voltage, reading a low 12 volts. I couldn’t start it with the electric start, so my plan was to get a Harbor Freight solar charger to mount on the golf cart to keep it charged from the sun when parked outside. Before purchasing, I checked YouTube reviews. Some said it charged batteries, others said it only maintained them, and some claimed it didn’t work at all.
Testing the Battery
In this video, we’ll test my battery to ensure it’s good, measure the voltage, hook up the solar charger, and leave it for two days to see if the voltage increases.
Unboxing the Charger
Let’s quickly go over the box contents. This is item number 68692. It’s a 1.5 watt solar battery charger, meant to compensate for small battery drains. It plugs into a cigarette lighter and comes with an adapter for that. You can mount it on your windshield, as shown in the picture. There are two adapters: one clips to the battery, and the other plugs into the cigarette lighter to charge the battery.
Initial Battery Condition
Here’s my golf cart battery. I left it in place but disconnected the positive and negative terminals. We’ll do a battery test and a voltage test.
Battery Test Results
I have my battery tester hooked up. It doesn’t indicate a bad battery, just a low one. It’s currently at 11.31 volts. This will be our starting point.
Setting Up the Solar Charger
Here’s the solar panel. I propped it up in the golf cart bed, with the cable running to the battery posts. It’s the end of the day, so it’s not very bright, but the LED is blinking, indicating some sunlight. I’ll leave it out and check it tomorrow, with sunny weather expected for the next two days. Since nothing is hooked up to the battery except the solar panel, we’ll see if the voltage increases.
Checking the Results
It’s been a week, and it’s been cloudy. No excuses, just stating the facts. We’ll test the battery now to see if the solar panel charged it at all. I moved the panel to the top of the golf cart for maximum sunlight exposure.
Final Battery Check
I turned on my tester and connected the probes. The battery is now at 11.89 volts, an increase from 11.31 volts. It’s still not at 12 volts but has definitely charged.
Conclusion
The solar panel did work for my setup, increasing the voltage significantly. I’m happy with it for $11. Maybe I’ll buy another panel to charge faster. If interested, you can get this at Harbor Freight for around $13.99. If you found this video helpful, hit the like button and subscribe with notifications.
