Road test complete!

I am going to call it a success by the metrics I put forward at the beginning of the project. At the beginning I defined success and being able to charge at the consumption rate at 12mph. I still am pedaling and can feel that I am pedaling; but I am not working at a rate that I will have any trouble maintaining.

On my road test today, at 12mph steady, I was pulling between 60 and 70 watts. I was charging at 190-220 watts. If these numbers hold true, I will have the unlimited range that I wanted on my touring trike.

It is nowhere near the 280W that these panels are rated at; however, they are not in an ideal position either.





I had to open the battery to make sure that my power was going in on the same side as the standard charger and my load out (to the 12V circuit) is going out on the load side.

It still needs some guy wires on the rear of the solar deck. I am also going to put one more brace under the solar deck.