After coming across various solar ebike setups on social media, I decided in summer of 2022 to build my own solar setup as a range extender for my Radrunner Plus ebike. The setup itself is fairly simple and straightforward, although sourcing certain items can be more of a pain. I’ll outline my process and build and drop some helpful links if you’re interested in learning more.
A solar setup does not require much, you’ll need a solar panel, an MPPT charge controller, and the necessary cables. That ran me around $240 or so and you could surely do it for cheaper. In addition, you’ll need some sort of platform to place the panel on as you ride. You can use existing racks on your bike or use a trailer. I chose to build my own, using Wike’s DIY trailer kit. It doubles as my solar trailer and a cargo trailer with an easily removable top deck.
Here’s exactly what I ordered to complete the setup:
- Sunpower 100w flexible solar panel, this is the lightest and most efficient solar panel I could find and comes recommended by others. $130.
- MPPT charge controller from Grin Technologies, with anderson connectors pre-installed for $75.
- MC4 to Anderson connector cable. $19 from Grin. This connects the panel to the MPPT controller
- Anderson to DC right angle connector cable. $7.99 from Powerwerx. This connects the MPPT to the bikes battery.
This setup doubled my range on a clear sunny day in late April 2023 in the PNW. Normally I get between 30-50 miles on a charge, this day I got 70 miles with charge to spare. My limit was physical pain from a full day in the saddle. This amounts to a full battery charge for the amount of time I was out on my ride. Since May I’ve charged the battery only using the panel just for fun.
.douchepacker. 