Solar panels for golf carts
should be the size of the cart’s roof or slightly bigger. Very big panels will be harder to install, will make the cart bulky and may ruin its looks. There may be no point in going bigger anyway — a 400 W panel should provide enough energy to charge the batteries of a standard golf cart.It’s hard to install a rigid panel on an uneven roof though. You can either remove the roof and replace it with a PV module or pick thin-film panels instead. They are lightweight, flexible and can adapt to the shape of your cart’s roof. You can use adhesives to fix them whereas rigid panels require drilling. The downside of thin-film panels is lower efficiency and shorter lifespan — they tend to wear out in under 20 years.When it comes to the specs, solar panels for golf carts
should be energy-dense, maximizing the amount of electricity per square foot. Look for the efficiency number in the datasheet. You want rigid panels with above 20% efficiency for a golf cart. Thin-film panels average efficiency ranges from 10% to 15% thus you might not be able to fit as much power on your roof as you would want to.