I know there's a few clever types on here that can help with this, so:

At work, we have a couple of trucks that need regular trickle charging. To save mucking around with mains cables and so on, solar powered chargers would be best. Nice and easy.
The problem is, these trucks run on 24v, and as far as I can see, 24v solar chargers don't exist (well, I found one, but it was £500! )

So, the question is, is there any way to use an inverter to run a 12v solar charger to charge the 24v batteries? If so, what's needed and how does it all wire up? Is that even needed, or can a 12v charger charge a 24v battery?

OK, so that's three questions...

Ta in advance!

I don't know about the inverter thing, but boats usually use wind turbines, have you considered these. (I don't know if there's a price difference.)

Hmm... if you drive (and therefore turn the turbine in the wind) would it then provide enough power to power the truck inkinitely?

Ye-e-es, but we already have a device fitted to charge it whilst driving. It's called an 'alternator'.
We're looking for something to keep it charged while it's sat in the yard doing nothing. These trucks sit around for weeks at a time, and the batteries are invariably flat when we go to use them. Having the battery sitting flat is a good way to trash it, so we need something to keep it topped up.

Tombolt, I've not come across the wind turbines, I'll have to have a look around. Given the British weather, it probably makes more sense!

Here you go...



Might be a bit big to sit on top of a truck though

A quick google of '24V wind generator' brought this interesting looking site up.

Most solar trickle charges are very crude. The only active component they have is a diode to stop the current going the wrong way, so there's nothing to stop you wiring two in series.

However; I have a 12V solar charger for the car and it's a complete waste of effort. It would be fine in California, but it doesn't even generate 0.1mA most days on my driveway. Larger panels are available, but they are very expensive. I think wind is a very good idea, although mounting them permanently might be complicated.