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The best solar car battery chargers are an easy to use and cost-effective way to maintain your car battery.

Solar car battery chargers are the perfect way to keep your car’s battery topped-up. They’re extremely easy to use, while also being inexpensive and durable.

Our #1 pick for solar battery chargers is Battery Tender’s Solar Maintainer, an all-in-one solar charger. It’s well-built, highly durable, and has hundreds of great customer reviews.

In total, we’ve found 8 of the best solar car battery chargers of 2021.

To decide what products to include, we looked at cost, ease of use, durability, and customer reviews. Prices vary based on the size and features of the battery charger, from about $20 to $250 (though most of the products below fall around $60 or less). Generally, the bigger the charger, the more expensive it is.

Below, we lay out the basics of each charger we chose, any unique features, and any defects customers have pointed out.

Top 8 Best Solar Car Battery Chargers for 2021

Read on to read our reviews of each of our top picks and find the best solar powered car battery charger for your car.

Battery Tender 10 W Solar Maintainer

Battery Tender 10W Solar Maintainer

Top Pick for Best Overall

Quick Look: Great product from reputable company, with great reviews. The only battery charger on our list that includes both an integrated blocking diode and charge controller.

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If you’re looking for the easiest way to maintain your battery’s charge, take a look at Battery Tender’s Solar Maintainer. Battery Tender is a well-known manufacturer that makes both solar and plug-in battery chargers.

Unlike some of the other products on our list, this battery maintainer is waterproof, spark-proof, and includes built-in temperature compensation. This means that your battery will be protected during extreme high or low temperatures. Other solar chargers must be kept inside (on a car dash, for example). Battery Tender’s product can be safely left outside 24/7, so you don’t need to worry about bringing it inside during rain or snow.

This solar maintainer comes in 5W, 10W, and 15W models and includes both an integrated blocking diode, so it doesn’t leach power from the battery at night, as well as a charge controller, so it doesn’t overcharge and damage your battery. These are key components of any good solar battery maintainer.

This product has over 1,400 reviews, with the vast majority giving a perfect 5-star rating. Customers report the charger is extremely durable and many have left it outside for months on end without issues.

The only word of warning: the 15W model is rather large, coming at 1ft x 3ft. Although this is great for stationary use, it may not be the best choice for those who need something portable.

Bottom Line: This is the ultimate all-in-one battery maintainer. It comes with an integrated diode and charge controller – two necessary components if you want to keep your battery topped up long-term. You can’t go wrong with this one.

Learn More & Buy Now at Amazon
SUNER POWER 6 W Battery Charger

SUNER POWER 6W Battery Charger

Best Customer Reviews

Quick Look: The best-reviewed solar charger on our list, it’s a portable 6W solar battery maintainer that you can place on your dash.

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The SUNER POWER 6W solar battery charger is the 3rd smallest charger on our list, so it’s compact and easy to maneuver. It measures just 6” x 15”. Because it’s so small, you can leave it in your car and, when you need to park your vehicle for an extended period, pull it out and suction it to the inside of your windshield (suction cups included) or just place it on your dash.

The solar panel has a plastic frame for increased durability. It also includes alligator clamps to connect directly to your battery and an output charger that plugs into the cigarette outlet. Not all cars can be charged this way, but if your cigarette lighter still has power when the car is turned off, you should be able to charge your car battery directly from the lighter.

Like others on our list, this charger includes an integrated blocking diode to prevent unnecessary discharge. At this small size, you also don’t need to worry about a charge controller to protect your battery from overcharging, which keeps your kit as small as possible.

More than any other charger on our list, customers rave about this product. It works in all weather and temperatures, it has a decent output for its size, and it’s durable and long-lasting – even the mounting suction cups work well.

The small size could also be somewhat of a downside. If you have a larger vehicle or a newer vehicle with a large phantom load (electronics that use the battery even when the car is turned off), this battery charger might be too small to keep up with the power draw.

Bottom Line: Extremely portable and easy to use, customers continue to rave about the SUNER POWER solar battery charger.

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ACOPOWER 105 W Kit

ACOPOWER 105W Kit

Best Large Solar Car Charger

Quick Look: This large solar battery charger is big enough to charge your battery after full depletion – something the other products on our list are simply too small to do.

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All the other products on our list are small battery maintainers, not full-on battery chargers. If your battery suddenly dies, you need something strong enough to fully charge your battery from zero, which requires more than 5 to 30 watts. The only solar charger on this list that can help is the ACOPOWER’s 105W Solar Kit.

The convenient folding design means that this charger is both strong enough to charge up your batteries and compact enough to slide behind a seat for easy storage. And at just 8 pounds, it’s easy to handle and set up.

Customers report that the panel is durable and well-made and that ACOPOWER provides excellent customer support, always providing quick replacements if something goes wrong.

Downsides? As this is a folding solar panel, the housing is a heavy-duty canvas. It is weather-resistant, but you can’t leave it outside indefinitely and you’ll need to watch out for heavy storms that could damage it. This unit costs quite a bit more than the others on our list, but you’re getting much more as well. And compared to other similarly-sized products, you’re still getting a great deal.

Bottom Line: ACOPOWER’s solar charger is big enough to easily keep your battery charged and is backed up by excellent customer service and support. A great option if you’re looking for a bigger solar charger.

Learn More & Buy Now at Amazon
ECO-WORTHY 5 W Portable Solar Panel

ECO-WORTHY 5W Solar Charger

Best Small Solar Car Charger

Quick Look: A small, ultra-portable charger perfect for keeping the batteries in your sedan or small RV topped off.

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If you don’t use your vehicle too much – let’s say you’ve got a convertible that sits during the winter – you don’t need a big, bulky solar charger like the ACOPOWER above. Instead, opt for the ECO-WORTHY 5W charger. At just 9” x 8” and weighing less than a pound, you could just keep this in your car door pocket or glove box.

Like the SUNER POWER charger above, this small solar battery maintainer comes with alligator clips to connect directly to the battery as well as a cigarette lighter adaptor so you can charge your batteries from inside the car.

In fact, you might be wondering whether you should buy the SUNER POWER charger instead of this one. They’re about the same size and price, but the ECO-WORTHY charger here is slightly thinner, as it doesn’t have the heavy-duty plastic frame. If you’re going to throw your charger in the back of your truck on a camping trip, you might want to go for the more durable SUNER POWER charger. But if you’re just going to occasionally use the charger to keep the battery in your parked car topped off, this one is a bit thinner and easier to store. Both are great options, the best choice for you simply depends on how you want to use it.

Buyers use it in their parked trucks and cars with great success, even though it’s the 2nd smallest option here. One user did note that the heat on his dash caused the canvas lining around the solar panel to disintegrate, so you probably shouldn’t leave it on your hot dash 24/7. Even still, the vast majority of reviews note this little panel works great and keeps idle batteries in tip-top shape.

Bottom Line: A very small, low-cost solar battery maintainer that is perfect for light use. Can’t go wrong at this cost.

Learn More & Buy Now at Amazon
POWOXI 1.8 W Solar Battery Charger

POWOXI 1.8W Solar Battery Charger

Best for Motorcycles

Quick Look: A tiny 1.8W solar charger perfect for motorcycles or other small vehicles.

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If you’ve got a tiny car like a Smart Car or Scion IQ, or even a motorcycle, you don’t need a huge solar charger to keep your battery topped up. Something small will do just fine, and the POWOXI 1.8W solar battery charger fits the bill.

This is the smallest charger on our list, so it’s limited to small batteries that aren’t frequently used. Why would you buy this one instead of a more versatile 5 or 10W charger? Two reasons. Firstly, it’s quite inexpensive. You can buy a 2-pack for less money than a single large charger. Secondly, they’re very small and easy to pull out of the garage and throw on your dash. No bulk, little weight, and no wondering if the charger will fit on your compact windshield.

Unlike the other small chargers on our list, this one is also waterproof and UV resistant, so you’re safe to leave it outside in the rain and snow without worry.

It comes with all the typical accouterments: clips to connect to the battery, cigarette lighter adapter, and suction cups for mounting. And did we mention it’s a two-pack? The charger also includes an integrated blocking diode, so you don’t have to disconnect the charger from the battery every night and, at this small size, you don’t need to worry about a charge controller to prevent battery overcharging.

This little charger is one of the best-reviewed products on our list, with an almost perfect review score. Customers report the charger functions extremely well, even after months left in the snow, rain, and cold.

Bottom Line: While it can’t handle large batteries that are frequently used, POWOXI’s 1.8W solar charger is perfect for small vehicles that sit in the driveway most of the time. It’s cheap and works well. Who could ask for more?

Learn More & Buy Now at Amazon
Newpowa 30 W Solar Panel with Charge Controller

Newpowa 30W Solar Panel with Charge Controller

Most Durable

Quick Look: This kit is simply a conventional solar panel with a separate charge controller. You can’t get more durable than aluminum framing and tempered glass.

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If you’re looking for a permanent solution to keep your RV charged up when not in use, consider buying this Newpowa 30W kit. It’s the ultimate leave-it-and-forget-it solution, as it’s just a standard solar panel with aluminum framing and tempered glass. Out of all the products on our list, this is the one that’s time-tested and proven to be ultra-durable.

The kit comes with a separate charge controller and alligator clips for the battery. If you’re looking to leave the solar panel permanently attached, you’ll want to install the charge controller in the battery compartment to protect it against the elements.

At 30W, it’s more than enough to keep your battery topped up with power, but it’ll take a while if you want to completely charge a dead battery, so we wouldn’t recommend relying on this alone to restart your vehicle.

The only downside to the Newpowa kit is its weight and bulk. It’s durable because it’s thick and heavy. You’ll want to permanently mount this one because you won’t want to lug it to and from the garage repeatedly. On top of that, the back of the panel is prone to scratches and gouges, just like any standard panel, so it was clearly meant to be permanently mounted.

There aren’t too many customer reviews, but what’s there is positive. And besides, this is just a simple conventional solar panel and charge controller. There isn’t too much to go wrong.

Bottom Line: It’s cheap, simple, and ultra-durable. If you’re looking for a permanent, long-term solution to keep your batteries topped up, this is a great option.

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DuraVolt Magnetic Solar Battery Charger

DuraVolt Magnetic Solar Battery Charger

Easiest to Install

Quick Look: This solar panel in this sleek kit is magnetized on the back. Just plop it on your car hood and you’re ready to go.

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The medium-sized DuraVolt Solar Charger is just about the easiest solar panel you’ll ever install. You don’t need screws or adhesive. You don’t even need suction cups. The solar panel is magnetized, so just plop it down on the hood or roof of your vehicle, connect the wires to your battery, and you’re ready to go!

Originally designed to maintain the batteries in fifth-wheel trailers while driving, this is the perfect option if you’re looking for speedy installation that’s safe and secure, but also easy to remove if necessary. The 8.3W is more than enough to keep your battery topped off, but don’t rely on it to charge your dead batteries, it’s a bit too small for that.

Users report that the solar panel produces decent power and the magnet is strong enough that the solar panel doesn’t move around while driving. DuraVolt is a well-known manufacturer that makes solar panels and chargers for marine use, so you know you’re getting quality products.

The only real downside is the cost, as this magnetic solar panel is much more expensive than similarly-sized products on our list. However, if you want the best, you’ve got to pay for it.

Bottom Line: Installation doesn’t get easier than DuraVolt’s magnetic solar battery charger. It’s powerful enough for any car and it’s backed up by a respected company. Just be ready to open your wallet a bit wider than usual.

Learn More & Buy Now at Amazon
Suaoki 18 W Solar Battery Charger

Suaoki 18W Solar Battery Charger

Best Permanent Panel

Quick Look: This 18W solar charger can be permanently (and easily) attached to any structure with screws, zip ties, or adhesive.

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Suaoki’s solar battery charger is different from any of the others on our list. The Newpowa kit above is durable and waterproof, but also heavy thanks to the heavy aluminum and glass. Others are lightweight and easy to maneuver, but the heavy-duty canvas can’t be left outside. Suaoki’s solar panel offers a good middle ground. It’s completely waterproof and can be installed permanently outside, but it’s still lightweight and easy to install.

Suaoki’s solar panel is a flexible solar panel coated in a waterproof, rubbery polymer to protect against scratches and dings. Because there’s no glass or metal frame, these solar panels are incredibly light, just 12 ounces! And with the holes in each corner, you can attach it to pretty much any flat or gently curving surface with heavy-duty zip ties, screws, or even strong adhesive.

At 18W, this isn’t a battery charger. Instead, it’s a battery maintainer, designed to keep your battery topped up with juice, not to completely charge it after dying. That’s not a bad thing though, as it’s perfect for attaching to the roof of an RV, boat, or any other vehicle you don’t regularly use.

You might be wondering why you’d buy this one instead of DuraVolt’s Magnetic solar charger above. While DuraVolt’s product is also waterproof and is even easier to install, this Suaoki charger comes in at about 1/3 of the price – not a bad trade.

Bottom Line: This flexible, lightweight solar panel can be quickly attached to any surface, an easy way to always know your battery will be in tip-top shape.

Learn More & Buy Now at Amazon

What You Need to Know About Solar Car Battery Chargers

Here are a few things you should know before buying your first solar battery charger.

The Pros and Cons of Solar Car Battery Chargers

Solar car battery chargers are pretty clever pieces of equipment. First, they don’t need any electrical outlets nearby. You can keep your car, RV, or boat battery charged up no matter where it’s located. Second, they’re inexpensive and run off free electricity. Who doesn’t love saving a little extra on the utility bills? Lastly, that free electricity is clean and renewable, so you’re helping the environment too.

Of course, nothing’s perfect and there are downsides to solar car battery chargers. First off, they need the sun to operate. On cloudy days and at night, they just don’t work. Secondly, solar chargers can’t provide the amount of power that the utility company can. Overall, they’re pretty weak. Our largest solar charger above only provides 100 watts of power. In comparison, your home’s circuits can usually handle about 2,400 watts. However, 100W is still powerful enough to charge up a battery in a few hours, so you don’t need much more than that anyway.

Even with these drawbacks, the versatility and cost-effectiveness of solar battery chargers make them a great solution for keeping your battery powered up, especially if it’s far from an outlet.

Battery Chargers Vs Maintainers

If you’ve looked around online at different solar battery chargers, you’ve probably seen the terms ‘charger’ and ‘maintainer’ thrown around. There’s an important distinction between the two that isn’t immediately discernible.

Solar chargers are designed to be able to fully charge your batteries from empty to full. Battery maintainers, on the other hand, only maintain your battery’s charge, giving it just a trickle of energy to keep it topped up.

Maintainers are useful when your car or truck will be parked for the season. When batteries sit for long periods of time, they naturally lose their charge, so a maintainer helps to prevent that power loss. As long as you’ve got a blocking diode (read below for more on that), you’re safe to leave your battery hooked up to your maintainer for months on end – letting you pull out that summer vehicle once the snow melts, knowing that it will start right up without a worry.

Most solar battery maintainers are between 5W and 30W. What size to buy depends on both the size of your battery and how frequently you drive. The more you drive, the bigger the maintainer you need, though 5 to 15 watts should be enough for most people.
Battery chargers, on the other hand, are much bigger, usually around 50 to 100 watts. With this size, you’re able to fully charge your batteries, even after they’ve died completely. These are the perfect addition to your camping, RVing, and snowmobiling gear. With one of these chargers on hand, you’ll never have to worry about a dead battery again.

Blocking Diode and Charge Controller

The most basic solar charger is simply a solar panel with wires to connect the positive and negative wires to the terminals on your battery. This system can work, but if anything goes wrong, you’ll quickly kill your battery. Two pieces of equipment – blocking diodes and charge controllers – help protect your battery from this potential damage.

Battery chargers larger than 5W typically need a charge controller to regulate the amount of electricity coming from the solar panels, so the solar panels don’t overload the battery and damage it. Without a controller, any spike in electricity could fry your battery. While a handful of solar chargers (like the Battery Tender model above) come with the charge controller built-in, you’ll typically have to supply your own, which will knock you back about $10 to $20.

You’ll also need to make sure your solar charger includes a small device called a ‘blocking diode’. These little pieces of equipment (about the size of a pea) tacked onto the back of the solar panel allow electricity to flow from the solar panel to the battery, but not the other way around. Without a blocking diode, solar panels can actually drain electricity from the battery at night, leaving you with a dead battery in the morning.

Without a blocking diode, you’d have to disconnect your solar charger from your battery every night – kind of pain, right? Thankfully, most solar chargers already include a blocking diode, so you don’t need to worry too much about that.

Bottom line: If you want to avoid headaches, make sure your battery charger includes a blocking diode and buy a charge controller to go with it.

How To Get The Most Out of Your Solar Charger

As you now know, these chargers are fairly inexpensive and easy to use, but there are a few things you can do to ensure that you get the most out of your purchase.

First off, know what you’re looking for. It is important to consider how you want to use your charger before you make your charger. Remember, if you just want to keep your batteries topped up, you should purchase a maintainer. If you need to recharge dead batteries, you will need a charger. You may save a bit of cash by buying a maintainer, but if you really need a full charger, you’ll just be wasting your money. If you buy what you need from the start, you’ll be saving money in the long run.

Secondly, keep your solar panel clean. The cleaner the panel, the better your charger will work. Sunlight can’t get through if the panel is blocked by dirt, snow, or debris, so make sure you keep it clean.

Lastly, try to keep your charger from overheating. That may sound a bit odd for something that is meant to be left out in the sun, but heat can damage the structure of the charger. As mentioned above, many of these chargers have plastic or canvas frames that will break down if they are exposed to excessive heat. If you leave your charger out on hot sunny days, make sure you place it in a ventilated area. Remember, solar chargers just need sunshine, not heat, so keep it cool and your charger will last much longer.

Summary: Solar Car Battery Chargers

Solar chargers are an inexpensive, eco-friendly way to keep your car’s battery topped up. For most of us, a 5W to 15W charger is all we need. If you want to completely recharge a dead battery, you’ll need to bump up to 100 watts or so.

We hope you enjoyed our overview of solar battery chargers, now take a look and find the right one for you! Here are our top picks for the best solar battery charger of 2021.

The Best Solar Powered Car Battery Chargers for 2021