Are solar chargers valid for calcium batteries?
Discussion
Hi guys,
A couple of doubts about batteries to see what it's your view...
I have a lead acid battery in an old Suzuki Wagon and 2 weeks ago we had to call road assistance and jump start it. We then moved the car for a few days and bought this solar charger that seemed to have good reviews (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00AC1LLQY), the 1st doubt is that even after leaving it plugged for a whole week, we've tried to start the car today and same problem. I checked the battery and it's reading around 11.50V, do you know what are the possibilities for the battery to be discharged so much even when connected to the solar charger?
(we're thinking about buying a new battery but not sure if the problem could be different and we still have the issue after replacing it).
And the 2nd doubt, we've seen that there are some calcium batteries that people say take longer to get discharged so thinking that we could try that this time, but I was wondering, would this solar charger work with calcium batteries as well? otherwise we might be better off with a lead acid again and keep it connected from brand new if we don't move the car much?
Many thanks!!!
A couple of doubts about batteries to see what it's your view...
I have a lead acid battery in an old Suzuki Wagon and 2 weeks ago we had to call road assistance and jump start it. We then moved the car for a few days and bought this solar charger that seemed to have good reviews (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00AC1LLQY), the 1st doubt is that even after leaving it plugged for a whole week, we've tried to start the car today and same problem. I checked the battery and it's reading around 11.50V, do you know what are the possibilities for the battery to be discharged so much even when connected to the solar charger?
(we're thinking about buying a new battery but not sure if the problem could be different and we still have the issue after replacing it).
And the 2nd doubt, we've seen that there are some calcium batteries that people say take longer to get discharged so thinking that we could try that this time, but I was wondering, would this solar charger work with calcium batteries as well? otherwise we might be better off with a lead acid again and keep it connected from brand new if we don't move the car much?
Many thanks!!!
Sorry. seem pedantic, but, it is all well & good implying that because there is a charger plugged in, so it MUST be ok, but that is all dependant on the current drain on the battery & the charger being able to overcome this.
eg. If the car is drawing 1 amp & the charger is supplying 0.5 amp, it will never do it.
On this one, I can see neither current or power rating (power = current x voltage) so have no idea of whether it is up to it.
Also it is assuming the battery is good.
Fully charged, you should get 12.something volts.
Daft though it sounds 11.5 is virtually flat.
eg. If the car is drawing 1 amp & the charger is supplying 0.5 amp, it will never do it.
On this one, I can see neither current or power rating (power = current x voltage) so have no idea of whether it is up to it.
Also it is assuming the battery is good.
Fully charged, you should get 12.something volts.
Daft though it sounds 11.5 is virtually flat.
Edited by E-bmw on Sunday 7th February 17:09
I'm plugging it with an EOBD connector.
Yes, we'll get a new battery, although now that we've got this solar charger already I was wondering if it'd be compatible with Calcium batteries as well? or better go with what we've got at the moment (lead acid)?
I still don't fully understand how's that it got discharged so quickly even when connected to the charger, ie, I would have expected to the product to power enough to keep it for a little longer...
Yes, we'll get a new battery, although now that we've got this solar charger already I was wondering if it'd be compatible with Calcium batteries as well? or better go with what we've got at the moment (lead acid)?
I still don't fully understand how's that it got discharged so quickly even when connected to the charger, ie, I would have expected to the product to power enough to keep it for a little longer...
Before you start condemning the battery I suggest you go and measure what the solar charger is outputting because I've not found any, including some large briefcase sized fold out jobs, that provide a meaningful charge rate and some that won't even output a voltage high enough that will charge a battery and just about enough to light the LED on the unit to fool you into thinking it's doing something.
You have to remember the quoted Wattage rating is the maximum it will provide in ideal conditions i.e. in direct, bright sunlight, angled directly at the sun. Once you start changing the angle, the sun goes behind clouds or poor weather, the sun only comes out for quarter to a third of the day or you put the charger behind glass then output rate is going to drop. Add several of those factors together and in the UK, in winter most car solar chargers are simply not going to charge a battery.
Times have changed since I first tried to keep my trackday car battery topped up (5-6 years ago) and solar panel technology has got better but even so I still wouldn't bother with one unless you are living somewhere sunny.
Looking at the Amazon reviews of the quoted solar panel above someone has given some useful info, 50mA charge rate under glass in cloudy conditions. If you think that will charge a battery up then think again, it might keep the alarm working for 6 hours a day but certain won't charge the battery. In other words it'll take slightly longer for the battery to go flat but it won't charge it.
If you want to charge a battery, put it on a battery charger!
You have to remember the quoted Wattage rating is the maximum it will provide in ideal conditions i.e. in direct, bright sunlight, angled directly at the sun. Once you start changing the angle, the sun goes behind clouds or poor weather, the sun only comes out for quarter to a third of the day or you put the charger behind glass then output rate is going to drop. Add several of those factors together and in the UK, in winter most car solar chargers are simply not going to charge a battery.
Times have changed since I first tried to keep my trackday car battery topped up (5-6 years ago) and solar panel technology has got better but even so I still wouldn't bother with one unless you are living somewhere sunny.
Looking at the Amazon reviews of the quoted solar panel above someone has given some useful info, 50mA charge rate under glass in cloudy conditions. If you think that will charge a battery up then think again, it might keep the alarm working for 6 hours a day but certain won't charge the battery. In other words it'll take slightly longer for the battery to go flat but it won't charge it.
If you want to charge a battery, put it on a battery charger!
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