solar battery trickle charger
Discussion
i don't think i use the car regularly enough and a few days ago i had a flat battery; a traditional trickle charger isn't possible where i live due to parking restrictions so was thinking about this....
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Solar-Technology-4W-Foldup...
seems you can just plug it into the cigarette lighter and leave it in the interior of the car and it will slowly charge the battery (depending on light levels!!) fortunately, my cigarette lighter in the car stays on when the car is locked so this should work, or am i missing something?
the battery is reasonably new but just not getting used enough.
battery specs are 850cca and 110Ah so quite a big b
d to say the least.
any thoughts?
thanks chaps!
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Solar-Technology-4W-Foldup...
seems you can just plug it into the cigarette lighter and leave it in the interior of the car and it will slowly charge the battery (depending on light levels!!) fortunately, my cigarette lighter in the car stays on when the car is locked so this should work, or am i missing something?
the battery is reasonably new but just not getting used enough.
battery specs are 850cca and 110Ah so quite a big b
d to say the least.any thoughts?
thanks chaps!
The solar powered charger (as in the OP's link) works very well, delivering up to 4w depending on ambient light levels.
So let's say it will deilver an average or 3w during daylight hours, is the car using more than that because of current drain?
I would take a bit of working out, but if the current drain is less that the delivery of the solar powered charger, then it will work and keep the battery topped up.
Are you sure your cigarette light stays live when the ignition is off?
So let's say it will deilver an average or 3w during daylight hours, is the car using more than that because of current drain?
I would take a bit of working out, but if the current drain is less that the delivery of the solar powered charger, then it will work and keep the battery topped up.
Are you sure your cigarette light stays live when the ignition is off?
It can be done and I have done it to keep various cars I am not using topped up.
Batteries must be in tip top condition.
Solar charger must be of decent output highest you can afford.
Three problems.
Firstly Ideally fit an isolator switch to cut off all drain on the battery when parked, the drain on the battery from car alarms etc. Otherwise the drain will negate any charge.
Secondly there is internal resistance in lead acid accumulators to being charged. Solar chargers are marginal at overcoming this to create a positive charge.
Thirdly you are dependent on the sunshine hours.
In winter unless you are in Spain you would be lucky if this works.
A well placed decent solar charger in a car in the UK would work but ONLY if there is enough sun. Make sure the charger is really open to all the sunlight. Facing southwest is best.
So, buy the most powerful charger, you can afford, get the battery 100%, fit an isolator switch park the car in the sun and you have a good chance.
It works for me but my cars have isolator switches for safety and I like gadgets.
The best one is on my Wolseley 15/50 the older type batteries (modern replacement!) have a much lower internal resistance.
But it has worked in the summer on all my cars from time to time as needed.
Batteries must be in tip top condition.
Solar charger must be of decent output highest you can afford.
Three problems.
Firstly Ideally fit an isolator switch to cut off all drain on the battery when parked, the drain on the battery from car alarms etc. Otherwise the drain will negate any charge.
Secondly there is internal resistance in lead acid accumulators to being charged. Solar chargers are marginal at overcoming this to create a positive charge.
Thirdly you are dependent on the sunshine hours.
In winter unless you are in Spain you would be lucky if this works.
A well placed decent solar charger in a car in the UK would work but ONLY if there is enough sun. Make sure the charger is really open to all the sunlight. Facing southwest is best.
So, buy the most powerful charger, you can afford, get the battery 100%, fit an isolator switch park the car in the sun and you have a good chance.
It works for me but my cars have isolator switches for safety and I like gadgets.
The best one is on my Wolseley 15/50 the older type batteries (modern replacement!) have a much lower internal resistance.
But it has worked in the summer on all my cars from time to time as needed.
My battery was struggling early December so I brought a 1.5W version for £10 from Maplin.
It has done a good job and no flat battery, built-in volt gauge in car was dropping to around 11V, now it's holding around 11.4-11.5V from a week parked up. I'd get a more powerful version like the one linked if I got another as I was skeptical.
My cigarette lighter doesn't function when ignition is off so I've got the crocodile clips direct to battery.
It has done a good job and no flat battery, built-in volt gauge in car was dropping to around 11V, now it's holding around 11.4-11.5V from a week parked up. I'd get a more powerful version like the one linked if I got another as I was skeptical.
My cigarette lighter doesn't function when ignition is off so I've got the crocodile clips direct to battery.
am 100% sure the cigarette lighter has power when the car is locked, i left an FM transmitter plugged in and the following morning the small green LED was still on (though it doesn't drain much as the main unit stops after 60 seconds of having no audio input).
i have 2 cigarette lighters in my car, what if i buy 2?
at the end of the day, if it supplies SOME charge, then it will at least slow the rate of discharge meaning i don't have to take a 25kg battery out of the car quite as often.
why is maplin my friend?? do they do better supplies than amazon? or am i missing something?
thanks for the help chaps, much appreciated. thanks in advance for any further unput
i have 2 cigarette lighters in my car, what if i buy 2?
at the end of the day, if it supplies SOME charge, then it will at least slow the rate of discharge meaning i don't have to take a 25kg battery out of the car quite as often.
why is maplin my friend?? do they do better supplies than amazon? or am i missing something?
thanks for the help chaps, much appreciated. thanks in advance for any further unput
I tried one of the cheaper ones to keep the leisure battery charged in our caravan through the winter, put it in a south facing window, but it didn't really seem to halp. As said get a decent/more powerful one & it should do the trick, as long as some scrote doesn't think he can get enough for it for his next bag of brown, you should be alright!
E38Ross said:
am 100% sure the cigarette lighter has power when the car is locked, i left an FM transmitter plugged in and the following morning the small green LED was still on (though it doesn't drain much as the main unit stops after 60 seconds of having no audio input).
i have 2 cigarette lighters in my car, what if i buy 2?
at the end of the day, if it supplies SOME charge, then it will at least slow the rate of discharge meaning i don't have to take a 25kg battery out of the car quite as often.
why is maplin my friend?? do they do better supplies than amazon? or am i missing something?
thanks for the help chaps, much appreciated. thanks in advance for any further unput
I am struggling at the moment PH is running very slow.i have 2 cigarette lighters in my car, what if i buy 2?
at the end of the day, if it supplies SOME charge, then it will at least slow the rate of discharge meaning i don't have to take a 25kg battery out of the car quite as often.
why is maplin my friend?? do they do better supplies than amazon? or am i missing something?
thanks for the help chaps, much appreciated. thanks in advance for any further unput
To answer your questions:
2 chargers would be better obviously running in parallel which thet will be if you use the cigarette lighter sockets.
Maplins are generally regarded as the best supplier of this type of stuff. And there will be one near you, and you can go back and moan, get advice, etc. Some of the lads in Maplins are genuine technology experts. Very switched on indeed. Could be very helpful.
I would measure the battery output over time with everything off for a start.
If it is steadily falling there us a drain somewhere probably the alarm, but I have known Bluetooth phones set ups do this. You need to stop that drain.
Good luck I think this will work for you.
the 4W charger turned up before the earliest estimated delivery date so that was good!!
i've found the cause of the drain and it was the new sat nav unit (not shutting off when the car goes to sleep - so sending it back for refund). i've plugged the unit in and if left plugged in for the day it works out over 24 hours in these conditions it charges the battery sufficiently to counter the normal drain of the battery, plus a tiny amount more....so it's doing the job.
for the winter, i'd recommend 10W ones, but 4W will be more than enough for the summer, i suspect.
either way, having this plugged in when the car is not in use for days on end will prevent the battery losing charge over time and keep it a lot closer (if not at) full charge. it's charging through the day, then the battery drains overnight (in my car, normal drain is 50mAh) so over the 8-9 hours of daylight with mostly cloud cover it's making enough to counter that (and a tiny bit more) for 24 hours.
not bad IMO and recommended for those who may go days/weeks or even months without using their cars, though i'd recommend a 10W version. i'm going to buy a 2nd 4W one and use both at the same time as my car has 2 cigarette lighters.
i've found the cause of the drain and it was the new sat nav unit (not shutting off when the car goes to sleep - so sending it back for refund). i've plugged the unit in and if left plugged in for the day it works out over 24 hours in these conditions it charges the battery sufficiently to counter the normal drain of the battery, plus a tiny amount more....so it's doing the job.
for the winter, i'd recommend 10W ones, but 4W will be more than enough for the summer, i suspect.
either way, having this plugged in when the car is not in use for days on end will prevent the battery losing charge over time and keep it a lot closer (if not at) full charge. it's charging through the day, then the battery drains overnight (in my car, normal drain is 50mAh) so over the 8-9 hours of daylight with mostly cloud cover it's making enough to counter that (and a tiny bit more) for 24 hours.
not bad IMO and recommended for those who may go days/weeks or even months without using their cars, though i'd recommend a 10W version. i'm going to buy a 2nd 4W one and use both at the same time as my car has 2 cigarette lighters.
E38Ross said:
the 4W charger turned up before the earliest estimated delivery date so that was good!!
i've found the cause of the drain and it was the new sat nav unit (not shutting off when the car goes to sleep - so sending it back for refund). i've plugged the unit in and if left plugged in for the day it works out over 24 hours in these conditions it charges the battery sufficiently to counter the normal drain of the battery, plus a tiny amount more....so it's doing the job.
for the winter, i'd recommend 10W ones, but 4W will be more than enough for the summer, i suspect.
either way, having this plugged in when the car is not in use for days on end will prevent the battery losing charge over time and keep it a lot closer (if not at) full charge. it's charging through the day, then the battery drains overnight (in my car, normal drain is 50mAh) so over the 8-9 hours of daylight with mostly cloud cover it's making enough to counter that (and a tiny bit more) for 24 hours.
not bad IMO and recommended for those who may go days/weeks or even months without using their cars, though i'd recommend a 10W version. i'm going to buy a 2nd 4W one and use both at the same time as my car has 2 cigarette lighters.
Good result.i've found the cause of the drain and it was the new sat nav unit (not shutting off when the car goes to sleep - so sending it back for refund). i've plugged the unit in and if left plugged in for the day it works out over 24 hours in these conditions it charges the battery sufficiently to counter the normal drain of the battery, plus a tiny amount more....so it's doing the job.
for the winter, i'd recommend 10W ones, but 4W will be more than enough for the summer, i suspect.
either way, having this plugged in when the car is not in use for days on end will prevent the battery losing charge over time and keep it a lot closer (if not at) full charge. it's charging through the day, then the battery drains overnight (in my car, normal drain is 50mAh) so over the 8-9 hours of daylight with mostly cloud cover it's making enough to counter that (and a tiny bit more) for 24 hours.
not bad IMO and recommended for those who may go days/weeks or even months without using their cars, though i'd recommend a 10W version. i'm going to buy a 2nd 4W one and use both at the same time as my car has 2 cigarette lighters.
Glad you sorted the drain I though there must be something not shutting down.
Car alarms are often the culprit. Doubtless Sat Navs are another.
I agree with you about the benefits of a higher output charger the internal resistance in all car batteries, which worsens significantly with age, means around 12W is the idea. 10 should be fine.
This works for me on several laid up summer convertibles. Ii does work well providing nothing is draining the battery.
Should extend the life of the battery as well.
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