Solar trickle chargers
Discussion
Most appear to have the lighter socket permanently live (mine is!) - but there's no accounting with TVRs.
Hope your "solar" panel is capable of producing at least 250 mA (up to quarter of an amp)in full sun-light?? The discharge/leakage of "older" Chims can be greater than the output of some "small" solar chargers, so all you end up with is a battery discharging more slowly, rather than being topped up and charged!!!
I'm sure yours will be fine as long as it does get a good view of the sky !! If I left mine outside I might consider one, but watch the spec - and price !!
Trev McM
Hope your "solar" panel is capable of producing at least 250 mA (up to quarter of an amp)in full sun-light?? The discharge/leakage of "older" Chims can be greater than the output of some "small" solar chargers, so all you end up with is a battery discharging more slowly, rather than being topped up and charged!!!
I'm sure yours will be fine as long as it does get a good view of the sky !! If I left mine outside I might consider one, but watch the spec - and price !!
Trev McM
I had a slightly low battery one day (it was cranking a little slowly), so I got one of these, plugged it in (you get a little LED flashing to tell you thats its generating power) and left it alone to do its thing.. 2 weeks later.. as per k4trv's post, battery flat as a pancake 
Probably won't use it again.. lol
Cheers
Matt.
>> Edited by M@H on Friday 5th March 08:55
Probably won't use it again.. lol
Cheers
Matt.
>> Edited by M@H on Friday 5th March 08:55
Thats cheered me up no end : )
If it doesn't do what it says on the tin, it is going back pronto.
"This automatic trickle charge will ensure you have power when you need it.
Designed for cars, boats, caravans, portable radios/TVs and motorcycles it is capable of trickle charging 12 volt batteries and is an invaluable piece of equipment."
If it doesn't do what it says on the tin, it is going back pronto.
"This automatic trickle charge will ensure you have power when you need it.
Designed for cars, boats, caravans, portable radios/TVs and motorcycles it is capable of trickle charging 12 volt batteries and is an invaluable piece of equipment."
N17 TVR said:
Thats cheered me up no end : )
If it doesn't do what it says on the tin, it is going back pronto.
"This automatic trickle charge will ensure you have power when you need it.
Designed for cars, boats, caravans, portable radios/TVs and motorcycles it is capable of trickle charging 12 volt batteries and is an invaluable piece of equipment."
Sounds like the one I bought..... does it come in a blue box and has a panel about 15" by 5" by 1" perchance.. ?
Matt - I haven't received it yet so don't know about blue box but dimensions are Measuring approximately 23 x 9 x 6.5cm (9 x 3.5 x 2.75 inches).....from Sinclair & Drummond for about 20 quid (one of my usual impulse purchases)
They need to be careful with the claim about "ensuring that you have power when you need it" if it ain't up to the job !
They need to be careful with the claim about "ensuring that you have power when you need it" if it ain't up to the job !
Afraid I must agree with M@H - I tried a solar charger for a year but you could still guarantee that, if left for two weeks, a key turn would produce no more than a limp gurgle as opposed to the more desirable roar. It may extend the battery life from 12 days to 14 days but not much more..
Errm 12 days and your battery is stuffed ? Sounds like you've got a leak somewhere. Well, I say a leak, more of a deluge....
As for Solar Power anything to do with TVR - forget it.
You'd be much better off spending £50 more and doing the job properly with a trickle charger - voltage stabalized of course.
As for Solar Power anything to do with TVR - forget it.
You'd be much better off spending £50 more and doing the job properly with a trickle charger - voltage stabalized of course.
Most motor cycle dealers sell trickle chargers for about a tenner. They look just like a Nokia moblie phone charger & have a 12 volt 250ma output.
Of course they only work if you have a power point to plug them into in which case you probably wouldn't have gone for a solar one in the first place so I'll shut up!
Of course they only work if you have a power point to plug them into in which case you probably wouldn't have gone for a solar one in the first place so I'll shut up!
Well I got one of the £20 solar-cigar-lighter-jobbies at Christmas and left the car for a fortnight while I was away in January. Plenty of charge when the car burst into life on my return. 
Have kept using it ever since, but I've noticed that the little led hasn't been flashing its stuff thsi week. Wonder if it's kerfuct already?
Have kept using it ever since, but I've noticed that the little led hasn't been flashing its stuff thsi week. Wonder if it's kerfuct already?
beano500 said:
Well I got one of the £20 solar-cigar-lighter-jobbies at Christmas and left the car for a fortnight while I was away in January. Plenty of charge when the car burst into life on my return.
This is much more like it, even if beano is lying it has cheered me up !
Apologies Dodger but as I said it was an impulse purchase and is all Seasiders fault for mentioning it in the first place.
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