any recommendations for solar panel 12v battery "maintainer"?

As subject really, my LR spends most of its time in the car port, with maybe 2 or 3 weeks between uses, also most of my journeys are short (

Reply to
Andrew T.
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Reply to
Mark Solesbury

Of course I should have said "battery does not recover fully"

I took a look on ebay, and like you found 2 versions, 1 for 10 ish (120168378024) and the other for 20 (140162841342), both similar output, but I have to say the more expensive looks more like a decent bit of kit (goes with the price I suppose). I've just cooked my existing battery leaving a mains charger on for too long, so I'm looking for a safer solution.

Andrew

Reply to
Andrew T.

In message , Andrew T. writes

At an output level of 100mA or so (Max) the lower-priced one would do what you want.

Might get 1/2 AH per day so would top up a partly-discharged battery over a few weeks and keep it there without any danger of damage. Not for recharging from flat though.

As to quality, no comment except that Solar Cells are normally very reliable provided they are treated carefully (don't use it to pack up the jack!).

Bearing in mind the cost of a new battery or inconvenience of not being able to start it seems to me a reasonable investment. I don't see any reason to go for the more expensive one, in fact it doesn't even have a connector.

Reply to
Martin Beenham

I've used the first one you mention and found it more than adequate. I'm not sure why you think the second one looks "a decent bit of kit" over the first which is perfectly adequate. If the cheaper option won't do the job you require it may be time to chase dow a problemon your vehicle rather than a solar charger.

Reply to
Tim Jones

Get a decent charger that goes into 'maintain' mode - which won't damage the battery no matter how long left on. Avoid the 'specials' advertised that do this but are poor value for money.

Lidl did a very nice little switch mode charger that included maintenance charge and also a 6 amp maximum where needed. For about 10 quid. At that price it's worth building in to the vehicle, which I've done on mine.

To provide a solar charger capable of providing an *average* 100mA or so

24/7 - needed if you have a radio etc which takes a constant drain - ain't easy or cheap.
Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Thanks to all who posted, it is good to hear that they actually work (I hope even up here in NW Scotland). I think my battery is rather old anyway which may have been the cause of the original problem. The engine (V8) would always start, but I always had the feeling it could be spinning a bit faster (and it did after a fresh charge from mains. I will also fit an isolator to remove any possibility of drain, I don't have anything that needs a permanent supply. I thought about putting in a mains charger on maintainance mode, but I would forget to connect it of course, and I don't like things plugged into the mains permanently even with such a low power requirement.

Andrew

Reply to
Andrew T.

Andrew T. uttered summat worrerz funny about:

I've got a maplins one which i've just relocated to the 110 since it's been parked up a bit recently. It seems to hold the charge although over a few weeks the clock (which must have the inards of Big Ben) and Radio still manage to much away at it. I used to leave the 101 for weeks at a time - then again it didn't have a radio or clock.

I too will be exploring an isolator for the 110 soon I feel.

Lee D

Reply to
Lee_D

The first looks remarkably like the =A319.99 12v Solar Charger Maplin se= ll. I've just bought one from Maplin (should have looked at eBay first mutte= r mutter) to keep the battery on the generator topped up.

Due to the (no choice) location of the panel it will never get full sun.= Measuring the voltage on the crock clips the flashing LED takes most of =

the power... It will be pulsing a bit of energy into the battery but not= much. But then it only has to cope with the self discharge of a small (35AHr) battery.

As Mr Plowman says you'd need quite a chunky panel to provide the power =

taken by the "standby" electronics in a car. But if there is nothing tha= t needs power 24/7 just hoik the +ve terminal off when you connect the panel.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

Yes, location of the panel could be an issue, I will have to fit a longer bit of wire. I intend to just plug it into the extra cig lighter socket I fitted, which is directly wired to battery (with fuse!). I can't be ar**d to dis / re connect the battery under the seat each time I want to go out, so an isolator switch (which I happen to have lying in the shed somewhere) together with the cig lighter plug will make the whole operation quick and simple. I take it these cheap panels are waterproof and can live outside, and they are not just designed to be used inside the windscreen etc. I will ask the seller.

Andrew

Reply to
Andrew T.

In message , Andrew T. writes

They're quite popular with caravanners now so it might be worth asking on uk.rec.caravanning and/or uk.rec.motorcaravans

Reply to
hugh

Hugh, Thanks, its a good idea, I will venture over to these groups.

Andrew

Reply to
Andrew T.

I have some of those little pannels for long storage of the car : 3 or 6 months : behind tthe windscreen, it should give 50 or 100 mA 10 hours a day, it is enough to find the battery well charged, but of course i disconnect the two batteries connections. I am not sure it would be a good idea to put them outside especially in england.

For a lot more of money (600 euros), i have on the boat and on a car 80 W 12 V solar panels which give about 3 - 4 amps 10 hours a day in the west indies. One is enough to get a engel 60 l compressor fridge work at about 0 degres. The Draw is 2,5 amps half the time about. I Think i will put two of those on the roof of a santana PS10 (nearly like the new defender 110 but with a better engine and less sophistication) to be energy independant while camping.

"Andrew T." a écrit dans le message de news: snipped-for-privacy@22g2000hsm.googlegroups.com...

Reply to
Didier LEPRINCE

Reply to
Neil

Ah Yes, but I did mention that I need to extend the wiring and I also asked about putting these things outside, so we had spotted this important fact, but thanks for pointing it out.

Andrew

Reply to
Andrew T.

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