Anyone got experience with these and know if they work well?
My car gets used about once a week you see.
Thinking about something like this http://www.solarkitsdirect.co.uk/product.asp?P_ID=240
by my calculations that would take 3 months of perfect sunlight for 8 hours a day to re-charge your batter (assuming your batter is ~100ah)
I wouldnt bother... have you had problems with a flat battery ? your battery should be fine if you only use the car once a week... and your alternator should be able to charge the battery from 1/2 flat to full in about 30min anyway....
if youre having problems... youll be much better off just getting yourself a new / bigger battery... get the biggest one you can fit ;)
Quote from: knightyby my calculations that would take 3 months of perfect sunlight for 8 hours a day to re-charge your batter (assuming your batter is ~100ah)
I wouldnt bother... have you had problems with a flat battery ? your battery should be fine if you only use the car once a week... and your alternator should be able to charge the battery from 1/2 flat to full in about 30min anyway....
if youre having problems... youll be much better off just getting yourself a new / bigger battery... get the biggest one you can fit ;)
Yep it gets trouble cranking now and again, sometimes I dont get back to use it, and its just over a week before I get to it, then I worry will it have enough juice etc :gag:
The battery is 65ah, so from what youre saying this solar charger would technically do a reasonable job of keeping it topped up, Im not after a full recharge or anything :) It has an alarm and stuff obviously, so if this thing can help counter the drain from the gadgets etc...
Got a new battery recently, and would like to try and keep it in a reasonable shape rather than flogging it till its barely able to start or needs a booster (happened fairly often)
mmm, you still shouldnt have any problem running once a week... how far do you drive ?
I dont think the solar charger will make much difference... at best its going to put out 0.15amps... but those are best conditions... clean windscreen, direct sunlight onto it etc... youd have to make sure it was always facing sound when you parked etc...
youd be better off getting a bigger battery, or adding another... (depends how much room you have)
when it struggles to start.. is it spinning fast ? or can you tell the battery is about to give out ?
Quote from: knightymmm, you still shouldnt have any problem running once a week... how far do you drive ?
I dont think the solar charger will make much difference... at best its going to put out 0.15amps... but those are best conditions... clean windscreen, direct sunlight onto it etc... youd have to make sure it was always facing sound when you parked etc...
youd be better off getting a bigger battery, or adding another... (depends how much room you have)
when it struggles to start.. is it spinning fast ? or can you tell the battery is about to give out ?
When it struggles its a proper chuggg chuggg chuuuuuuuug then starts
But the battery is now new, so yes it should last a while fine, but just in case to trickle it I guess, if its a pile of wank then Ill not bother 8-)
Ive used them in the past and they can help to keep enough power in the battery for it to crank the engine.
Main problem is that alot of cars only have switched supply at the cigarette lighter (only live when the ign is on) so it wouldnt even be connected to the battery when the ign is off.
The question is how much power does your car use while parked? You need to put in at least 3 times what it uses in an hour during each daylight hour if you are going to break even.
if i were you Id get a meter and check to see how much power is being used when everything is off... Im betting theres something draining it that shouldnt be...
has it always done this ? it could be a bad connection on the battery / on the earth from the battery to the engine/car body... (this causes charging problems with your alternator as well as starting problems!)
Its normally for things like Alarms and the like.
I could leave my truck for months without any bells on it and it would always start. Now it has an alarm it doesnt last nearly as long.
Good excuse to keep using it!
The cars tip top, its the alarm doing it no doubt.
I just got a battery just under a month ago, fitted it and started it for the first time today, was fine.
Just wondering if something like this can keep it in a better state than I usually let them get to (granted it does take 1.5/2 years)
As for the ciggie lighter thing, you can hook up straight to bat with supplied croc clips.
its the cold weather as well.
Shame the T-Bar glass cant be replaced by solar.
That would be pimp.
Quote from: soopahflyShame the T-Bar glass cant be replaced by solar.
That would be pimp.
Not on my hardtop :lol:
tintop > t-top
I HATE my t-bar roof
Quote from: Markits the cold weather as well.
Absolutely. Whilst its never failed to start (yet - touch wood!) my Punto has been having a good old think about it in the cold weather and then been really chuggy for the first couple of mins driving. Fine as soon as the engine warms up though.
I heard of some older cars where you just get 2 batteries in paralle arrangement and then your alternator just charges 2 batteries but the amount of amps it draws is from 2 batteries so the load is shared.
I think it was a VW Beetle I head that done with, done know how newer cars would work with it.
A couple of other cars have had dual batteries fitted, in at least one case because there wasnt enough room for a big enough single battery.
I got 2 in the Delica, just because I can :D
pffft, I used to have 2 min my first car... a 16 yr old browm fiesta !
just because... I could... tho they did help with starting too, the engine spun noticably faster :)