Got a car I don't drive too much, Soon I know it's not going to be driven for 3 months.
Does anyone know if you put a solar trickle charger on, to stop the battery from dying?, I can't get access to power where it's parked.
I'm looking at something like this https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001163620369.html?spm=a2g0o… but it puts out 18V.
If you disconnect the battery on new cars, the computer loses its memory, and you have to get them reset ?
Solar Trickle Charger for Car
jizmo on 19/12/2023 - 13:45
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Just looking at that, if the battery is full do they stop supplying power.
Doesn’t look like it…
When the potential difference is equal between battery and solar panel, current will not flow. Why do you need it to turn off? I use one of these for my boat and it is fine to have it sit like this all winter.
I looked at this and ended up going with the altronics one I linked below as its 10watts of power so just gets you more juice per daylight hour :)
https://www.altronics.com.au/p/n0704a-powertran-10w-12v-sola…
If you disconnect the battery on new cars, the computer loses its memory, and you have to get them reset ?
Resets the clock, but shouldn't reset anything else.
It’ll often reset a bunch of other settings. Our old car would cancel the auto window setting and would need reprogramming to auto up/down. My current car reset a bunch of display settings and some safety settings to default. Stuff like removed the distance to empty display and replaced it with the clock, reset the auto braking to default when i want it ‘near’. These required several dives into the settings menu to return to my preferences. Then there’s trip meters, fuel consumptions data etc.
Modern cars have lots of user defined settings that will go back to factory default if the battery is disconnected long enough.
I only ever had issues with the clock in my previous cars. I guess it depends on the car.
You probably don't notice it if it happens, but the fuel mixture program has a default map that goes out in all cars of that model, plus it learns from how you drive the car. If you remove the battery it forgets what it has learned, reloads the default map, and has to relearn.
headunit may also require a code to function again
If not written into owners manual for its unique code, can call up dealer and find it - it's linked to VIN.
Been a few years since stereos had pins…
Can you simply have it plugged into the mains.
Then use the app to start a charge from wherever you are with internet?
Can you simply have it plugged into the mains.
As the OP said,
I can't get access to power where it's parked.
Oh dear. I missed that
Solar Trickle Charger for Car
For a Tesla ?
I don't think I'd pick the one the OP gives as an example of what he wants. Because, to quote their own blurb "It is suggested to unplug the charger at night". The reason they say to do that is the reverse current back through the trickle charger itself would discharge the battery a bit every night. It'd be easier to drive the car once a month than to plug the trickle charger in each day after sunrise and unplug it each afternoon before sunset.
I agree. Why would anyone design it that way, when an extra anti drain back system is a few cents more. I'm a novice , but I think a 'diode' in line stops that draw down. Someone else should jump in here and explain it better
I have used solar trickle chargers a fair bit through the years. They are bloody great for exactly what you are describing. Right now I have an old diesel van that only gets driven an hour or so once a week doing farmers markets and needs the battery topped up to keep it firing. I recommend the Altronics one as its got 10watts of power and thats a decent amount to have trickling into your battery.
With this one it just supplies a constant 13v so if the battery is at 13v nothing happens, happy to sit with the charger on it all year.
https://www.altronics.com.au/p/n0704a-powertran-10w-12v-sola…
It might be 18v when tested open circuit but connected to a large lead acid battery it won't get that high as it wouldn't have the amperage.
I usually charge for advice, but I'll give you some for free, for christmas 🎄
For use of a solar panel maintenance charger (which is not the same as a trickle charger) without a charge controller, you should follow this formula;
AH of battery / AH of charge = if sum is greater than 200, you are sweet.
For example… a 4.8-5w panel is about .250AH (.250 millivolts), so for an 85AH battery the figure would be 340, which is fine. At 10w, the figure is 170, which is not good.
A rough guide is 2W of output from panel (or any power source) per 50AH of battery, but my calculation is more accurate.
Have a good one 👍🏻
Sorry, you've lost me.
Why is a 10W panel not good for an 85Ah battery?
(e.g. The Altronics one listed in other comments here)
It would overcharge the battery if connected directly. You'd need to add a charge controller to limit the current flowing to the battery.
Correct.
Solar flat panel chargers fail in the sun if kept inside the vehicle. I tried both types from SCA, both melted.
It did take a few months to warp, and the potential for short circuit and then a then fire was increasing.
They are ok if the car is kept in the shade…… oooops there is the problem.
The SCA models are …were not weather proof; which is now how you can overcome the issue.
An external secure weather proof but ventilated box.
I just use a white towel and/or a sun shade… sits on top of them on the dash and has an easy life in full sun.
SCA?
https://www.supercheapauto.com.au/p/sca-sca-12v-4.8w-solar-m…