Car solar panel

[m4tty]

Hi,

Just a quick one. The mrs doesn't drive and I mostly drive the van and have been getting flat battery on the car as it's not getting used much. It's an old L reg Calibra. I need to keep the car for when I'm dropping my eldest back to his mum but wanted to know if anyone uses a solar panel to trickle charge the battery as it's only getting used once a fortnight and recently the battery is playing up.

I don't have a driveway as I live in a maisonette so running a mains trickle charger is not possible. So thought maybe a small solar panel may do the trick ?

Any thoughts please

Cheers

 

[Robin Spark]

Hi Matty,

I was going to ask if you parked next to a street light, but that would be wrong for me to make any suggestions]

Whats causing the battery to go flat? is it an old battery or dont you do vary many miles to recharge the battery on your fortnightly drive? If its the former then wouldnt a new battery be better option?

 

[m4tty]

Didnt think of the streetlight idea nice one. I've got access to the mains cupboard for the block. I'll tap off the outside lighting circuit run some conduit to the car lol

It's a 20 mile round trip once a fortnight so guess the alarm must be draining the battery

Im getting rid of it when mot runs out as it's on it's last legs anyway. Been nursing a slipping clutch for past 2 years. Inner crankshaft seals gone and clutch is contaminated with oil. Cars worth scrap value so being tight lol

 

[Andy™]

solar panel will probably keep it alive enough. as for the street light... at least youll get some charge during the night if you park under it!

or park facing downhill so you can bump start it?

 

[Doc Hudson]

Wouldn't one of those portable jump start units be a better solution. Halfords | Dynamic Jump Starter charge it up indoors then carry it to the car when needed? or; PORTABLE POWER STATION / ENGINE JUMP START c/w AIR COMPRESSOR: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools or Rolson 12V Portable Jump Start and Compressor only

 

[Andy™]

i have one of those. unless car has a small engine and starts easily, then its just about useless. only thing i use it for is powering radio when the power is off

 

[roys]

I have an old quad bike, that only gets used once every couple of months, last year I noticed the battery was a bit sluggish to start the quad, and sometimes it couldn't start it. I bought a solar panel from Maplins which is not much bigger that a letter box. I then gave the battery a proper charge put it back into the quad bike and then plugged in the solar panel when the bike is not in use. These solar panels are no good for charging a battery but they appear to have enough of an output from them to stop the normal discharge from an idle battery. Since then I have had no more problems.

 

[paul b b]

Matty. Is there a radio in the car? They can be a bugger for draining the battery.

 

[m4tty]

It does have a flipfront stereo but doesn't power up until the front is attached. It's got a cat1 alarm and immobilized which the alarm doesn't work but immobilizer does.

It was ok until I have been using it less then the problems have started. Might give the solar panel idea a go as they are only cheap and saves getting a new battery for about 5 months until mot runs out then it's getting scrapped and need something abit smaller as the mrs wants to learn to drive.

Cheers for all comments so far everyone.

 

[moose man]

iv got the maplins one same as roys would not be with out it i payed

 

[husky2013]

ahhh just tap into a lighting column! just make sure u park right next to the column! Free Leccy, charged battery! Bobs ya uncle! i kno a certain sum1 who charges his drill battery on a lighting column when theyre out n about working!

 

[batty]

Matty the jump start thingies are a god send if you get a decent one. I have an old cortina that only comes out now and then it had a new battery a few years back but will go flat in the garage. I always ensure the jump start thingy is charged up before i start it and it always gets it going i think they are great.

 

[PC Electrics]

Those battery cum power packs can be a good thing, but if your battery does die completely because it's continuing to discharge then it will be useless to you as the car will not run with a dead battery. So I'd agree that a cheap solar trickle charger is the way to go in your situation - it should keep the battery topped up enough to extend its life, hopefully enough to meet your needs.

 

[m4tty]

Nice one thanks everyone for your input much appreciated

 

[Doc Hudson]

[quote name='Andy

 

[steptoe]

a lorry yard I used to do some work for had one that could start the artics!

was a 'little' bigger than the maplin ones though

about the size of a 3kW genny, on wheels, I would assume it was a 'little' more expensive too though.

 

[Andy™]

What sort of rating A/hr are the ones that RAC & AA use? they obviously can get bigger engines turning.Doc H.

mines only something like 20AH. theirs are probably something like 60AH+

many breakdown companies also use jump leads with andersons at front & back of vehicle. much better than a battery pack

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 10:31 ---------- Previous post was made at 10:30 ----------

a lorry yard I used to do some work for had one that could start the artics!was a 'little' bigger than the maplin ones though

about the size of a 3kW genny, on wheels, I would assume it was a 'little' more expensive too though.

you can get a 24V jump start on a 12V vehicle. need to batteries and a switch to swap from parelle to series. other option is to leave leads connected to 1 battery, put power in it, then the other battery, then start. or find another truck