Solar trickle charger for car battery

Rover_Driver

forgotmyname wrote: »

I wouldnt want a cheap solar panel connected to the OBD port. Unlikely to cause an issue, But what if it gets a sudden spike? .

It would be the same as if it was connected to the battery via the cigarette lighter.

Roland_Sausage

forgotmyname wrote: »

Your cars ECU is not connected to the lighter socket.

I wouldnt want a cheap solar panel connected to the OBD port. Unlikely to cause an issue, But what if it gets a sudden spike?

My 1.8w panel is a similar size to the original post, My 5w is similar to the one you put, So they are using cheaper/less efficient panels.

The one I linked to isn't some cheap no name chinese electronics. It is sold under the AA badge (the box is anyway) and I can't see them putting their name to something which is likely to fry your car.

forgotmyname

AA box, Same cheap chinese item sold elsewhere under many names that would make you think twice before buying it.

Connecting it to the battery cannot short the OBD port/ECU.


Astronaughtwannabe, The older fords have it and no mention in the handbook, Just look at the fuseholder for the lighter fuse, is it longer than all the others?

Astronaughtwannabe

I'll have to find the fusebox first :-S

I think I know what you're getting at though. Thanks

ajb69

Just as an update to the thread, in case anyone reads this in the future, and sorry to bump it.

I ended up getting the AA charger and it did the job - the OBD port connection was easy to plug in (an important consideration with only one usable arm!), meant no fiddling with the cigarette lighter fuses, and for the reasons noted above a direct battery connection wasn't an option for me.

It didn't have the power to charge the battery - and I never expected it to! - but it stopped the battery getting lower, and the car stopped binging "low battery" warnings at me.

So, YMMV of course, but it did what I needed it to. Time will tell if I have screwed the battery by doing this, but it would have gone flat anyway if I'd done nothing.

Many thanks for all the advice again - much appreciated.

EDIT: PS - no problems with sticking brakes / fuel going off, so far anyway.

Strider590

Masking a possible failing battery is not addressing the root cause, it's fire fighting the symptom.

You didn't previously mention any low battery warnings, which doesn't fit in with the original conditions of this thread and does in fact suggest there may have been a battery related issue in the first place.

Be careful, when your using the car again, stop using this solar device and watch out for signs of failure, else you may go out one day and find yourself stranded.