Solar Powered Battery Maintainer.

[PaulN]

Hi All,

Just got a Shinny Boxster so planning for the Elan to be a weekend car!

Ive seen a solar powered battery maintainer in Maplins for a 12v battery available in 1W and 1.8W. For £24.99

You can either connect direct to the battery with clips, or as i would prefer using the fag lighter socket.

Has anyone got one? Which would i need 1W or 1.8W? And will the fag lighter socket type still maintain the battery?

Cheers

PaulN

[niall]

I've got one of these but i'm not sure which power or which make.
It's only worth having if the car lives outside. That is the most obvious point! Next, if the car lives outside, you will surely have it under a cover. It is just as obvious to say that the cover will prevent the sun doing its work. So, my advice is, park close to a socket and get an inteligent charger, or, keep the Elan inside. Better still, make a point of driving the poor car at least once a fortnight.
Let us know how you get on.
p.s. Is this "shinny" boxster the new "leggy" model?

[Avonvilla]

Think you have to leave the ignition on for the cigarrette lighter to charge with the elan if i remember right so you would have to leave the keys in !

[PaulN]

Thanks for the info.

The car hasn't spent a single night out side during its life so i doubt it will spend any time outside. Our garage has a side window and the cables are 3m so i could fix it to the window.

The back up plan was having a proper charger and plug in a socket, is there a good one anyone can recommend? Still like the idea of the solar powered one though.

Will still be using the Elan some evenings and weekends, but have found there are a few things that can drain the battery when not in use.

Regarding the Boxster, its not a brand new one! But like the ELan is a mint example.

Cheers

Paul

[nickb]

I use a Draper trickle charger which I bought from Halfords for about £20.

I've had no probs with it, it's worked well on both my S2 and my elise previously.

hope this helps


Nick

[Sy V]

This is what I use:

http://froogle.google.co.uk/froogle?q=o ... i=froogler

Marvellous piece of kit.

[PaulN]

Hi,

Yes thats great, how do both of those charges connect? Direct to the battery?

Thanks

PaulN

[Sy V]

IIRC you have two options supplied.
One is mini crocodile clips the other is a hardwire type thing that connects to the battery and is tightened by the cable connectors and leaves a female receiving wire that I leave trailled out in the hood compartment then just connect throught the door/window when required.

[PaulN]

Cheers

I was thinking of connecting a set of jump leads to the battery, putting covers on the free ends and hook it up as and when i need it.

I would have thought that works for a faster charger too.

Cheers

PaulN

[nickb]

the draper one from halfords connects via small croc clips.


Nick

[muley]

Cheers

I was thinking of connecting a set of jump leads to the battery, putting covers on the free ends and hook it up as and when i need it.

I would have thought that works for a faster charger too.

Cheers

PaulN

I have connected a female cigarette lighter socket from Maplins permanently wired to the battery and fitted a positive lighter plug to the charger, lead lives under the hood area, job's a good 'un. Halfords/Draper charger is 250mA IIRC you can get trickle chargers 250-300mA for less than a tenner from e-bay - I paid gbp4 for mine - stingy git that I am.

[muley]

...

[PaulN]

Hi All

Got one of those Draper ones from Halfords at the weekend.

Can i leave it connected to the battery in the roof storage area when its not charging?

Sorry for going over this alot.

PaulN

[nickb]

wouldn't have thought it would cause a problem but never tried it.

Nick