AWG

iTrader: (6)

Does anybody here use one and can you recommend one?

Thanks

JamesDundee

iTrader: (2)

I can't recommend a specific brand but when I had my mx5 as a daily I left my lights on and flattened the battery by 10am. I nipped out and put the solar charger in the cig lighter and by 5pm it had charged enough to get it started and drive home.

kevstar81

maplins do a range of them.start about £20 and go up.
or if you want cheaper ebay.
its all about how much trickle charge your looking for

PhilWrx100

i wouldn't bother unless its large. I have a 1.5w one and won't save any battery. The bigger cells may be better.

blackvenom

Thought about getting one but I read such mixed reviews , guess its not that much money if it doesn't work

Inviroman

iTrader: (2)

I got and used one of the Maplins one and got it for £10.
Only works if the battery is charged and will keep the battery conditioned.

Inviroman

iTrader: (2)

I got and used one of the Maplins one and got it for £10.
Only works if the battery is charged and will keep the battery conditioned.

WarrenSTI

I'm after one as well, but there are so many mixed reviews
Here's the one's Maplins do....

http://www.maplin.co.uk/solar-powere...charger-217850 12V 12W £39.99 was £69.99

http://www.maplin.co.uk/solar-powere...23251#overview 12V 2.4W £24.99

http://www.maplin.co.uk/solar-powere...-charger-98358 12V 1.5W £9.99 was £19.99

AWG

iTrader: (6)

The 12 watt ones looks good, maybe I need a digital tester and see how low it's getting. Napkins must do them as well.

Thanks for your comments gents

AWG

iTrader: (6)

The 12 watt ones looks good, maybe I need a digital tester and see how low it's getting. Napkins must do them as well.

Thanks for your comments gents

kevstar81

its down to choice. if you want only a trickle charge then the cheap one. but if you want to fully charge you battery all the time the 12w one. personally i would go for trickle charge. you wont kill your battery with over charge. its like keeping your battery on its charger all the time. does it no good

WarrenSTI

Ah right, so do you reckon that even the 1.5v one would probably do the job just to keep the battery topped up, if the car isn't used for a couple of weeks or so!
Ta Warren

kevstar81

couple of factors in the answer.
how good your battery is. (cranking amp or ah)
how old your battery. (standard bat lasts 3 years heavy duty 5) look at halfords warrenty)
how much light it gets. does not need to be sun
how many amps are been drawn from your car (trackers, alarms, ect)
but me my self 1.5w should be enough

WarrenSTI

To be honest the battery in mine is knackered, if its left for a week the car won't start and out comes the power pack to it & the a run up the motorway a couple of junctions to charge it. At the moment the car is on a SORN with the battery removed, once it's taxed on 1st April I'll be getting a decent Bosch battery for it and some a solar trickle charger as there's no power supply in the garage where the car is kept

kevstar81

always go for the heavy duty one. then buy the trickle charge to slowly charge it. but in a garage it wont charge. halfords do a charger that optimizes the charge for your battery. about £69.99 but worth it

AWG

iTrader: (6)

Do these trickle chargers have an auto cut off like some battery chargers? Ie can they be left in the car all night, all week?

kevstar81

not that i know of. Thats why the trickle one is better. we currently have them connected to generators around the uk with no problem

WarrenSTI

Hope fully the solar charger should work ok in the garage because I'm going to mount the panel outside make up an extension cable so it'll reach to the car battery.
It will be something like this. Hopefully ?!?

I think this is the 1.5v one from maplin