Automotive Forums .com - the leading automotive community online! Automotive Forums .com - the leading automotive community online!
Automotive Forums .com - the leading automotive community online! 
-
Latest | 0 Rplys
Go Back   Automotive Forums .com Car Chat > Cars in General
Reply Show Printable Version Show Printable Version | Email this Page Email this Page | Subscription Subscribe to this Thread
 
Thread Tools
Old 02-02-2018, 01:28 PM   #1
enchant
AF Newbie
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Marshfield, Massachusetts
Posts: 3
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Solar trickle charger all the time?

My wife and I work out of our house. We have two cars - the one we keep in the attached garage and use for our day-to-day stuff, and the minivan that is parked off the driveway. It can often see several days without use. About a month ago, I went out to start it and the battery was nearly total dead. A portable jump start unit got it going. So I went for a nice long 45 minute drive. After it was all done, it still wouldn't start. My initial though was the alternator was bad. My mechanic checked out the car totally and said that everything was in working order, but the battery simply can't sit out in days of sub-freezing weather and stay fully charged. AND once the battery is that low, modern day alternators are not designed to bring it back from the dead by just driving it around.

Ok, so now I'm more educated about it, but it doesn't change the fact that the minivan isn't getting a lot of love. Just recently, my wife and I had bad colds and didn't go anywhere. Today she went out and yet again, the battery is dead. I've got a 110v charger and can bring it back, but I was wondering...

Would it make any sense for me to buy a solar trickle charger, connect it semi-permanently to the battery and leave it in the windshield? I'd have to figure out how to run the wires from the inside of the car to the engine compartment, but I'm sure I can figure that out. Is there anything harmful that can come of that?
enchant is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2018, 11:34 AM   #2
aleekat
AF Enthusiast
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: clarksville, Tennessee
Posts: 1,699
Thanks: 23
Thanked 183 Times in 179 Posts
Re: Solar trickle charger all the time?

If you have a power outlet inside the car and that stays hot with the key off. They make solar power outlet chargers.
__________________
Post back, that's what makes Forums Work.
aleekat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2018, 12:48 PM   #3
enchant
AF Newbie
Thread starter
 
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Marshfield, Massachusetts
Posts: 3
Thanks: 0
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Re: Solar trickle charger all the time?

Quote:
Originally Posted by aleekat View Post
If you have a power outlet inside the car and that stays hot with the key off. They make solar power outlet chargers.
I don't, but I think I can apply a jumper to make it stay on all the time.
enchant is offline   Reply With Quote
 
Reply

POST REPLY TO THIS THREAD

Go Back   Automotive Forums .com Car Chat > Cars in General

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:13 PM.

Community Participation Guidelines | How to use your User Control Panel

Powered by: vBulletin | Copyright Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
 
 
no new posts