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Thread ID: 72361 2006-09-10 05:03:00 if i don't start my car for 6 days..... lance4k (4644) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
483669 2006-09-10 18:07:00 i got onee of those soler cells a little while ago. comes in handy for the spare vechile. tho a fully regulated charger is better as it stops overcharging.

Here's the tech details (www.harborfreight.com) (.pdf format), and it's only got 1.5 watts at (open) voltage of 22.5VDC. I have one running constantly in the vehicle not is use...and that may be 6-months at a time, and no untoward effects yet.

I checked the voltage while running on a 95% charged battery and it was well below any dangerous levels...about 60 mA. It tapered off as the battery got more charge...

I think it's pretty good at self-regulation. I saw it get to 22mA at 13.4VDC, and that was a very good range as far as I care.
SurferJoe46 (51)
483670 2006-09-11 00:29:00 www.solarcharger.com thats the dick smith one i got a while ago. so far it seems to do the job, tho its trying to charge a decent sized battery. tweak'e (69)
483671 2006-09-11 03:15:00 The second worst thing you can do to a battery is trickle charge it . :D Especially with a cheap "battery charger", in which the voltage continues to rise past about 14 . 5 V .

They all lose their electrolyte (and capacity) if they are on continuous charge at high voltage .

A proper regulated (at the correct voltage) supply is OK : it will stop charging when the battery reaches that level .

Some solar panels are self-regulated (32 cells for "12 volts", rather than 36), so they are quite good for seldom-used vehicles .
Graham L (2)
483672 2006-09-11 03:23:00 Mind you, I doubt that 30 - 80 mA or so of trickle charge only during full sun will affect a lead acid battery significantly. godfather (25)
483673 2006-09-11 06:13:00 exactly gofather, the general idea is to replace the power the battery natturally loses internally rather than charging it up.

i think a decent sized solar panel mounted on the roof (and proper charger) would be handy, exspecially for those who do those small runs. i have found now and then i have to pull the battery out and charge it overnight because i don't drive long enough between starts to charge it up fully.
tweak'e (69)
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