Solar battery chager top up

[Ian and Lins]

Has anyone put a simple solar charger on a van battery to keep it 'topped up'. Did it work. I got a cheap one from Maplins but haven't put it on yet.

[Big Boris]

hi there ,
i bought the same solar charger i think was £10 last weekend had it in van all week ,went to start it today and dead as a dodo ,i think ive got a drain on my starter so im not sure this is a true reflection really ,sorry to be of no use
ed

[dirtygertie]

I used a cheap maplin one whilst on a weeks holiday - we have no split charge on our leisure battery so needed it to last a week (we had no hook up) It might have been simple good luck or my battery may be fab (it was only £50) but it lasted a week being used for lighting, charging phones, gamers & the laptop; we also watched a couple of dvd's on the laptop every night before bed - I will definitely be getting another (unfortunately our last one fell onto the grass & got reversed over )

[Ian and Lins]

Thanks Boris and Dirtiegertie, at least it seems they do no harm.

[Red Westie]

The subject has been covered quite a bit so you could do a search......
I'm a bit of a fan of solar panels but also the first to point out where they work and when they don't.....as a 'charger' to topup whilst on camp the smaller units (1.4 -2.4 watt phone book size) are completely and utterly useless....simply not powerful enough to give any usuable 'topup' on camp.
As a battery conditioner and sulfate preventer whilst laid up weeks on end, particularly in winter, they are brilliant.

There you have it.

Martin

[Ian and Lins]

The subject has been covered quite a bit so you could do a search......
I'm a bit of a fan of solar panels but also the first to point out where they work and when they don't.....as a 'charger' to topup whilst on camp the smaller units (1.4 -2.4 watt phone book size) are completely and utterly useless....simply not powerful enough to give any usuable 'topup' on camp.
As a battery conditioner and sulfate preventer whilst laid up weeks on end, particularly in winter, they are brilliant.

There you have it.

Martin

Cheer's m'dears 'cause I wanted to use one as a 'laid up for weeks' item. No probs with 'over charging'?

[Red Westie]

No mate....even the slightly bigger unit I have is only 2.4 watts peak (bright sunny day) that's just 0.2 amps, twenty times less than your average cheapo domestic halfrauds car charger.
Infact just about enough to keep up with radio memory and clock discharge.
You have to fit some seriously big solar panels before they become remotely useful. (to actually charge the battery that is)

Martin