Battery Trickle Chargers - Anyone got one?

ToxicPaddy

Looking at a a trickle charger as my car battery keeps dying due to lack of use.

Something along the lines of this would be my preferred option as I can leave it there attached to the battery and not need to worry if I can start my car when required.

Has anyone any experience of these? Do they actually work?

Tox

listermint

Looks like a waste of money,

If Trickle chargers are anything to go buy. Dont scrimp on one. The can have a detremental effect on a battery or car if they are cheap tat.

So either buy a decent plug in one, or dont buy one at all.

ToxicPaddy

listermint wrote: »

Looks like a waste of money,

If Trickle chargers are anything to go buy. Dont scrimp on one. The can have a detremental effect on a battery or car if they are cheap tat.

So either buy a decent plug in one, or dont buy one at all.

I have no problem buying a decent one, so if anyone can recommend one that would be appreciated.

Ronnie Beck

I got a great one for my mam as she very rarely uses her car and it's a renault:P. It's a smart charger so can left left on indefinetely. Won't be able to tell you the name until the weekend when I'm home though . It charges a weak battery to 100% in about two days. Cost me 55 euro.

listermint

Something along these lines

http://www.micksgarage.com/search.aspx?Keyword=battery+charger

ToxicPaddy

listermint wrote: »

Something along these lines

http://www.micksgarage.com/search.aspx?Keyword=battery+charger

Ideally I'd prefer one that doesn't need to be plugged in as my car is parked in an underground car park and there are no power sockets nearby. I'm going to buy a charger for a once off complete charge but the trickle charger would need to be solar powered..

thenightrider

ToxicPaddy wrote: »

Looking at a a trickle charger as my car battery keeps dying due to lack of use.

Something along the lines of this would be my preferred option as I can leave it there attached to the battery and not need to worry if I can start my car when required.

Has anyone any experience of these? Do they actually work?

Tox

When you say lack of use how long are we talking about?
Ive had cars not used in a good long time and still start no trouble at all and others having to charge them if not used in a while those ones all had something draining the battery and once fixed i did not need to charge the battery any more.

galwaymike

ToxicPaddy wrote: »

Ideally I'd prefer one that doesn't need to be plugged in as my car is parked in an underground car park and there are no power sockets nearby. I'm going to buy a charger for a once off complete charge but the trickle charger would need to be solar powered..

If your in an underground car park how is solar power going to work

vibe666

I got two 1.5w solar ones in maplins for under 15 quid each few years ago and they worked a treat. left then on the whole time as the batteries in my old jeep had a slow discharge issue.

88manta

Hi,
I got a solar charger from www.solarbay.ie

got it 18months ago. Started the car three weeks ago - battery just as good as when i parked it. Its a good quality item that works

Cerco

listermint wrote: »

Something along these lines

http://www.micksgarage.com/search.aspx?Keyword=battery+charger

"Ring Car2Car 1600 Battery ChargerThe Car2Car battery charger"

An expensive set of jump leads!

BrensBenz

I've sworn by my Maplins 1.5W solar chargers - one kept my battery in good shape for months at a time over several years - BUT I swore AT one last month when I returned home to find that my battery was so flat that absolutely nothing worked. Electric door locks locked, windows closed, boot release locked, dashlights dead as dodos, etc. and battery under the rear seat! AND...the mechanical key wouldn't open the doors because some charge is needed to activate the relay.

My conclusion is that 1.5watts maximum for a few hours a day is not enough to maintain a car battery for seven months in Ireland. I opted for a Halfords (mains) "smart" charger instead.

However, two of these 1.5W panels in series did maintain a small, spare (MX5) battery so well that it almost brought the corpse back to life.

Much depends on the general health and actual charge of the battery at the start of its storage - the solar charger WILL NOT re-charge a dead or low battery. Perhaps if you park, leave the engine running for a while to fully charge the battery (ensure access to fresh air!) and then connect one, or, better still, two panels in series in the sunniest spot you can find, you could avoid a trip to confession for bad language.

PS: Recently, while browsing their shelves, I saw that Maplins have larger panels (higher wattages) available. Might be worth a try if a mains charger is not suitable for you.

galwaytt

....fitting a battery isolation switch might be an idea as well.