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Home > General > SOLAR BATTERY charger - do they work?

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andrew kennedy

Member Since: 27 Apr 2010
Location: brittany
Posts: 310

2006 Range Rover Sport TDV6 HSE Maya Gold

SOLAR BATTERY charger - do they work?

I have a 2009 Sport. The battery is 12 months old. I am having problems with parking up for a few weeks and finding the battery hasn't much if any live. I have been looking at buying an...... AA Car Essentials Solar-Powered Car Battery Charger....has anyone any experience as to if they are any good. Andrew Kennedy

Mon Apr 13 2015 2:18pm

Tim in Scotland

Member Since: 30 May 2005
Location: Driving along in my automobile
Posts: 17476

2013 Range Rover Sport SDV6 HSE Stornoway Grey

Andrew I used to use a Maplin £10 one with a blocking diode to prevent the solar panel from drawing current at night on my 2007 3.6TDv8 RRS and 2010 FFRR. The panel would not work on either of my Evoques as none of the sockets stayed live with the ignition off although on my 1st Evoque LR did a Battery management software upgrade that re-instated the boot socket by accident but the next software upgrade removed it again! I was leaving cars for 3-4 months at a time with the solar trickle charger plugged into the front socket. The solar panel was left on the centre cubby box lid or the dash and worked fine - in my FFRR I use to leave it on the centre cubby box under the sunshine roof. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

Mon Apr 13 2015 2:49pm

andrew kennedy

Member Since: 27 Apr 2010
Location: brittany
Posts: 310

SOLAR BATTERY charger - do they work?

Thanks for that. Very helpful!! The solar charger I am considering plugs into the plug socket that is situated in one of the foot wells, the plug used to check out the computer. What would you think? A suitable socket to use?!? Andrew Kennedy

Mon Apr 13 2015 4:21pm

ilard

Member Since: 20 Aug 2010
Location: London
Posts: 972

I would be interested in a complete solution for this (RRS 2011MY), but the key issue as I see it is not having a lighter socket that is live with the ignition off.

Is anyone offering / selling an end to end solution out there? L405 P400e Autobiography (MY2020)... Silicon Silver / Espresso
RRS TDV6 HSE Lux (MY2011)... Nara Bronze / Arabica - now gone!

Mon Apr 13 2015 7:05pm

ilard

Member Since: 20 Aug 2010
Location: London
Posts: 972

Mon Apr 13 2015 7:05pm

fkarim

Member Since: 14 Apr 2012
Location: London
Posts: 2216

^^^ In my MY13 I have removed a relay from the fuse box behind glove compartment. Jumped it using a fused wire (don't know if adding the fuse was necessary but I didn't see any harm in doing that). Now the socket behind the centre console and the one in the boot are permanently live and I use a CTEK charger via the boot socket. Can't be too different (if at all) in MY11.

There are pictures and details here and on disco3 if you search. Current: Volvo XC90 T8 Inscription Pro PHEV with some optionals on top
Gone: MY16 RRS2 3.0 SDV6 Autobiography Dynamic, Carpathian Grey & Santorini Black Sliding Pano/Ebony & Ivory 2 Tone
Gone: MY13 RRS 3.0 SDV6 HSE Black Edition, Orkney Grey/Ivory
Gone: MY09 RRS 2.7 TDV6 HSE, Santorini Black/Almond

Mon Apr 13 2015 7:22pm

flydive

Member Since: 17 May 2007
Location: South
Posts: 1213

2008 Range Rover Sport TDV8 HSE Stornoway Grey

ilard wrote:
I would be interested in a complete solution for this (RRS 2011MY), but the key issue as I see it is not having a lighter socket that is live with the ignition off.

Is anyone offering / selling an end to end solution out there?

You could connect the panel plug to the towing electrics fuses in the boot. '08 RRS TDV8
I converted my diesel RRS to run on an environmentally friendly mixture of caribou fat and baby seals oil

Mon Apr 13 2015 7:44pm

Lost for Words

Member Since: 15 Jan 2015
Location: Warminster, Wiltshire
Posts: 1477

Easy enough to wire up a suitable feed and, as above, the towing electrics could be made use of when fitted. Visiting from DISCO3.CO.UK
2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 Auto HSE Zambezi Silver

Mon Apr 13 2015 7:56pm

andrew kennedy

Member Since: 27 Apr 2010
Location: brittany
Posts: 310

SOLAR BATTERY charger - do they work?

ilard wrote:
I would be interested in a complete solution for this (RRS 2011MY), but the key issue as I see it is not having a lighter socket that is live with the ignition off.

Is anyone offering / selling an end to end solution out there?

I understand that connecting the solar panel directly into the EOBD connecter is the way to go. Andrew Kennedy

Tue Apr 14 2015 9:46am

viper

Member Since: 21 Apr 2007
Location: chester le street
Posts: 857

2010 Range Rover Sport 3.0 TDV6 HSE Bali Blue

Used one on garden tractor for a couple of years been great never had any starting problems each spring 2016 bmw x5 40d m-sport space grey
2015 bmw 335i m-sport touring mineral grey/coral interior looking to change again .
Gone HSE SDV6 Dynamic indus silver, santorini contrast roof,panoramic roof,red brakes,privacy,climate front seats,tow bar great car enjoyed it ��
Gone my10 3.0 tdv6 Bali blue/ivory 5 years 24k no problems great car will be missed

Tue Apr 14 2015 1:05pm

myfirstrrs

Member Since: 20 Jan 2014
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 433

I haven't had a particular problem with my battery but as my car often goes a week or more without being used I invested in a solar powered maintenance charger form Maplin's, £20. I connected it last Sunday after measuring that the battery had 12.29 volts, left the car all week and now it has 11.86 volts. I'm gutted, but can anyone please help me to understand why a maintenance charger can cause the battery to lose charge?

Sat Jun 13 2015 5:51pm

myfirstrrs

Member Since: 20 Jan 2014
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 433

Anyone? Before I head off to Maplin's for a refund.

Sun Jun 14 2015 9:09am

SimonR

Member Since: 29 Sep 2013
Location: Horsham
Posts: 25

2006 Range Rover Sport TDV6 HSE Java Black

You need a charger with some battery management 'intellegence'. Even a blocking Diode is better than nothing. Without it, the panel will draw current when the sun is not shining.

It's possible yours has this and it's faulty - or that where it's placed it just isn't producing enough power to keep the battery charged.

I've found solar panels barely work inside my truck - the glass / tinting screen out all the UV (I suspect). Open the sun-roof and it comes to life!

Before you return it, try leaving it outside (middle of roof) with the cable jammed in the door & see if that helps?

Si

Mon Jun 15 2015 7:20pm

Bodsy
Site Sponsor

Member Since: 03 Feb 2007
Location: Shropshire
Posts: 2162

Was it this one....?
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/solar-powered-12...rger-l58bf

I would say you need something bigger than 1.5w

Additionally, how did you connect it? If on the Cigarette socket, it isnt live when Ign is off unless you have bypassed the relay. Bodsys Brake Bible
Software Updates Contact me
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See it HERE

Mon Jun 15 2015 7:49pm

myfirstrrs

Member Since: 20 Jan 2014
Location: Lancashire
Posts: 433

It was that one bodsy, but I have now swapped it for this (2.4W instead of 1.5W), just not had a chance to try it yet:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/solar-powered-12...rger-n59fu

I wondered about the permanent live in the lighter socket and even though I haven't changed anything, when I use a multi-meter with the ignition off I can read the voltage. In my simplistic world that means that it is permanently live. Is that correct?

Thanks for your input also SimonR, it does have a diode to prevent reverse charging.

Mon Jun 15 2015 8:15pm

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