Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] solar battery maintainer

From: Mark Miller via Shop-talk <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2020 20:56:02 -0700

First off, let me say how jealous I am.  I looked at getting one (actually a pair) of those years ago, didn't, and have regretted it.
There are solar battery maintainers out there, like: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B082X5M3BB/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_fCQIEb832F8K1.
But also consider: if this isn't driven often (just a guess, correct me if this is your commute car) it may be easier to just take the battery out and keep it in the main shop near a source of power.

<<<I've have an Isetta which is kept in its own small garage separate from my shop. There is no power to the small garage but I need to come up with a way to keep the battery of the Isetta charged.
  Any recommendations on a solar car battery maintainer?    It will need to be weather proof since it will be mounted on the roof of the little garage.
Thanks in advance for recommendations
Bob >>>

Regards,

Mark Miller   707-490-5834
[email-masked]

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From: Scott Hall via Shop-talk <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2020 23:53:12 -0500

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I second removing the battery and charging it on a good charger in the shop.

I have two solar panel battery chargers like you're describing. They're
designed to either sit on the dashboard and plug into the cigarette lighter
or on top of the car and wire directly to the battery.

Perhaps they have bought me a few extra days from time to time, but each of
them has repeatedly left me with flat batteries. They will not keep a
battery charged over a season, or even a particularly long stint in the
driveway or at an airport.

Scott

On Sun, Apr 5, 2020, 10:57 PM Mark Miller via Shop-talk <
[email-masked]> wrote:

> First off, let me say how jealous I am.  I looked at getting one (actually
> a pair) of those years ago, didn't, and have regretted it.
> There are solar battery maintainers out there, like:
> https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B082X5M3BB/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_fCQIEb832F8K1
> .
> But also consider: if this isn't driven often (just a guess, correct me if
> this is your commute car) it may be easier to just take the battery out and
> keep it in the main shop near a source of power.
>
> <<<I've have an Isetta which is kept in its own small garage separate from
> my shop. There is no power to the small garage but I need to come up with a
> way to keep the battery of the Isetta charged.
>   Any recommendations on a solar car battery maintainer?    It will need
> to be weather proof since it will be mounted on the roof of the little
> garage.
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Suggested annual donation  $12.96
> Unsubscribe/Manage:
> http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/shop-talk/[email-masked]
>
>

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<div dir=3D"auto">I second removing the battery and charging it on a good c=
harger in the shop.<div dir=3D"auto"><br></div><div dir=3D"auto">I have two=
 solar panel battery chargers like you&#39;re describing. They&#39;re desig=
ned to either sit on the dashboard and plug into the cigarette lighter or o=
n top of the car and wire directly to the battery.</div><div dir=3D"auto"><=
br></div><div dir=3D"auto">Perhaps they have bought me a few extra days fro=
m time to time, but each of them has repeatedly left me with flat batteries=
. They will not keep a battery charged over a season, or even a particularl=
y long stint in the driveway or at an airport.</div><div dir=3D"auto"><br><=
/div><div dir=3D"auto">Scott</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div=
 dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_attr">On Sun, Apr 5, 2020, 10:57 PM Mark Miller=
 via Shop-talk &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:[email-masked]">shop-talk@au=
tox.team.net</a>&gt; wrote:<br></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" styl=
e=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">First o=
ff, let me say how jealous I am.=C2=A0 I looked at getting one (actually a =
pair) of those years ago, didn&#39;t, and have regretted it.<br>
There are solar battery maintainers out there, like: <a href=3D"https://smi=
le.amazon.com/dp/B082X5M3BB/ref=3Dcm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_fCQIEb832F8K1" rel=3D"=
noreferrer noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B082X5=
M3BB/ref=3Dcm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_fCQIEb832F8K1</a>.<br>
But also consider: if this isn&#39;t driven often (just a guess, correct me=
 if this is your commute car) it may be easier to just take the battery out=
 and keep it in the main shop near a source of power.<br>
<br>
&lt;&lt;&lt;I&#39;ve have an Isetta which is kept in its own small garage s=
eparate from my shop. There is no power to the small garage but I need to c=
ome up with a way to keep the battery of the Isetta charged.<br>
=C2=A0 Any recommendations on a solar car battery maintainer?=C2=A0 =C2=A0 =
It will need to be weather proof since it will be mounted on the roof of th=
e little garage.<br>
Thanks in advance for recommendations<br>
Bob &gt;&gt;&gt;<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
<br>
Mark Miller=C2=A0 =C2=A0707-490-5834<br>
<a href=3D"mailto:[email-masked]" target=3D"_blank" rel=3D"no=
referrer">[email-masked]</a><br>
<br>
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Archive: <a href=3D"http://www.team.net/pipermail/shop-talk" rel=3D"norefer=
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From: rwil--- via Shop-talk <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 05 Apr 2020 22:26:49 -0700

Mark's example would probably do you fine.  There are some surprises
and exceptions that are worth considering.  5 watts would keep a
battery fully charged in most climates unless the Isetta has some
electrical load drawing down the battery.  If so and if you can't find
the source you can always disconnect the battery until you want to
drive the car.  a 5 watt panel, even if it is unregulated, probably
won't mess up your battery.  All that is needed is a diode to keep the
panel from discharging the battery when it's dark.  5 watts would take
forever to recharge a severely discharged battery.  A good setting for
the panel is the degrees above horizontal that matches your latitude
(32 or 33 degrees here in S. California).

30 watts could overcharge if the protective circuits don't work.  Most
12 volt PV panels actually deliver their full power at something like
13 volts.  If the battery allows it, the voltage will rise higher and
the PV panel's output will drop.  This is OK unless and until the
voltage gets to a level that is unhealthy for the battery, maybe 16
volts for most lead acid batteries.  Really good regulators can cope
with all of that but they tend to be expensive.  

A check of purchasers' ratings can sometimes give you an idea if a
particular panel tends to overcharge unless it is disconnected at the
right time.

If you took the battery into the garage you could use a battery
maintainer that would not only keep the battery charged but do some
neat stuff to keep the battery from sulphating or otherwise wearing
out too fast.  I don't know of a PV panel that will do all of that.

-Roland

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From: Randall via Shop-talk <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 2020 00:00:32 -0700

A 5 watt panel should have no trouble keeping a normal car battery up as
long as it gets full sun at least a few days per week.

If not, I suspect you've got either a leak, or a vampire load.  Lots of
stereos, alarms and even the computers on some modern cars draw a little bit
of power all the time.  Clocks are another suspect.

Leaks can be pretty subtle, too. Toughest one I've hunted down was a relay
that had a tiny bit of salt spray on the phenolic plate that carried the
terminals.  Evening dew would sometimes get the salt damp enough to conduct
and turn the relay on.  Found that one just by dumb luck, happened to walk
by the car one night and saw the indicator light on the dash.

Also had trouble with an old motorhome; turned out to be mud that had gotten
thrown up onto the solenoid that charged the camping batteries.

-- Randall 
56 TR3 TS13571L once and future daily driver
71 Stag LE1473 - awaiting engine rebuild
71-2-3 Stag - awaiting gearbox rebuild 

> Perhaps they have bought me a few extra days from time to 
> time, but each of them has repeatedly left me with flat 
> batteries. They will not keep a battery charged over a 
> season, or even a particularly long stint in the driveway or 
> at an airport.

[email-masked]