Omega Owners Forum

Chat Area => General Car Chat => Topic started by: markspark on 09 March 2013, 13:04:02

Title: Have you ever used one of these and whats your view ??
Post by: markspark on 09 March 2013, 13:04:02: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-Volt-Solar-Panel-Power-Car-Camper-Motorhome-Caravan-Battery-Trickle-Charger-/360438335429?pt=UK_Gadgets&hash=item53ebcc87c5

Im thinking of hard wiring one of these to the omega as the car is left standing for weeks at a time and every time i want to go out in it the battery is flat, the car charges correctly and the battery is only 2 months old so i was thinking this may help keep it topped up whats your view??
Title: Re: Have you ever used one of these and whats your view ??
Post by: the alarming man on 09 March 2013, 13:28:40: yep i used to have one and it worked very well... :y
Title: Re: Have you ever used one of these and whats your view ??
Post by: zirk on 09 March 2013, 14:45:38: I got a couple from Maplin on there clearance sale some time back, think these were rated at 2 - 3 amps, cant honestly say I was impressed TBH, just dont think we have the right Sunshine in the UK, a friend of mine uses a BP one about the size of a Sun Roof on his Landy that works well.

My belief is if the car is going to be standing for weeks without a charging point nearby then diss the battery.
Title: Re: Have you ever used one of these and whats your view ??
Post by: tigers_gonads on 09 March 2013, 14:56:24: Yup :y

Got that one in my shed trickle charging a bunch of 12 2.3 ah alarm system batterys.
Also got the next one up (2.4 ah iirc) perminently conected up to the caravans battery during the closed season. It does a decient job of keeping it topped up during winter :y

All bought from maplins :)
Title: Re: Have you ever used one of these and whats your view ??
Post by: markspark on 09 March 2013, 15:51:25: would it work ok if i fixed it on the rear shelf in a saloon ??
Title: Re: Have you ever used one of these and whats your view ??
Post by: Lazydocker on 09 March 2013, 15:53:38: Quote from: markspark on 09 March 2013, 15:51:25
would it work ok if i fixed it on the rear shelf in a saloon ??

If you ran dedicated wires to the battery it may work, but I'm sceptical that it will produce enough to be more than the drain of the alarm etc :-\
Title: Re: Have you ever used one of these and whats your view ??
Post by: Marks DTM Calib on 09 March 2013, 16:55:32: Battery buggerers!
Title: Re: Have you ever used one of these and whats your view ??
Post by: markspark on 09 March 2013, 17:07:13: Quote from: Marks DTM Calib on 09 March 2013, 16:55:32
Battery buggerers!
Battery is fine its just the car being stood that kills it
if i use the car just once in a week i wouldnt have the problem but sometimes this cannot be done
i suppose i could just disconnect the battery when not in use but then i have to reconnect when i want to go out in car and that too could be a PITA if its raining.
Title: Re: Have you ever used one of these and whats your view ??
Post by: zirk on 09 March 2013, 18:28:24: Quote from: markspark on 09 March 2013, 17:07:13
Quote from: Marks DTM Calib on 09 March 2013, 16:55:32
Battery buggerers!
Battery is fine its just the car being stood that kills it
if i use the car just once in a week i wouldnt have the problem but sometimes this cannot be done
i suppose i could just disconnect the battery when not in use but then i have to reconnect when i want to go out in car and that too could be a PITA if its raining.

1 min Job, just diss the Neg and put some cardboard in place, a lot quicker than messing around jump starting IMHO. ;)
Title: Re: Have you ever used one of these and whats your view ??
Post by: Selseybill on 09 March 2013, 18:38:34: Got the same one as pictured. Fixed to my caravan roof to keep the battery charged up in the winter months when am not using it.
Title: Re: Have you ever used one of these and whats your view ??
Post by: Lazydocker on 09 March 2013, 21:47:48: TBH, in your situation I think I would fit an isolator switch :-\