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[Shackeng]

It has been stated on other threads that:
A. Batteries should be disconnected before connecting a charger.
And:
B. It won't hurt an Omega, using a modern battery charger which is designed to reduce charge rate as battery charges up.

How about:
C. Using a solar trickle charger is OK because it can only charge at a very slow rate. (Particularly at this time of year) :-? :-? :-?

[Kevin Wood]

A solar charger will never generate enough current to drag the battery voltage up dangerously high.

Kevin

[Entwood]

1) This is due to "older" type chargers that didn't regulate the voltage applied, only the current passed. High voltages can destroy modern electronics. So a charger that limits VOLTAGE will not damage your Omega

2) "Charge rate" is the CURRENT (amps) supplied, even old type chargers regulate that, usually crudely by measuring the heat the charger produces (high current = hot charger).

A "flat" battery has no internal resistance so is able to draw a high current, this could cause the battery to "boil" so the charger switches off for a while until everything cools down, then starts charging again ... . As the battery builds up charge the internal resistance (also called Back EMF) increases, this resistance causes the voltage to rise, just the same as when your alternator is running BUT .. BIG BUT .. your alternator has a built in voltage regulator that limits the voltage to around 14.3-14.7 .... cheap chargers don't ... so the voltage can rise and rise .... this won't damage the battery but COULD damage the car electronics.

A "modern" charger like the CTEK 3600

http://www.ctek.com/EN-GB/Buy-Charger.aspx?charger=mxs3600

is designed to control both voltage and current

3) As Kevin says ... a small solar panel won't ever get high enough to cause damage, but a large one might ... I use a 55watt panel when carvanning ... that will produce voltages in excess of 25 v on a sunny day with no regulation ... but it's 3ft x 2ft and has a controller attached !!!

HTH

[Andy B]

......
A "modern" charger like the CTEK 3600

http://www.ctek.com/EN-GB/Buy-Charger.aspx?charger=mxs3600

is designed to control both voltage and current ......

Which is what's connected to my car at this very moment 

..... and has been since Friday after the bugger made no attempt to start for me for work last Thursday morning. 

[Shackeng]

Thanks guys, I was pretty happy anyway, all I have to do now is connect a spare lighter socket direct to a battery feed.