SailorBob
Gold Member
A lot of people use those on boats to maintain their batteries. They work great. I would think it would in your area very well.
Larger CCA battery
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BobRip
Elite Member
California said:Should follow my own advice.
Has anyone had a good experience with the HF solar charger, the one about the size of a license plate?
I used something similar from Radio Shack for my daughter's truck when she was in college. The truck would sit for weeks without use. The biggest negative is that you have to park it with the proper vehicle orientation or move the panel around. I think they are a good idea, especially with the new vehilces that leave some electronics on all of the time.
California
Super Star Member
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- Jan 22, 2004
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- 14,819
- Location
- An hour north of San Francisco
- Tractor
- Yanmar YM240 Yanmar YM186D
There. That should hold it for a while.
I learned that Autozone sells a group 27 (the largest that will fit) but only in their premium $90 line.
I was leaving and the clerk pointed out that their Dual Purpose Marine group 27 is only $59. He was an ex-farmworker and said this is what they use on harvesters etc that are parked for months, because a marine battery has less self-discharge than an automotive battery. I bought it.
It's 1000 Marine Amps, comparable to 1000 automotive Cranking Amps (both @ 32 degrees) which corresponds to about 850 CCA (zero degree cranking amps).
Yanmar specifies 75 amp-hours, this is 115 amp hours. Good enough for government work as we used to say. This should last a while.
chriswheeler
Platinum Member
I just buy the largest deep cycle battery that Cosco sells for less than $60 and it is more than good to go even at zero degrees on cold mornings in the winter.
Chris
Chris
California
Super Star Member
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- Jan 22, 2004
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- 14,819
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- An hour north of San Francisco
- Tractor
- Yanmar YM240 Yanmar YM186D
I did a little online research and found that using a true Deep Cycle as a starting battery is not a good for it.
A Dual Purpose deep cycle, however, is suitable for both starting and for the long slow drawdown found in solar or rv applications. This Autozone Dual Purpose Marine battery seems to be a good match for a tractor that might be parked off-season.
A Dual Purpose deep cycle, however, is suitable for both starting and for the long slow drawdown found in solar or rv applications. This Autozone Dual Purpose Marine battery seems to be a good match for a tractor that might be parked off-season.
SnowRidge
Elite Member
I just looked at that, and had a good laugh. All of 1.5 watts, which works out to about 125 milliamps (at solar noon, and only if pointed directly at the sun), and they call it "super high output." I was about to warn you that an unregulated solar panel can actually boil a battery dry over time, but there is no worry with than puny thing. More likely it couldn't keep up with the battery's self discharge anywhere north of the equator, and you would still end up with a flat battery.California said:
oliver28472
Veteran Member
My wife's 2004 VW Beetle came standard with a solar charger that plugs in the cig lighter. And by golly you better be using it!
BobRip
Elite Member
SnowRidge said:
I think it will extend the time to discharge. Is not that what we want? No it will not keep it up forever, but maybe long enough.
SnowRidge
Elite Member
BobRip said:
Maybe, but I think for it to be useful, it will require frequent reorientation, just like you mentioned earlier.
oliver28472
Veteran Member
On the wife's VW, the battery will go down within 2 days if it don't get some help. We were gone earlier this month for 10 days. I left the solar charger place in the sunroof and plugged in. Started right up when we got home. This charger will not overcharge the battery and it came with the car. I know we shouldn't have to use it but the sad truth is the dealer couldn't find anything wrong with the car even though it died on their lot.
