Solar Battery Tender

[moeh1]

I have the 1.5 HF, it is a charger not a floater. I used to leave mine on continuous in the winter and I was concerned it was actually overcharging, now i do it intermittently. It didn't seem to have any issue keeping a full sized battery charged.

 

[Gary Fowler]

I put a 12 volt solar panel on a battery on a gate opener that puts out 15 watts under full sun. I has no regulator per say only the one on the panel itself to keep it at 12 volts constant, but the wattage varies due to amount of sun on it. It just sets there pumping in 15 watts at 12 volts so that is 1.25 amps and it has been on that battery for over 2 years and everything is still working perfectly. The gate usually doesnt open and close more than 2 times per day and sometimes not for day at a time but it hasnt over charged or undercharged at least not enough to damage the battery. It keeps 14 volts showing when I check it.
I have everything else that I dont use frequently on the 1.5 amp electric chargers except my big tractors and they just set and wait on me for a few months at a time. They always crank. But there is absolutely no drain on them either. My diesel lawnmower would do the same, but the battery is over 4 years old now so I decided to keep it pumped up so I can get a few more years from it. It is lots bigger than the typical lawnmower battery.

 

[Bladehauler]

I drive a truck for a living so my diesel pickup will sit at the terminal sometime for months at a time . It used to be common for me to get into town, and the dome lights wouldn't even come on. I bought one of the NT 1.5 watt solar chargers and problem solved ! I did forget it ! time and was cussing myself when I got home and had to jump the pickup off at 3am ! I think 1.5 watts is fine for the parasitic loads . seems to do go for me !