Solar Tractor Battery Maintainer?

[Larry Caldwell]

The shed where I store my tractor does not have electricity. Parts of the year the tractor is not moved. When spring rolls around, I have to deal with a dead battery, often sulfated. Then it's jumper cables time, the battery bounces around in the field mostly discharged, the lead sulfate sheds off the plates, shorting them out, and it's new battery time.

I'm trying to decide what unit to buy. There's the $20 Coleman 1-watt unit, with no charge controller at all. There's also the $125 one at Northern Tool that advertises fairly sophisticated battery management at 0.45 amp max. That's impressive, but I could probably buy a couple batteries for the price of the maintainer.

Does anybody have any experience with this?

 

[grsthegreat]

On every item I don’t use during the winter, I pull the batteries and place them all in a shed. There I rotate a battery maintainer through the lot during the winter. I get 7-10 years on my batteries. My chargers all put out 2.5 amps. I’m just wondering how a low amperage unit will work.

 

[Roadworthy]

I'm with grshthegreat. I pull batteries from unused equipment in the winter and store them in my slightly heated well equipment room. Disconnected they hold a charge over the winter. I top them up in the spring and I'm good to go for the season. Solar chargers seem to work best where there's lots of sunshine. We have a LOT of overcast days in the winter which will reduce solar charger output. Also, you couldn't place the charger IN your shed. It would probably go on the roof or some other area exposed to the sun. Someday I'll run power to my tractor shed - maybe.

 

[grsthegreat]

Being an electrician.... I have power Everywhere . Even to front planters. I can control barn lights from house. All sheds, including wifes greenhouse and planting sheds are wired. I cant see how anyone can’t have power at any shed. There’s always something needing plugged in. I never have figured out how many miles of underground wires I’ve run. I even ran some under the front road to an additional 10 acre parcel I own so I can heat water trough and electric fence.

oh, and the wifes lighted arena. When I added that load to my shop I had to change shop from 50 amps to 200 amps.

 

[RalphVa]

Tried one on the generator's huge battery that powers both its little LCD panel and the auto start panel in the house. Was not enough. Think it was about a 10 watt one, not one of those little 5 watters. Put it out on the gate's battery in parallel with the one they supplied.

If you get one, get a big one.

 

[ultrarunner]

Bought the Northern 15 months ago for brother and sad to say it is still in box...

The idea was to keep two six volt batteries in 1950's tractors charged in series as 12 volt...

The shed is on a hilltop 1000 yards from house...

The bonus was hooking up a 12volt LED for some light using Tractor batteries.... wish I could provide in the field reporting..
Have not visited since Feb 20 2020...

 

[TractorGuy]

I'm using the Battery Tender brand single 5A solar controller with a 30W panel. I put SAE pigtails on my tractor, backhoe, and car that sits in the barn. I have a lead that is long enough to reach the car and the backhoe and an extension lead that will reach the tractor.

I put a toggle switch between the panel positive lead on the controller.

The controller has a simple LED that indicates if the battery is charged. Every now and then I turn off the panel, switch to a different unit, and turn the panel back on. When I notice the LED is green I will move it again.

 

[fried1765]

On every item I don’t use during the winter, I pull the batteries and place them all in a shed. There I rotate a battery maintainer through the lot during the winter. I get 7-10 years on my batteries. My chargers all put out 2.5 amps. I’m just wondering how a low amperage unit will work.

I NEVER pull batteries unless they are dead!
I have 16 Battery Maintainers/Battery Tenders, some only .75A, but most 1.25A.
When I anticipate a machine will be stored for more than 30 days it gets a Battery Tender/Battery Maintainer, until it is used again.
On average, my batteries last 8+ years.

 

[rademamj1]

I use solar powered battery maintainer all the time, and these trickle charges will definitely keep your battery in top condition. My zero turn, RV, Boat, tractor and my tow vehicle all have them. Buy one big enough and with high quality and they will charge your batteries for many years.

Amazon.com : Topsolar 20W 12V Solar Panel kit Battery Charger Maintainer + 10A PWM Solar Charge Controller + Adjustable Mount Tilt Rack Bracket + Solar Cable for Car RV Marine Boat 12 Volt Battery Off Grid : Garden & Outdoor

Amazon.com : Topsolar 20W 12V Solar Panel kit Battery Charger Maintainer + 10A PWM Solar Charge Controller + Adjustable Mount Tilt Rack Bracket + Solar Cable for Car RV Marine Boat 12 Volt Battery Off Grid : Garden & Outdoor

www.amazon.com

 

[deserteagle71]

I've used one of these for years in a shed that has no power. Mounted the solar panel on the roof- and this is Nevada so sunshine most days of the year. Expensive but worth it to me - batteries last for years now.

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200328565_200328565