Solar Trickle Charger

[Soundguy]

I leave my cig light female adapter hooke dup to my tractor battery. dangling when not in use. That way if I need to use an appliance that needs it.. I have it.. .like tire pump.. small inverter.. etc..

Soundguy

 

[BobReeves]

When I was riding motorcycles most Motorcycle shops carried cigarette lighter kits that were semi weather proof. With smoking on the decline, not sure if that is still the case. Next trip into town I am going to stop in the Honda shop and see if they still carry them. My 3000 has a hole plug in an empty hole just below the key, it's too small for a lighter receptacle but a Greelee hole punch will fix that.

 

[3RRL]

Thanks guys,
I bought the Harborfreight solar chargers for $9.99 and the Radio Shack outlet for $6.99. The stores are about 2 blocks apart where I live so I picked them up...no shipping. Got 3 of each for all my toys.

I'll be installing them this weekend on the tractor, atv and forklift. Harborfreight also has the 110v type that I'll get later for my Harleys. They're only $9.99 as well. Need to keep those suckers charged too!

Thanks again for all the help...

 

[Jay4200]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( I picked up a cheep solar unit at harbor freight. Now I am looking for an exterior cigarette lighter plug I can add to my tractor to plug it into. I have looked on the net an can not find an exterior cigarette lighter plug any ideas/sorces? )</font>

They sell these at WalMart. They are in the automotive department and called something like Auxilary Power Modules, or something like that. They are intended to provide a power plug in a pickup bed and are an outdoor cigarette lighter socket, which is exactly what you want. I think the whole kit is somewhere in the $15 range.

Jay

 

[DFW]

Oliver, I found a bunch of them cheap on e-bay and use them on all my batteries. FYI, they are about twice the wattage as the HF cheap ones. I have two of those as well...

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

Rob,

I have been using this charger from HF for 3 years on my 1973 Caddy, it does a great job. HF has them on sale at the store for $5. If I had power at the shed I would just use one for the tractor.

web page

 

[NY_Yankees_Fan]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( have you thought of connecting the unit directly to the battery? or with some other type of connector? cigarette lighter plugs are sort of clumsy. )</font>

Mike,

I think it will be easy just to plug it into the socket. Getting to the battery on a BX is a pain and not quick. The install will take a few mins, but I will then have a place to plug in the air compressor or what ever. I picked up the socket today at Radio Shack. I plan to install this weekend.

 

[3RRL]

Well, I saw the $5.99 ones at HF but I have no power on the property so I ended up getting the solar ones . Here are some pictures mounting the Radio Schack 12v plugs. On the tractor, I mounted the plastic holder by drilling #29 drill and tapping 8-32 on the frame so it is under edge of the hood.

 

[3RRL]

This is a picture of the plug mount completed.

 

[3RRL]

Another picture of the Radio Shack socket with the Harbor Freight solar panel plug in it. It is located just behind the hood so I don't have to open the hood to plug it in or take it out.