I seldom drive my GXL or Vert over the winter, instead of losing batteries or disconnect and reconnect them, I want to use the Solar Battery Charger (keeps it fresh) from Harbor Freight.

Has Anyone used this? or using it now? does it work well? safe to use, in the cigarette lighter connector?

don't want to end up with fired green tomatoes, err rotaries ;-)

 

Take the battery out of the car and bring it inside. Leaving a battery untouched (even if you have a trickle charger) in the cold is not at all good for it.

 

If this is a true solar cell, then they are only "on demand" power cells.
As long as the voltage is lower than the cell producing capacity, it'll charge.
If the battery voltage is higher than the solar cell capacity, nothing will charge.

With that said, I cannot support or deny any claims that particular item that was mentioned.
I'm only dropping information on what generic solar cells will do.


-Ted

 

what part of KC do you live in?

 

Yes - they work, but unless you're storing the car way out yonder, an extension cord & a trickle charger works better.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=44768
here is the item,

Ted, I will measure the output this weekend

Alex, I used to live in Liberty, MO. the town where Jesse James robbed his first bank ;-)
now I am a Michigander

 

Why not just move the battery indoors? It's better for the battery, better for the car and means you don't have to buy a charger.

 

Aaron, howdy dowdy,
I agree whole heartedly, sometimes I plan to drive the vehicle only to be sidelined by my crazy work/travel schedules and end up renting for weeks/months. so I was looking for something to keep the dang thing "FRESH"

yeah i have one of those little keep the battery fresh chargers also but unfortunately my rexs are not in the garage :-(

plus my GXL has these super soft battery connectors that one I have already stripped and is a pain in the butt to tighten or loosen.

I bought some brass (?? copper) connectors from wally's have to do the transplant soon.

 

Just a word or warning about those things...

I got a pair of gold-plated, brass battery terminals, and they are a pain in the *** to keep secure.
They have popped up twice now, and the first time it was driving me nuts trying to figure out why my car kept dying when hitting a bump!
The battery terminals were loose and would pop up after hitting a hard enough bump.
It was so quick, that everything looked fine, but the ECU barfed and shutdown - your gauges and everything else still worked!

You need to really crank down on those brass terminals to get them to stay in place.
It's scary to be cranking down on them, cause it feels like you're going to break the battery post off.


-Ted