Solar trickle charger, does it work to maint. battery in winter?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Vaso.L, Oct 21, 2023.

  1. TNSquire

    TNSquire Medium Load Member

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    I use 2 30w cheap harbor freight Solar chargers and they work fine.
    I swap them between the log truck and the sawmill while I’m doing other things.
    Just gotta keep them clear of obstructions and good connections to the batteries.
     
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  3. Ridgeline

    Ridgeline Road Train Member

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    I have no clue, I could not use them on my Toyota so.
     
  4. snowwy

    snowwy Road Train Member

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    Do you have to put then outside or can they sit inside the windshield?
     
  5. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

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    I have this one for my car...
    Robot or human?
    (No idea why the link says robot or human, but it does go the the Walmart page for the Noco.)

    I have not needed it since I started disconnecting the negative battery terminal. But it is always charged and in my trunk just in case.
    Those things are really great.

    I once came back from home time to a dead truck battery.
    Called on-road and a car showed up to jump it.
    The guy comes out with a lunchbox sized thing, hooked it up and said start it up.
    Instant start, unlike hooking up jumper cables to a repair truck where you have to wait 10 minutes to get enough charge.
    Those lithium jump starters should be standard equipment, but most people seem to have no clue.
     
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  6. Vaso.L

    Vaso.L Light Load Member

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    South Holland,IL
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    I have the same one and it paid for itself 3 times already,i was in denver this summer for 34h and ran my koolatron all day,monday morning didnt wanna start so i hooked it up and it started right up
     
  7. Moosetek13

    Moosetek13 Road Train Member

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    At a hundred bucks, it could pay for itself the first time it is used.
    Not to mention the time saved.
     
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  8. beastr123

    beastr123 Road Train Member

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    The windshield will absorb some of the energy but it will work.
     
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  9. TNSquire

    TNSquire Medium Load Member

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    Decatur, TN
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    I put them outside, but they work inside too.
    I have the option of outside because the truck is parked in my pasture, and ain’t nobody gonna mess with it with the trained attack pigs in that pasture.
     
    kemosabi49 and snowwy Thank this.
  10. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    Modern electronic cars will have issues if all power is disconnected. Not just lose all of your radio presets, but it may throw codes and report faults just because it has had no battery power.
     
  11. tscottme

    tscottme Road Train Member

    For $13you can wire a direct cable from inside the car to the car's battery. The cable has alligator clips on one end and a cig lighter socket on the other end. Connect it to your car battery, lay the cable along the inside of the fender, and have it come into the car interior from the bottom of the door seam across the weather strip.

    Amazon.com
     
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