Battery Maintainers

[RoaminRog]

Planning on leaving a couple of cars at home when we go off for our three month stint starting March.
Would really like to know that the batteries are going to be ok when we get back.
There is an amazing array of solar powered battery maintainers/trickle chargers on the market and I am wondering what size, in terms of watts do I need to avoid overcharging.
Planning on buying two, one for each car. Has anyone any experience, recommendations, or suggestions please.
Rog.

 

[2cv]

I leave my cars and motorbike on chargers similar to this and have had long life from the batteries and always come back to them well charged for many years. I got mine at Lidl, who sell them from time to time, about £15.

 

[RoaminRog]

Thanks Bill, I was rather hoping to avoid mains power if at all possible, and just rely on solar.

 

[saxonborg]

Could you not just charge them up and then disconnect them, or do you need to power there respective immobilisers/alarms?

 

[PeteS]

I disconnect them.

 

[Deleted member 2520]

I have always got the power pack Rog and we are only a 100yds away.

 

[The laird]

This is what I use roger similar to bills,my last one lasted for over 5 years

 

[RoaminRog]

Could you not just charge them up and then disconnect them, or do you need to power there respective immobilisers/alarms?

That’s a good thought, thanks.

 

[RoaminRog]

I disconnect them.

Thanks Pete, that a good idea.

 

[RoaminRog]

This is what I use roger similar to bills,my last one lasted for over 5 yearsView attachment 52558

Thanks Gordon but trying to avoid mains plug in if poss.

 

[jeffmossy]

When we go next week I will be disconnecting mine

 

[Lee]

I have a small intelligent battery charger.
I bought it because the year before last we got home to find the car battery flat and after starting the car we suffered from spurious fault codes.
So before we went away the next time I spoke to the mechanic I use and he suggested the charger.
When i returned the car started and the 14 year old battery diidnt give any problems.
I wouldn't be happy disconnecting the battery from the car for a prolonged time, as I don't know how the electronics in modern cars would cope with this and whether you might need to have them reset.

 

[The laird]

If it’s on the wee Rosy car it’s got ecu and bsi units which can suffer if not cared for correctly

 

[Deleted member 27]

I doubt you will get a good charge from any portable solar charge until Summer at best. If mains are out of the question.
How about buying a couple of cheap batteries and connect one up to each car to increase capacity.

Can no one run the engine every fortnight or so., or can you not park at friends ad use a mains trickle charger

Alf

 

[TJBi]

I have a small intelligent battery charger.
I bought it because the year before last we got home to find the car battery flat and after starting the car we suffered from spurious fault codes.
So before we went away the next time I spoke to the mechanic I use and he suggested the charger.
When i returned the car started and the 14 year old battery diidnt give any problems.
I wouldn't be happy disconnecting the battery from the car for a prolonged time, as I don't know how the electronics in modern cars would cope with this and whether you might need to have them reset.

The longest that I have left a car unused is 2 months, and the batteries, which were in good condition to start with, were fine on return. With some cars, there can be issues if the battery is disconnected, including the alarm immediately sounding and electric windows requiring recalibration; I can well imagine other issues could occur on some cars.

 

[Tezza33]

The small solar panels that you stick in the windscreen are a waste of time, I have tried one a few times and come home to a completely flat and ruined battery, now I just disconnect the batteries and it has never given me a problem when I reconnect

 

[TJBi]

The small solar panels that you stick in the windscreen are a waste of time, I have tried one a few times and come home to a completely flat and ruined battery, now I just disconnect the batteries and it has never given me a problem when I reconnect

You don't say what car you have and RoaminRog has not seen fit to tell us what cars he has. It will depend very much on the make, model and age of the car. At the very least, one is likely to need to put in radio codes, so a good idea to ensure that they are available. But also take a look at https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=8945#m91504 and https://itstillruns.com/disconnect-car-battery-reset-computer-4963429.html

 

[RoaminRog]

You don't say what car you have and RoaminRog has not seen fit to tell us what cars he has. It will depend very much on the make, model and age of the car. At the very least, one is likely to need to put in radio codes, so a good idea to ensure that they are available. But also take a look at https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=8945#m91504 and https://itstillruns.com/disconnect-car-battery-reset-computer-4963429.html

I have a Peugeot 307 and a Peugeot 107
Just testing the water, to see what other folk do.
My neighbour Lands43 has offered to run the engines every couple of weeks, so that could be the answer.

 

[trevskoda]

I have a Peugeot 307 and a Peugeot 107
Just testing the water, to see what other folk do.
My neighbour Lands43 has offered to run the engines every couple of weeks, so that could be the answer.

Starting a engine pulls so much power you would require a 40 mile trip to top up again,dont bother,disconnect if only for a few weeks or smart tricke charge of mains,no other way workable.

 

[Tezza33]

You don't say what car you have and RoaminRog has not seen fit to tell us what cars he has. It will depend very much on the make, model and age of the car. At the very least, one is likely to need to put in radio codes, so a good idea to ensure that they are available. But also take a look at https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=8945#m91504 and https://itstillruns.com/disconnect-car-battery-reset-computer-4963429.html

I have a Fiat Panda and Maggy has a Fiat 500C, neither car gives any problem, no radio codes, electric windows still work, alarms/immobiliser works as normal