We take the Suburban out every two to three months. It's parked outside where it's inconvenient to run a power cord. Is there a solar powered trickle charger smart enough to do more good than harm? Are they smart enough to not draw power from the battery when it's dark? Any brands or models known to do the job or to avoid?

Thanks,
Sixto
87 300D

Sears: Online department store featuring appliances, tools, fitness equipment and more

They make larger wattage ones too.

http://www.amazon.com/Pulsetech-Solarpulse-Mntnr-735x302-Sp-2/dp/B004I723KG

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'84 300SD sold
124.128

my vw jetta came with one.they use them when they ship the cars,but i wouldn't consider it a charger more of a maintainer.do a fleabay search for vw solar charger,there is 7 on there right now.

Yes, a maintainer is all I need to overcome the parasitic draw. Although it's a Diesel, it has OBD II, an aftermarket radio and RKE. It also has always on features like the power seats and mirrors, and a flaky visor mirror light switch. It was okay for years but the last 3 month stretch in this cold [by San Jose standards] weather got the batteries to where they would glow or crank but not both. Ah, and aging batteries too :/

I'll try one of those VW panels.

Sixto
87 300D

They are popular with RVers, they spend most of their time is storage.

Just my 2 cents and perhaps not applicable to autos - but a battery is a battery to some extent.

I have a gate on the front of my property opened by hand-held remote.

Box near the gate with battery and other electrical components and a line running from a solar panel to the battery/components.

My solar setup is not all that useful. Saves maybe one offline recharge in the warmer seasons. Colder weather - useless.

You may have better luck.

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Mike Murrell
1991 300-SEL - Model 126
M103 - SOHC
"Fräulein"

I found a VW one when I bought our house- PO left it in a shed. Seems to do the job. The 300CD is better off now that the battery is kept charged.

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95 E300D working out the kinks
77 300D, 227k, station car
83 300CD 370k, gone away
89 190E 2.6- 335k, no more
79 VW FI Bus- 145k miles, summer driver
59 VW Beetle ragtop- 175k miles
12 VW Jetta- 160k miles

Should just need to put a diode in line with the solar panel you like to keep it from discharging at night.

I don't belive that the solar panels made for cars need diodes - solar cells are semiconductors themselves with some kinda voltage regulator inline with the power so I'm pretty sure they wont discharge the battery.

-John

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2009 Kia Sedona
2009 Honda Odyssey EX-L
12006 Jetta Pumpe Duse
(insert Mercedes here)

Husband, Father, sometimes friend =)

How have you hooked it up for use?

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Strelnik
Invest in America: Buy a Congressman!

1950 170SD
1951 Citroen 11BN
1953 Citroen 11BNF limo
1953 220a project
1959 180D
1960 190D
1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr
1983 240D daily driver
1983 380SL
1990 350SDL daily driver alt
3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5
3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6

A friend had one for his sailboat years ago and all it had was a diode to prevent dicharging. We have a solar panel setup for a remote repeater radio setup at work. It charges a car battery and has a little charge controller on it but i think thats probably overkill
Has anyone ever tried to see if a solar panel puts a load on a battery when it isnt exposed to light?