[gaijin666]

1996 Camry V6 1MZFE, 182,00 miles
------------------------



Yeah, those little dash-top panels DO creat current, I'm not questioning that.


It plugs into your lighter, but if the car is off, is that current really trickling into the battery...?


The theory is nice but does anyone have any strong personal experience with these things..?


As my car ages, I appreciate more and more that batteries live only SO long, and if I do something to prolong that life, I want to have some confidence that I'm not throwing my cash away on some nifty-seeming scam.

 

[cb91710]

If there is no power to the lighter when the ignition is off, then there is no power *from* the lighter when the ignition is off.
Not all vehicles shut off the lighters when off.

 

[Vangm25]

Positive wire, solar panel unit, ground wire

 

[Blackness]

- I've decided that if I need to trickle charge a car I have too many cars

- use it or you don't need it

- that's just my opinion

- the solar charger will likley work

- if you have a garage use a standard trickle charger

- if you drive your car often, then that's all you need to do to make the battery happy

- and water it too

 

[gaijin666]

If there is no power to the lighter when the ignition is off, then there is no power *from* the lighter when the ignition is off.
Not all vehicles shut off the lighters when off.

So with the *Camry*, ignition off = no access from lighter to battery..?


I'd have to drill a tiny hole in the firewall, then...?

 

[Vangm25]

So with the *Camry*, ignition off = no access from lighter to battery..?


I'd have to drill a tiny hole in the firewall, then...?

You can be really cool and drill a hole into the hood and put the solar panel there.

 

[BMR]

So with the *Camry*, ignition off = no access from lighter to battery..?

Correct.

I'd have to drill a tiny hole in the firewall, then...?

Nah. Just find a wire under the dash that's always hot and tie into that. I'd suggest the wire that goes to the radio that keeps its memory alive. But that's only one possibility.

 

[JohnGD]

+1 about watering it. Distilled only and be careful strong acid (use proper protection equipment).

I’d wrap a heat insulation pad around the battery too.

Even if you drive longer distances I’d still connect the maintainer up from time to time.

I wouldn’t use Schumacher chargers. They tend to overcharge using something like 16v at times. Ridiculous. Just google.

But besides the ~1.5 amp Battery Tender many like, which I think is too small also check out the 4.3amp Ctek MUS 4.3. Solars are like what 0.5 amp? Not enough IMO.

https://www.amazon.com/CTEK-56-864-Automatic-Battery-Charger/dp/B006G14FK8

 

[Vangm25]

Correct.

Nah. Just find a wire under the dash that's always hot and tie into that. I'd suggest the wire that goes to the radio that keeps its memory alive. But that's only one possibility.

I think it is just easier making sure your charging system is working correctly instead of buying a solar powered panel unit to keep the battery charged. If the charging system is gonna fail, it will. Rather by the time you need a solar powered panel, you already know your charging system is failing so you would be better off just fixing it now instead of placing that panel in the hopes it gets charged.

Now a solar powered jump starter... that I might be willing to get. Don't forget, if car battery corporations wanted to make a "lifetime" battery they could but they will go out of business because they won't have anyone to sell to.

 

[BMR]

Yeah, be careful what you buy. There's a lot of eBay junk that plain won't work. You want to see:


At least 15 watts. Much less than that, and it won't even keep up with the normal draw of the "always on" stuff. Radio, ECU, stuff like that.



Smart charging. Meaning it goes into float mode when the battery is fully charged. If it doesn't have that, it'll overcharge a battery and destroy it.


Will it protect itself if you accidentally hook it up with the polarity reversed?... or if the output is shorted, even briefly? Maybe less important, especially if you hard wire it, but the "Battery Tender" brand chargers have this. Oh, I see Battery Tender offers solar chargers now.

 

[BMR]

Just want to add - For a daily driver, this won't do much to improve battery life, assuming the charging system is up to snuff. Where it would help is on a vehicle that's parked for weeks at a time or longer. I keep my motorcycle and lawn tractor on a Battery Tender Junior (for small batteries) all the time.

 

[Vangm25]

Just want to add - For a daily driver, this won't do much to improve battery life, assuming the charging system is up to snuff. Where it would help is on a vehicle that's parked for weeks at a time or longer. I keep my motorcycle and lawn tractor on a Battery Tender Junior (for small batteries) all the time.

At that point you might as well use the trickle charger unless you want to save on home energy costs. I would still prefer the trickle charger over a solar panel unit because I get the feeling of when "you go to a car that has been solar charging for a couple of months and it doesn't start because it has not been charging" effect.

 

[BMR]

No doubt, a trickle charger is best, if you have a garage, or live somewhere that allows you to plug it in. For an apartment dweller who can't do that, solar chargers are an option.

 

[Vangm25]

No doubt, a trickle charger is best, if you have a garage, or live somewhere that allows you to plug it in. For an apartment dweller who can't do that, solar chargers are an option.

I park underground :nerd:

 

[insightbrewery]

I wouldn’t use Schumacher chargers. They tend to overcharge using something like 16v at times. Ridiculous. Just google.

Little OT, but I use a Schumacher INC-700A 'cause that's what BMW recommends as a programming power supply...it does the job well in that capacity.

What I noticed - at least as much as can be noticed from the slow LCD update rate on the unit - is that it jumps to 16V when you're trying to bring a battery back to life (say you killed a battery by incorrectly registering it in an e6x Bimmer) and the battery is holding like, 4 volts. TBH I judge what I should use to bring the battery back to life based on the situation nowadays - if I feel pumping a lot of current in is a good idea, then I use the Schumacher since it can do a 70A charge and can be set to charge on a timer (the automatic charge algorithms suck when dealing with batteries that dead, and tend to keep shutting off as it thinks the battery's charged). Otherwise, I have a Battery MINDer that is phenomenal at bringing batteries back to life. Phenomenal, but very slow as it's just a trickle charger. The Battery MINDer kicks my Deltran Battery Tender's ass up and down the block when it comes to rejuvenating a battery.

 

[gaijin666]

is this the product you're talking about..?


https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Batter...lfator-car-boat-mower-MAKE-OFFER/371428285532

 

[Vangm25]

is this the product you're talking about..?


https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Batter...lfator-car-boat-mower-MAKE-OFFER/371428285532

That is just one of many. I've only used the big Snap-On battery chargers when I still worked at the shop. I prefer a cellphone/battery jumper in my car instead. Does the battery jumper work? I have no clue but when my battery fails to start my motor or a corworker needs help, I will be ready... along with a normal set of jumper cables.

I don't the same as this one but mine is similar https://www.amazon.com/CYCMIA-C01-Portable-Starter-Charging/dp/B073RYS4ZQ/ref=sr_1_1?m=A3G7AWKPHK0GRH&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1539206743&sr=1-1

 

[zzyzzx]

Yes, these things work. I use a 1.5 Watt unit in an old truck that had a questionable battery when I installed the solar panel. Said truck is parked partially in the woods and this solar panel still works. I got tired of manually charging it and dealing with the truck not starting. The truck can sit on the edge of the woods for a month or more, and the solar charger keeps the battery charged and it always starts right up. It's been at least 2 years like this. It's a Dodge truck and actually has two 12V outlets, one switched, one not switched (ideal IMO).

Now as to why I am here, I want to add another solar panel to a 2000 Camry and wondering if anyone has a suggestion with respect to a good spot to hard wire in one for the Camry. If nobody can think of a convenient place to do it, I will probably just add it to the stereo constant power circuit, but I am open to suggestions to other places in the dash area. My other vehicles have an always on lighter outlet and that's where I plug it in.

Yes, we own too many vehicles, due to inheritances. At least the truck gets used periodically since sometimes it's useful to have a truck. The Camry is a beater commuter car and right now due to Covid and working from home, it's only used around 1 day per week (sometimes less if there is a snowstorm). Which should be plenty enough to keep a battery good, it is parked someplace where it gets enough sunlight. I just replaced the battery and want to see if I can keep it good longer than the 4.5 years that the last one lasted, since around here it's cold enough that (generally speaking) 4.5 years is more like kind of the low end of normal for a car battery. That and I'd like to not have to concern myself with what if the car isn't used for more than a week because sometimes we drive other vehicles.

 

[norm356]

Anything that works when the key is out, has +12V available to it all of the time:

inside the cabin:
stereo memory (blue/red)
dome light, luggage compartment light, power antenna (red)
hazard (white)
brake lights power to the relay (green/red)
dash clock (use a VOM meter to figure out which wire)
door lock power to the relay (white / blue)
power seat (red/white)

under the hood:
horn power to the relay (white)
engine main relay (use a VOM meter to figure out which wire)
headlight high beam power to the relay (black)

Norm

 

[foxtherouge]

Do not hard wire a charging wire through a powered wire. You'll end up burning out the wire. Wire it straight to the battery. Think of electricity as a water flow. It goes in one direction, from the battery to the radio (For example of course). Adding more and going in the opposite direction will not work so well and will eventually blow out. You risk setting a car on fire by trying to force power back into the battery.

Wire it straight to the battery. Solar chargers are not designed to be permanently attached nor are they designed to be used while the vehicle is operating. They are essentially battery tenders. You can cause major damage to either the battery or to your solar charger if you leave it attached while operating.