Solar Battery Maintainer

[bowtieguy]

would this be a practical tool to help w/ EOC?...

http://www.northerntool.com/stores/a...ine&market=ORL

it's on page 4 at the bottom. sorry, i couldn't get a direct link. i quit EOC, due to battery issues, except ending a trip, so...

[jmf]

It's a battery maintainer not a charger. It replaces the power lost by just sitting. I have one of those I put on my lawn tractor when I don't use it for a while. I think it helps?

[bowtieguy]

Originally Posted by jmf

It's a battery maintainer not a charger. It replaces the power lost by just sitting. I have one of those I put on my lawn tractor when I don't use it for a while. I think it helps?

i understand fully what it is, but would it help the longevity of a battery using EOC? even when i end a trip w/ engine off, for example, if i try to restart w/in several minutes, it is a little slow to turn over.

i could try it w/out wasting too much $$$. we have a car that sits for long periods of time anyway. getting out the charger every time bites.

[theholycow]

It sounds like your battery is old and worn out.

[bowtieguy]

Originally Posted by theholycow

It sounds like your battery is old and worn out.

nope. it is fairly new, and it did do it the very first day. i'll reiterate, it turns over a LITTLE slow.

[GasSavers_JoeBob]

For EOC, I don't see that item making much difference, especially if you have a new battery. I doubt that it would take more than a few seconds to return the same amount of power to the battery that a 1.8 watt solar charger would put in in an hour. For maintaining the battery on a car that sits for a long time between uses, however, it sounds like a great idea.

[rgathright]

The biggest killer of batteries is overcharging.

I see motorhomes and power boats with bad batteries all the time. The lead acid batteries are all bowed on the sides which is a sign of constant charging.

That being said, a battery maintainer should keep the voltage from going above a certain value. If this product does that and you keep the solar charger connected 24/7, then yes this is a worthwhile investment.