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Post by Spruance on Oct 29, 2010 15:30:40 GMT
I don't use my car very much these days and thus it tends to just sit in the garage all day watching re-runs of Heartbeat or knitting....  All that sitting and no driving means that the battery tends to gradually lose its charge and indeed that moment has arrived again.  Anyway, the point is that I was considering getting one of those solar panel trickle chargers the idea of which is to keep the battery topped up even if the car is stood for long periods. I just wondered if anyone had used one of these and what they thought to it? |
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Post by Susie Snowdrop on Oct 30, 2010 16:58:00 GMT
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Post by Spruance on Oct 30, 2010 19:55:05 GMT
Well I think I may as well get one because even with a properly recharged battery the situation is going to repeat itself before long. Solar is perhaps a misnomer as the description says that it just needs nomal daylight to work. My car is front first in the garage head on to the west facing window so I think it's worth a shot.
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Post by Barbara on Oct 31, 2010 10:52:07 GMT
If they're not to expensive to buy it's probably woth a try.  |
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Post by Auricula on Oct 31, 2010 17:27:14 GMT
Or, you could drive it regularly |
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Post by MamIDdau on Oct 31, 2010 22:36:10 GMT
I expect it would be cheaper to just run the engine for a wee while every now and again.
A decent solar panel is expensive. Not expensive to make, but expensive to buy. I realise petrol is getting pricey but I think it would still be cheaper to switch the engine!
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Post by Spruance on Oct 31, 2010 23:54:38 GMT
Well having spent what seems like ages researching this today, the smart money appears to be on mains electric battery maintenance chargers, rather than solar panels which seem to get short shrift from motoring enthusiasts. I suppose it would be cheaper to give the car a run from time to time but these days I tend to walk everywhere, so don't need to use it so much. I'll see how long the battery lasts once I've got it recharged since we have a standard recharger available. Only problem then is trying to find my radio code, although I have also found a website where I can get that FOC if necessary. Thanks for the opinions anyhow.  |
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Post by MamIDdau on Nov 1, 2010 10:00:49 GMT
Drive somewhere to go for a nice walk?! ;D
How long does it get left sitting there? I'd be concerned that it was really going flat at all tbh if it was only sat there a week or so.
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Post by Spruance on Nov 4, 2010 22:39:57 GMT
It tends to sit there for several weeks at a time AL, not least because there's another car that sits out on the drive and if I do need to use a car then it's easier to take that one.
Solar power is now officially on the back burner thanks to the Halfords mains charger which has done the trick after about eight hours of charging but I'm leaving it on overnight just to be sure. Next thing is to either find my copy of the radio code or maybe go to the website I found, which would be much easier as it doesn't involve searching through reams of paperwork. ;D
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Post by Auricula on Nov 4, 2010 23:20:36 GMT
Glad you're able to get it sorted Spru |
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Post by Spruance on Nov 5, 2010 14:59:37 GMT
Yes thanks Auricula. The car started perfectly this morning and I have given it a 20 mile run just to get it warmed up. Now the only issue is getting the radio code sorted out. There are various sites that I can get that from FOC but I need a set of radio removal keys to get the radio out in order to get the serial number off the side of the radio. I've just ordered a pair off eBay for £1.99 including postage so all things considered that's a small price to pay considering that Ford charge around £25 to supply radio codes.
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Post by Barbara on Nov 5, 2010 15:20:40 GMT
Vauxhall charged me £9.00. for the code for my radio, Spru why not just jump start it when you need to move it, ? or is that a daft question.
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Post by Spruance on Nov 5, 2010 16:11:14 GMT
Essentially no jump leads and no tow rope and pushing a car is right out (for me) these days. The code won't cost anything so I think £1.99 for the tools to remove the radio and get the serial number is a small price to pay.  |
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Post by MamIDdau on Nov 5, 2010 18:14:36 GMT
The Ford dealership got me my radio code for nothing...
Bu then, I do have certain "assets" haha
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Post by Spruance on Nov 9, 2010 23:57:19 GMT
I think I might get arrested if I went around flaunting my 'assets' AL.  The site I had in mind didn't come up with the solution but thanks to a helpful member at Moneysavingsexpert.com who came up with the code I needed, the radio is working again. ;D |
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Post by MamIDdau on Nov 10, 2010 11:41:11 GMT
Dunno, get your legs out Spru!
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