What do you use to maintain your batteries in your not everyday used vehicles?

I am considering little cheap solar "maintainers" that can be had for 30 bucks or so. Does anyone have any experiance with something like this? Yes, ther is some slick shit out there but I'm not interested in a $200 solar battery charger. The 30 buck units lay on the dash and recharge via the cig lighter.

Good idea/bad idea

I just run a battery switch, and turn everything off.

hey OS, thats a damn nice battery switch, whered ya get it and how much?

I used to see people running solar chargers mounted on their jet skis. They were always broken. That was a long time ago and alot more abusive than your situation. I say if it works, and it's cheap, why not?

Originally posted by 9-Volt
hey OS, thats a damn nice battery switch, whered ya get it and how much?

West Marine ~18.00.

http://www.bluesea.com/catalog_.pdf/switches/pg_43.pdf

http://www.bluesea.com/Instruction/9688.pdf

Any boating supply store will have them. You can also get them for switching between two batteries. If you want to go all out, for about 25$ you can get one with a key so that you can lock it off.

http://www.ritzcamera.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/boatersworld/home.d2w/report?Krypto=0xTbhRcOn6d2ypSTFtyq6qPjT%2FVrsqAumY jNqwQ7di8l9Xm56%2BvSXlEt9fHSdeP2L9d6LETYoc3tiHf1la SCCCYyYMrjjY%2BwgYIUyX4RqRzBRiOu%2FZVh9Z9b4Cymki7w QuzAotO%2Bo96tqH5yaysoPtQ8azutuXGBeaLBSgQjaPKTNHhv Zo0wVdDWkaHjPmdAoO7PZCBVo%2Fg%3D

I should still have a brand new one I got as a gift...I'd be wiling to ship to your address via UPS for $25 including shipping. I have six battery tenders + one of those $500 chargers that will maintain 10 batteries separately. Heck if you want one of the Battery Tenders I ship one to your address for $60. I sold a couple rigs earlier in the year and don't need all these. They are like new and have a 5 year warrantee anyway.

Jason :)

Originally posted by Brutpwr
I should still have a brand new one I got as a gift...I'd be wiling to ship to your address via UPS for $25 including shipping.... Heck if you want one of the Battery Tenders I ship one to your address for $60.Solar maintainers or switches, this thread has deviated slightly :D. Which tender's I might go that way...... I already have switches. But I keep a few things still on battery that's why I am considering a solar battery charger, just enough to keep the little goodies running and the battery in shape.

Use the one caled "the key" its a battery switch and you can pull out the key and now its a theft proof

I have a small solar setup on my motorhome. During a sunny day it produces about 80 amp/hours of power. Enough to top off the batterys, run the heater, lights, tv etc.

http://www.allprooffroad.com/geiger/motorhome/8370.jpg

http://www.allprooffroad.com/geiger/motorhome/8369.jpg

Originally posted by Belly Dragger
Solar maintainers or switches, this thread has deviated slightly :

How can you say that? :D


You did ask this!

Originally posted by Belly Dragger
What do you use to maintain your batteries in your not everyday used vehicles?

Originally posted by Old Scout
How can you say that? :D You did ask this! Tis true I did. Damn. :flipoff2:

Originally posted by Chris Geiger
I have a small solar setup on my motorhome. During a sunny day it produces about 80 amp/hours of power. Enough to top off the batterys, run the heater, lights, tv etc.Hmm, I have something similar on the trailer in the back 40. Maybe... Naw a little big for what I was thinking.

Actually you can use a battery disconnect and still maintain "all the little goodies" like radio presets, ECM memory etc. all you need is about $5 worth of stuff from radio shack and a soldering iron.

Parts:

9v battery
9v battery connector
cigarette ligher plug
any small diode


Solder the diode to the positive lead inside the cigarette ligher adapter (center pin) so the band (cathode end) faces tward the vehicle circuit.
Solder the positive lead on the 9v battery connector to the other end of the diode (anode end) then solder the negatrive lead from the connector to the negative lead (outer lead) inside the cigarette lighter adapter.
Connect battery, plug into cigarette lighter then disconnect battery and the 9v will provide just enough power to maintain the memory in your accessories.

Note, the doide is used as a safeguard so the vehicle battery can not charge the 9v which could result in a burst battery.

Not sure of the solar charger brand I have (never used it). The Battery Tender is the larger of the two models and will charge a battery at around 1.5 amps until it reaches 14.2 volts then it will taper the charge down and maintain the battery at 13.2 volts and like 60 milliamps indefinity. Comes with quick connect connectors you can leave on your battery for easy hook up and a set of std alligator style clamps. The connectors are available separately for like $6. They work great especially if you have an alarm on the vehicle that is a constant drain.

Jason :)