Solar powered trickle charger
Discussion
Has anyone tried one of these. I won't be driving my liz every day and wanted to keep the battery topped up. Unfortunately this will mean either miles of cabling from my flat to a charger, inventing some kind of miniture portable nuclear power supply or trying something solar powered. Any thoughts??
I own up, I bought one too!
Actually thought it was broken and gave it to a work colleague for his cerbie, he says his crbie has started alot cleaner and stronger since he plugged it in. Won't give it back either.....bugger!
I leave my car on the drive every week for 5-6 days and often for two week stints. In the 12 months I have owned her she has started first time every time after standing motionless for the week come rain, snow, sleet or shine!
Now and again she is a bit lumpy for about 5 seconds when warming up when the idle dips sharply and returns to normal, nothing like a quick 40 mile roundtrip to charge her up again though.
Guy at the London Lotus Centre recommended one, it cant do any harm and if you never have a flat battery again its been money well spent.
Ramble end.
Actually thought it was broken and gave it to a work colleague for his cerbie, he says his crbie has started alot cleaner and stronger since he plugged it in. Won't give it back either.....bugger!
I leave my car on the drive every week for 5-6 days and often for two week stints. In the 12 months I have owned her she has started first time every time after standing motionless for the week come rain, snow, sleet or shine!
Now and again she is a bit lumpy for about 5 seconds when warming up when the idle dips sharply and returns to normal, nothing like a quick 40 mile roundtrip to charge her up again though.
Guy at the London Lotus Centre recommended one, it cant do any harm and if you never have a flat battery again its been money well spent.
Ramble end.
I have an X1/9 that sits out on the road. The electrics aren't unlike the Elise - leave it for a couple of weeks and it won't start (though it doesn't completely kill the battery).
After the third replacement battery, I got a solar charger and it is fantastic. The car can sit out for a couple of weeks and starts strongly every time, even during the winter and needing a serious tune-up. The only problem is conecting it to the battery. Mine sits on the dashboard and plugs into the cigarette lighter - but the lighter on the X1/9 is always live. The lighter on the Elise is cut off when the ignition is off, so that won't work without a 'minor' modification of the fuse box.
After the third replacement battery, I got a solar charger and it is fantastic. The car can sit out for a couple of weeks and starts strongly every time, even during the winter and needing a serious tune-up. The only problem is conecting it to the battery. Mine sits on the dashboard and plugs into the cigarette lighter - but the lighter on the X1/9 is always live. The lighter on the Elise is cut off when the ignition is off, so that won't work without a 'minor' modification of the fuse box.
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