The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network







Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Go Back   The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network > General Truck Forums > Tools, Shops and Shop Safety

Web 67-72chevytrucks.com


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 12-30-2014, 12:07 PM   #1
Ironhorse
Senior Member
 
Ironhorse's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Wellington, Ks
Posts: 10,119
Solar Battery Maintainer?

Anyone using a solar powered battery maintainer? I have an 8N Ford tractor (converted to 12v) sitting in a shed with no electrical and it is to far from the shop to run an extension cord for a 110v. charger. Thinking about using a solar charger but have no experience with them. Are they worth a darn? Local Nothern Tool store has a 2 pack 12 volt battery maintainers on sale for $24.99 after using $5.00 coupon. Just want to keep the battery hot so don't have to pull the battery always to charge it to run the tractor.
__________________
1971 Chevy 1/2T 4x4 LWB 350 V-8
Was sm465-now 350TH/np205
Tilt, Tach, Towhooks
Original Truck AM/FM
Wellington, Ks
Ironhorse is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-2014, 09:36 PM   #2
truckster
Senior Member
 
truckster's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Orem, Utah
Posts: 7,844
Re: Solar Battery Maintainer?

We used them on our tracked vehicles in the Army when they were stored for long periods. I'd say we had about a 75% success rate, but I think the technology is better now.
truckster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2014, 12:25 AM   #3
Ironhorse
Senior Member
 
Ironhorse's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Wellington, Ks
Posts: 10,119
Re: Solar Battery Maintainer?

truckster, how long ago was that? I was in the 3rd Armored Div. (Spearhead)in Germany and we had LOTS of tanks and APCs (Armored Personnel Carriers) back then in late '60s. Can almost still smell the diesel on a cold winter night when we had our practice move out alerts. Guess their all antiques by now I'm sure. Not sure what that makes me,

Think I will look into these a bit more and give them a try. Gotta' be better than having to pull the battery and charge it when I want to use the tractor.
__________________
1971 Chevy 1/2T 4x4 LWB 350 V-8
Was sm465-now 350TH/np205
Tilt, Tach, Towhooks
Original Truck AM/FM
Wellington, Ks
Ironhorse is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2014, 12:33 AM   #4
franken
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Somewhere
Posts: 3,066
Re: Solar Battery Maintainer?

I'd test a bit and not keep a battery on a maintainer continually. Maybe 2 weeks on and 2-4 weeks off.
franken is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2014, 12:43 AM   #5
Joe Pass
Senior Member

 
Joe Pass's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Windsor, California
Posts: 1,042
Re: Solar Battery Maintainer?

I use the Deltron battery solar maintainer on my car trailer with duel deep cycle batteries...It has the built in circuitry regulator so it won't overcharge the batteries like some of the lesser priced ones. After several years its never failed and the batteries are always topped off like I had plugged it in to the wall charger. I eventually stopped plugging in the trailer because I didn't need to. This unit is spendy $ but I got it as a gift and grown like/trust it
Joe Pass is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2014, 02:58 AM   #6
truckster
Senior Member
 
truckster's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Orem, Utah
Posts: 7,844
Re: Solar Battery Maintainer?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ironhorse View Post
truckster, how long ago was that? I was in the 3rd Armored Div. (Spearhead)in Germany and we had LOTS of tanks and APCs (Armored Personnel Carriers) back then in late '60s. Can almost still smell the diesel on a cold winter night when we had our practice move out alerts. Guess their all antiques by now I'm sure. Not sure what that makes me,

Think I will look into these a bit more and give them a try. Gotta' be better than having to pull the battery and charge it when I want to use the tractor.
That was back in the 90s (M109 and M577). I retired last year after 25 years.
truckster is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:41 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright 1997-2022 67-72chevytrucks.com