Solar Battery Maintainer

[BHancock]

I keep the old JD 4020 in barn w/o electricity. It's used infrequently, sometimes not started for several weeks. I've just switched from two 12 volt batts in parallel circuit to a single, 31 series batt. I'm considering a solar powered maintainer and looking for input on positives/negatives.

 

[Brown David]

I've got four of them in use as I speak, er, type. They are just small ones, about 4"x12".

If your batteries are fully charged to begin with they will keep them up no trouble as long as you keep them clear of snow.

Reads like you'd be putting them in a south facing window maybe?

My rigs are outside.

 

[BHancock]

Thanks for your response. I'll need to put the panel outside but we don't have much problem with snow in Mississippi. Looks like it which will require pretty long connections, probably 30' or so. Will that be a problem?

 

[Brown David]

Thanks for your response. I'll need to put the panel outside but we don't have much problem with snow in Mississippi. Looks like it which will require pretty long connections, probably 30' or so. Will that be a problem?

You're welcome.

Not sure about that length, it's not a very high rate of current flow but that might be pushing it. Could connect each end to a run of heavier wire I guess.

Someone else may have that answer.

 

[DoubleO7]

Many of the electric gate openers come with a solar panel and charger to maintain the battery since the gate is often far away from 120.

If you could park it near a south wall would be good.
Or could you go straight up through the roof with the cable?
If you google "solar panel angle for my area" there are websites where you can input your town.
And it will tell you what direction and angle is best.

 

[560Dennis]

I highly recommend solar ,been keeping the 560 D in the same unheated machine shed for 20 years with solar charger.
doesn't get started from fall to spring some years. Confident it will start in anytime I need it and it has .
Also another advantage is the batterys will last much longer with the trickle. I’ve saved a lot of money ,two com 2 6 volts only lasted 2 years without . Very frustrating high cost ,Now I’ve switch single marine rv battery last 6 to 8 years
My opinion

 

[old]

I keep the old JD 4020 in barn w/o electricity. It's used infrequently, sometimes not started for several weeks. I've just switched from two 12 volt batts in parallel circuit to a single, 31 series batt. I'm considering a solar powered maintainer and looking for input on positives/negatives.

I've had a couple of them in the past. Only thing I found bad about the ones I had was that the wires where real light duty and after a year or so they broke which in turn made them worthless

 

[BHancock]

Fellas, thanks for the input. Drop down from roof mount would work I think.

 

[Brown David]

I've had a couple of them in the past. Only thing I found bad about the ones I had was that the wires where real light duty and after a year or so they broke which in turn made them worthless

I've had them break right where they go into the panel. I've taken the panel apart, cut the wires and then resoldered the unbroken wires into the board. Still working.

 

[Stroby]

Thanks for your response. I'll need to put the panel outside but we don't have much problem with snow in Mississippi. Looks like it which will require pretty long connections, probably 30' or so. Will that be a problem?

Thanks for your response. I'll need to put the panel outside but we don't have much problem with snow in Mississippi. Looks like it which will require pretty long connections, probably 30' or so. Will that be a problem?

I use these charger all the time. I have one application that is at least 30' long and I just used wire that is made for lamps in your home for the extension. I use the type that is "clear" so I can see the color of the wire that is inside. Works great for me.

 

[WNYBill]

We have solar maintainers on our trap house batteries and had one battery blow up. Have no idea why and thankfully it didn't set the trap house on fire. I use a 110 maintainer on our Kubota and just keep my fingers crossed. I don't understand why those maintainers aren't fused or something. Is there a way to protect yourself from a blow up or a fire?

 

[chcase]

I keep the old JD 4020 in barn w/o electricity. It's used infrequently, sometimes not started for several weeks. I've just switched from two 12 volt batts in parallel circuit to a single, 31 series batt. I'm considering a solar powered maintainer and looking for input on positives/negatives.

I own a few solar chargers I got from my dad. They work OK if the panel put into direct sun light. On my larger older farm tractors I put battery disconnect. No battery drain. Once shut off.

 

[Brown David]

We have solar maintainers on our trap house batteries and had one battery blow up. Have no idea why and thankfully it didn't set the trap house on fire. I use a 110 maintainer on our Kubota and just keep my fingers crossed. I don't understand why those maintainers aren't fused or something. Is there a way to protect yourself from a blow up or a fire?

What is a trap house?

 

[WNYBill]

What is a trap house?

It is where the trap is for the shotgun game TRAP.

 

[Brown David]

It is where the trap is for the shotgun game TRAP.

As in trap shooting/skeet shooting?

 

[old]

We have solar maintainers on our trap house batteries and had one battery blow up. Have no idea why and thankfully it didn't set the trap house on fire. I use a 110 maintainer on our Kubota and just keep my fingers crossed. I don't understand why those maintainers aren't fused or something. Is there a way to protect yourself from a blow up or a fire?

A battery can blow up due to a short inside and the hydrogen gas explodes due to a spark

 

[showcrop]

We have solar maintainers on our trap house batteries and had one battery blow up. Have no idea why and thankfully it didn't set the trap house on fire. I use a 110 maintainer on our Kubota and just keep my fingers crossed. I don't understand why those maintainers aren't fused or something. Is there a way to protect yourself from a blow up or a fire?

Hydrogen gas is given off during charging once the charge reaches 95%. The key to avoiding ignition is obviously to avoid a source of ignition but more importantly is ventilation. If your trap house is small and tight and battery charging is taking place you have a kind of ticking time bomb. Normally during charging the time between 95% and shut-off after a full charge is sensed would be short, but a solar charger will keep on charging very slowly so the length of time in the range where H2 is being produced is longer.

 

[WNYBill]

That makes sense, my tractor is in an open shed. The trap house is 8ftx8ft with a 6 ft height. and not airtight. The car battery didn't appear to catch fire or explode it jut melted.