(UK.) Solar trickle-charging 12V batt' when parked.

[Mark Elvin]

The 12v outlet is not live when the ignition is off, so I'm afraid pligging a solar PV into it will not work.

However, just pop the wires through one of the front bulkhead grommits and job done.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using AutoGuide.Com Free App

[retepsnikrep]

The OBDII socket is quite a good solution and if you want I could send you a plug for a quid and you can wire it up to that A reverse blocking diode is a good idea as well if your panels don't have them fitted as standard. I can chuck a 1A diode in FOC.

[biododge1]

Originally Posted by olrowdy01

Honda had an optional cigarette lighter that replaced the accessory gizmo. Assuming that they connected it up to an always on circuit it might be easy to make the connection considering that you'd have to be a snake to find it. I felt around in my 2005 G1 and the wire(s) disapeared pretty quickly into the harness though.

I'm using two of the smaller radio shack solar chargers in parallel to charge my CRX 12v battery and they work fine. I have one laying on the back cargo area and another on a flat area over one of the rear wheels by the side window. That way there is more of a chance that one of them is in the sun most of the time. I found that one of the smaller panels wasn't enough to keep the battery charged as they aged.

I have the "smokers package" on mine. The only thing diffrent is the actual lighter plug-it allows the lighter to "pop" in and stay put till hot. The power is still cut when you shut down the car (I hate that).

[samwichse]

I wired up a couple of these to different cars... I poked around the fuse block with a voltimeter with the ignition off and keys out until I found something that gave +12v and then just stuck the wire in the socket and shoved the fuse in. Negative lead to grounded screw somewhere. Easy .

In two of the cars (one Jeep and one Taurus) this was the radio fuse... the iginition switching was apparently after the fuse in the circuit (makes sense, has to maintain the program memory with always on 12V)