Solar Battery Charger
 

I am looking for specific recommendations for a solar battery charger,
preferably one that plugs into the cigarette lighter. And, does plugging an
s.b.c. into the lighter work when the car is switched off?

"Kevin Kennedy" > wrote in
:

> I am looking for specific recommendations for a solar battery
> charger, preferably one that plugs into the cigarette lighter.
> And, does plugging an s.b.c. into the lighter work when the car is
> switched off?

Does the lighter work with the car switched off? If so, the solar
charger will work BUT.... Solar battery chargers that I've seen don't
work very well, they don't usually put out sufficient current. Maybe
on a Miata that has very little current draw when shut off, but I doubt
it.

On 2005-03-14, XS11E > wrote:

>> I am looking for specific recommendations for a solar battery
>> charger, preferably one that plugs into the cigarette lighter.
>> And, does plugging an s.b.c. into the lighter work when the car is
>> switched off?
>
> Does the lighter work with the car switched off?

No. The lighter socket is dead when the key is in the off
position.

> If so, the solar charger will work BUT.... Solar battery
> chargers that I've seen don't work very well, they don't
> usually put out sufficient current. Maybe on a Miata that has
> very little current draw when shut off, but I doubt it.

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! Are BOTH T.V.S on??
at
visi.com

Grant Edwards > wrote in
:

> On 2005-03-14, XS11E > wrote:
>
>>> I am looking for specific recommendations for a solar battery
>>> charger, preferably one that plugs into the cigarette lighter.
>>> And, does plugging an s.b.c. into the lighter work when the car is
>>> switched off?
>>
>> Does the lighter work with the car switched off?
>
> No. The lighter socket is dead when the key is in the off
> position.

Same as my Jeep, that means that the solar charger will require a
different wiring connection and it still probably won't be much good.

Sorry you had to answer this, the reason is simple, I was WAAAAAY to
lazy to walk out to my Miata and check.. :-(

On 2005-03-14, XS11E > wrote:
> Grant Edwards > wrote in
> :
>
>> On 2005-03-14, XS11E > wrote:
>>
>>>> I am looking for specific recommendations for a solar battery
>>>> charger, preferably one that plugs into the cigarette lighter.
>>>> And, does plugging an s.b.c. into the lighter work when the car is
>>>> switched off?
>>>
>>> Does the lighter work with the car switched off?
>>
>> No. The lighter socket is dead when the key is in the off
>> position.
>
> Same as my Jeep, that means that the solar charger will require a
> different wiring connection and it still probably won't be much good.

I've never understood the reasoning behind the decision to
allow the headlights to be on when the ignition is off and yet
shut down the cigarette lighter socket.

That's exactly opposite of what I (or anybody I've ever talked
to) wants. I have _never_ needed to have my headlights on with
the key off, yet I often wish I could power a cell phone or map
light or whatever with the key off.

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! Jesus is my
at POSTMASTER GENERAL...
visi.com

Grant Edwards > wrote in
:

> That's exactly opposite of what I (or anybody I've ever talked
> to) wants. I have _never_ needed to have my headlights on with
> the key off, yet I often wish I could power a cell phone or map
> light or whatever with the key off.

I see your point but I think having the headlights on with the key off
is some kind of safety thing that might be required by law? I know in
England you had to have the parking lights on when parked on the
street, maybe still do?

On 2005-03-14, XS11E > wrote:

>> That's exactly opposite of what I (or anybody I've ever talked
>> to) wants. I have _never_ needed to have my headlights on
>> with the key off, yet I often wish I could power a cell phone
>> or map light or whatever with the key off.
>
> I see your point but I think having the headlights on with the
> key off is some kind of safety thing that might be required by
> law?

I don't think so. I've run across a few models that shut the
headlights off when the key was in the off position (VW I
think?).

> I know in England you had to have the parking lights on when
> parked on the street, maybe still do?

I don't remember ever seing cars parked on the street sitting
with their parking lights on in England, but I can see allowing
parking lights to be on without the key.

--
Grant Edwards grante Yow! Yow! Are you the
at self-frying president?
visi.com

Grant Edwards wrote:

> I've run across a few models that shut the
> headlights off when the key was in the off position (VW I
> think?).

My OTM is a VW, and the headlights do infact turn off when the key is
off. The headlights also go off when the parking/hand brake is
engaged.

I'm not sure about parking lights, I'll have to check when I get home
form work.

The cigarette lighter off with ignition off is a safety thing. Some years
ago, I had to rewire the under dash area on a 55 Chevy. The lighter had
stuck in the on position, and was not drawing enough current to blow the
fuse. The plastic insulation just fell off the wires when moved, and various
wires were stuck together by melted insulation.

"XS11E" > wrote in message
...
> Grant Edwards > wrote in
> :
>
>> On 2005-03-14, XS11E > wrote:
>>
>>>> I am looking for specific recommendations for a solar battery
>>>> charger, preferably one that plugs into the cigarette lighter.
>>>> And, does plugging an s.b.c. into the lighter work when the car is
>>>> switched off?
>>>
>>> Does the lighter work with the car switched off?
>>
>> No. The lighter socket is dead when the key is in the off
>> position.
>
> Same as my Jeep, that means that the solar charger will require a
> different wiring connection and it still probably won't be much good.
>
> Sorry you had to answer this, the reason is simple, I was WAAAAAY to
> lazy to walk out to my Miata and check.. :-(
>

In article .com>,
says...
>
>
>Grant Edwards wrote:
>
>> I've run across a few models that shut the
>> headlights off when the key was in the off position (VW I
>> think?).
>
>My OTM is a VW, and the headlights do infact turn off when the key is
>off. The headlights also go off when the parking/hand brake is
>engaged.

It sounds like you are talking about the DRL's going off with the key,
not the regular head lights.
-------------
Alex