Battery not staying charged when not hooked up?

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by jack65

Geeze, I wasted my $$$ huh? It says trickle charge on it... so what in the heck does it do then?

Can't answer what it does, I didn't buy it. What I can tell you is that the rating on solar cells are the MAXIMUM wattage at the IDEAL conditions. So, IF that is getti9ng direct sunlight and the solar cells are exactly perpendicular to the sun's rays, then it MIGHT produce the advertised 6 watts. If you have a riding mower that sets outside in the sun you maybe could use that as a "trickle charger".

Reality? Even if you get it oriented perfectly in direct sun (no shade) with a perfectly clean surface (no dust) how long will you get that maximum output? A couple of hours? Then the rest of the day will be even less output.

Here's the issue, with the parasitic draws on the battery exceeding 6 watts by a factor of likely 3 or 4 it's a losing battle. This is why RV's start out with a 100 watt solar cell as a STARTING POINT. Most fo0lks that dry camp regularly use 200 watts or more of solar.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by jack65

Geeze, I wasted my $$$ huh? It says trickle charge on it... so what in the heck does it do then?

Not much of a "tricke charge" more like a "dribble charge"... Much too small to charge anything related to an RV. Possibly, with the correct adapters, it could charge hearing aid batteries. Certainly nothing larger than that though and then, only in full sunlight for the entire day...

Sort of like the "room air conditioner that's a 6"x6" box and runs on 2 D batteries. Not much "cooling capacity" from that either....

Sometimes, sites "sell things that are worthwhile" and then, sometimes they sell things that are impractical. A 6 watt solar charger fits "smack dab in the middle" of the impractical category.....

[flybouy]

I recall back in the late 1980's early 1990's a solar car fan that you placed in the window to keep the interior cool while parked. Someone gave me one as a gift. What a joke. A small child could fart harder than that thing moved air. just another gimmick that ends up as "trash can fodder".