p38 battery power

plumbfisher said:

How about to maintain the (fully) charged battery? Presumably lots of short runs will eventually discharge it, so what do you need to do to maintain it?

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Lots of short runs, you need a charger.

So you have to use a charger? The becm seems to be sleeping peacefully at night, so no excessive current drain. How frequently should I top up the charge?

plumbfisher said:

So you have to use a charger? The becm seems to be sleeping peacefully at night, so no excessive current drain. How frequently should I top up the charge?

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Depends on your usage, but if it's all short runs, I'd use the charger every weekend. A cheap smart charger from Aldi does the job.

I do about half a doz trips of 30 miles per week at least ...

plumbfisher said:

I do about half a doz trips of 30 miles per week at least ...

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30 miles should be OK, not really a short run as long as the alternator is performing.

are they solar chargers any good to keep a trickle charge going into the battery ?

mutsnutz said:

are they solar chargers any good to keep a trickle charge going into the battery ?

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Yes if the panel is big enough, 5 watts minimum IMO.

Thanks for your help, O learned ones ... I'm off for a spin ( or a 'hurl' as it is in these parts) Pip pip!

plumbfisher said:

Thanks for your help, O learned ones ... I'm off for a spin ( or a 'hurl' as it is in these parts) Pip pip!

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Just to add, I do two 30Km runs a week normally in mine and that is sufficient to keep the battery charged, it's a 135AH 1000CCA from batterie megastore France. My car is a quick starter and the alternator puts out 14.2 volts, the minimum necessary for a modern lead calcium battery

Datatek said:

Yes if the panel is big enough, 5 watts minimum IMO.

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is there any particular ones you would recommend

mutsnutz said:

is there any particular ones you would recommend

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Just shop around, I have a 12 watt one with a charge regulator for the caravan that I use if leaving the car for an extended period. You have to remember that you will rarely get the full rated power from the panel especially in the UK in winter.