First day back at work, battery has died with a couple of weeks of being sat there in the cold.
Assuming an overnight charge resurrects it I might pop a battery disconnect switch on for when it’ll be sat there, and get a solar trickle charger (obviously can’t use both of those at the same time… must remember that!).
The AA one on Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/AA-Solar-Powered-Car-Battery-Charger/dp/B00AC1LLQY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483476540&sr=8-1&keywords=solar+car+battery+charger - has and OBD port connector which would save putting wiring under the carpets to the boot.
Has anyone tried trickle charging via the OBD port?
If your OBD port is ignition switched, NO.
Also connecting to a ciggy socket is a NO as it is also ignition switched.
A direct battery connection or a live fuse connection is required.
It is possible to trickle charge through the Obd port. Pin 16 will be positive live while pins 4 and 5 are negative ground.It is also possible to charge the battery even if you have a battery disconnect switch,provided the connections are made directly onto the battery terminals.
I have one of those AA solar panel chargers.
Tried using it on my daughters Peugeot 206 and it does work via EOBD port.
Not convinced it actually did anything worthwhile.
Short daylight hours in the winter and dull days don’t help at a time wen you need it most.
I also worried about the security risk - it looks like an iPad laying on the dashboard or parcel shelf inviting a break in !!!
If the battery is dying, the charge is unlikely to be enough to restore it.
Save your money, buy a new battery. Any decent battery should last 2 weeks or more without the car being driven.
We used a £10 solar trickle charger on our old VW Camper and found it invaluable. Even with a new battery the thing would empty it before. Afterwards no problem at all. Recommended this to a friend with an old MGB and the same. That said, unless you’ve got a drain or the car’s sat for months you shouldn’t need one.
Thanks everyone for the thoughts… luckily a recharge of the battery seems to have done the trick, for now. But I’ll get a trickle charger to keep the battery going - I’ve gone off the idea of a battery disconnect switch, reconnecting the battery sets the alarms off and I’m not sure the neighbours would appreciate that!
Hi Peter. At the risk of going over ground that’s mean covered more than once. Have you looked at a battery conditioner/charger? I’ve used an “Optimate 4” for some years, as have other members of my family and OC members and we swear by them. There are other makes just as good as other OC members will testify, but I can only speak from my experience. It can be used either with the standard crocodile clips or with the alternative permanent connector which is also supplied. You can then just plug it in after every journey, simple, and keeps the battery in prime condition for a good length of time. Good luck whatever you decide!