# Keep battery charged, Idle time? Convenient solar maintainer? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [March 7, 2025, 10:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keep-battery-charged-idle-time-convenient-solar-maintainer/199411 "2025-03-07T22:25:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2025, 10:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keep-battery-charged-idle-time-convenient-solar-maintainer/199411/1 "2025-03-07T22:25:08Z")
I have a 2017 Rav 4. Could go 5 weeks with no running while we are out of town. I try to take longer trips to let it charge when I run it. Battery sluggish start after 1.5 years. 2 Year warranty so was replaced for free, Thinking cheapest most convenient battery maintainer maybe solar a good option. Any ideas or suggestions? Maybe just plan on a new battery every 2 years? ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2025, 10:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keep-battery-charged-idle-time-convenient-solar-maintainer/199411/2 "2025-03-07T22:31:53Z")
Battery Tender makes a 5W solar tender for about $70. I’ve used their 110v one, not the solar one. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2025, 11:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keep-battery-charged-idle-time-convenient-solar-maintainer/199411/3 "2025-03-07T23:02:17Z")
I have a cheap HF solar maintainer on the dash of my truck. It keeps my battery charged up between trips. The truck might sit for 2 weeks between use and always starts right up. But I do live in a very sunny place. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2025, 11:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keep-battery-charged-idle-time-convenient-solar-maintainer/199411/4 "2025-03-07T23:18:48Z")
I guess it is a PowerPoint it plugs into, I would have to see which ones are live while ignition is off. I will looking into it, thanks. It shows as a trickle charger, not maintainer as far as the one I see. Do not want that. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2025, 11:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keep-battery-charged-idle-time-convenient-solar-maintainer/199411/5 "2025-03-07T23:31:02Z")
GMs power point is always on. The unit I bought is a dumb one… but even with the 350 days of sunshine it never overcharges the battery. ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2025, 1:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keep-battery-charged-idle-time-convenient-solar-maintainer/199411/6 "2025-03-08T01:10:15Z")
I’ve been wondering about these lately. One for my '03 Prius that can sometimes sit too long, and its 12V aux battery doesn’t like that. And one for my generator, which is only occasional use. One concern was that I should have “smart” ones - and it looks like the 5W Battery Tender mentioned by @texases is “smart.” Another was whether they all charge well from behind the glass - @Mustangman’s indicates that even a cheap HF version will (but that it’s also “dumb”). Are there any that don’t charge well under the glass? Last thing I was wondering was if you can just leave them hooked up while running the equipment. I don’t see why not, but I also just don’t know. I do plan to pick up a couple sometime soon, so just looking at making sure I get what I want. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2025, 2:10am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keep-battery-charged-idle-time-convenient-solar-maintainer/199411/7 "2025-03-08T02:10:00Z")
> [@cigroller](#): > > Are there any that don’t charge well under the glass? All solar panels will be affected by glass. Glass filters out some of the light that can be collected. But not all of it. That’s why my dashboard mounted panel works. I don’t unplug mine when I drive the truck. I figured I’d try cheap and go up from there if needed. ---
**Author:** ![bcohen2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bcohen2010](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcohen2010)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2025, 6:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keep-battery-charged-idle-time-convenient-solar-maintainer/199411/8 "2025-03-08T18:56:43Z")
No need for any of this. Just disconnect one battery terminal and tuck the wire out of the way, when the vehicle is going to be stored for 2 weeks or more. When you are ready to drive it again, simply reconnect the terminal. ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2025, 7:50pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keep-battery-charged-idle-time-convenient-solar-maintainer/199411/9 "2025-03-08T19:50:02Z")
> [@bcohen2010](#): > > No need for any of this. Just disconnect one battery terminal and tuck the wire out of the way, when the vehicle is going to be stored for 2 weeks or more. When you are ready to drive it again, simply reconnect the terminal. This is often a bad idea on newer cars. And with solar trickle chargers widely available, there’s no need. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2025, 9:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/keep-battery-charged-idle-time-convenient-solar-maintainer/199411/10 "2025-03-08T21:04:22Z")
Looks like this is a good option! [https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/coleman-2-watt-12v-solar-battery-maintainer-8500046?cid=Google-Shopping-Sustain&gad\_source=1](https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/coleman-2-watt-12v-solar-battery-maintainer-8500046?cid=Google-Shopping-Sustain&gad_source=1)