Hi everyone!
I have a 2007 Honda Civic LX, and I live in Massachusetts. I’m going to be travel on and off this winter, which means that my car won’t get run all the time. I was thinking about getting one of those solar battery chargers that keeps the battery from totally discharging. But I was wondering if it will work on my car, since the power outlet seems to turn off when I turn my car off. Does anyone know if it would still work? I’m totally not a DIY person when it comes to cars, so if there’s something I would need to do to make this work, I would have to take it to a mechanic. What would I be asking the mechanic to do? Can I expect it to be expensive?
Thanks in advance for your help!!
If you didn’t have a 12V receptacle that stayed on 24/7…then you would simply need to wire the two leads into a dedicated 12V Hot and constant source…in your vehicle there are several…you could go straight to the battery terms “fused of course” OR into your ignition harness.
I used to install alarms and remote starts and custom systems in cars so hacking into the wiring PROPERLY isnt a big deal to me…Go to a stereo place to have it done since the device we are talking about is no more complex than an aftermarket radio install…or GPS…or whatev…those places are better geared for this work.
If you do install this solar charger MAKE SURE that it has a built in DIODE…to prevent reverse voltage drain…my cheapo solar charger didn’t…and at night the stupid thing became a voltage vampire…
This install should cost no more than $50 bucks or around there…
Blackbird
I’m in the same situation. I’ll be buying a solar charger made by “Battery Tender”, they seem to have a good reputation. And I will also need to hook it directly to the battery, the cigarette lighter turns off with the key. I think it comes with the wiring needed to hook it up that way.
Doesn’t get better than Battery Tender Brand really…the make a very nice product/s.
If it were me…I would go right to the ignition harness…you will always find 12v Constant there… It’d be a very easy install…just strip back the wire casing with that tool that pushes the case back equally on both sides…stick an ice pick or similar thru the middle of the stranded wire…then insert your wire in between the strands…wrap and tape with good 3M Elect tape…works like a charm. That’s the proper way to do a “tap in” to existing wires… I solder everything else, cause I was taught by a really good 12V electrical guy and it makes a perm attachment. In this instance I would do the “tap in” method…no doubt. Take the ground to a bolt somewhere under the dash…going directly to visible metal…use an eye loop crimp connector on the wire…That is if you cant locate the negative in the harness…if you do locate it…tap in again as it beats the crimp connector hands down any day.
Done correctly its second best to soldering and its totally the way I would go with this install its also a very solid connection, in fact I have never had any of my “tap in’s” ever lose connectivity…and I have installed a documented 983 car alarms this way… Another 300-400 or so undocumented I’m sure.
Blackbird