GT Battery

[Mazzaluver]

Hi all,

I am going to be travelling shortly for about 3 weeks. I don't have a garage for my GTS and therefore can't use a trickle charger. Has anyone else been in this position? My concern is obviously returning to a flat battery. Any thoughts/ideas appreciated.

Cheers

 

[MAF260]

I bought a solar trickle charger for my little-used BMW convertible. It sits on the dash and either plugs into the cigarette lighter or has crocodile clamps to attach directly to the battery. Works really well, I've never had a problem starting the car after buying it. I can't remember where I bought it, most probably Amazon. Make sure you buy a decent one if you're going down this route - correct/sufficient charging capacity and stops providing charge when the battery is completely charged. Although it's solar it only seems to need bright/day light to charge rather than direct sunlight.

 

[Mazzaluver]

Brilliant thanks MAF260, appreciate the quick response - will check these out!

 

[Mazzaluver]

MAF260 - could you (or anyone else) recommend a make of solar charger best suited to the marque or does it not really make any difference? Cheers

 

[MAF260]

Maserati batteries are no different to other cars. Plenty on here use the C-Tek charger, but that's mains powered. Have a trawl around on Amazon/eBay and see what you can find. I don't know if they would work through the cigarette lighter socket (do GTS even have a cigarette lighter?) so would probably attach directly to the battery with the clips. The cable is plenty long enough to run to either the rear shelf or dashboard, depending on which way your car faces (I recommend placing it in the brightest direction possible).

 

[BennyD]

My conditioner just clips on the terminals. It's only a 30 second job.

 

[Felonious Crud]

I don't know if they would work through the cigarette lighter socket (do GTS even have a cigarette lighter?) so would probably attach directly to the battery with the clips.

One in the cockpit and an always-live one in the boot which is perfect for chargers. You could just rest the solar charger on the floor by the car, give it full sun unhindered by UV filters on glass. Assuming the changer is deluge-proof, that is.

(Do UV filters reduce solar charging efficiency?)

 

[CatmanV2]

(Do UV filters reduce solar charging efficiency?)

If you mean 'Do they reduce the amount of energy put into the battery for a given brightness of sun, then yes. Do they make the charger any less efficient, then 'no'

I shall go and be picky somewhere else now

C

 

[Contigo]

Got a solar one I used when we had the camper van and found it recently in a drawer so am going to connect it up to the 3200 which is now tucked away in the garage as I don't want any salt on that bad boy. I will open the garage door for a few hours of the day and let the light in.

 

[Felonious Crud]

If you mean 'Do they reduce the amount of energy put into the battery for a given brightness of sun, then yes. Do they make the charger any less efficient, then 'no'

I shall go and be picky somewhere else now

C

An excellent answer! Thanks C.

 

[CatmanV2]

An excellent answer! Thanks C.

Always a pleasure Adam

C

 

[Mazzaluver]

Thought I would post some feedback. Just returned from 3 weeks away and left the GTS with a solar charger plugged in. Started first time, what a pleasure. Anyone thinking about gettin one of these, they work, go for it. Good peace of mind.

 

[Parisien]

...but theres been no sun for 3 weeks....miracle??!!





P

 

[Mazzaluver]

Ha ha ha ha the thought had occurred to me! If it can perform in this weather, it can perform in any weather!

Ps: what was that yellow-gold round thing in the sky yesterday...UFO??!

 

[bigbob]

Thought I would post some feedback. Just returned from 3 weeks away and left the GTS with a solar charger plugged in. Started first time, what a pleasure. Anyone thinking about gettin one of these, they work, go for it. Good peace of mind.

Thumbs up.