pyrie Posted June 6, 2016 Share Posted June 6, 2016 Could someone recommend a good solar trickle charger for a Fiat Ducato 2008 engine battery - via the ODB2 connector. i'm presuming the roof solar only charges the leisure batteries? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanb Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Why use the OBD2 connector? That seems very unconventional. Solar trickle chargers are usually fitted with an cigarette lighter style plug, sourcing an OBD2 connector to replace this could be problematical. As an alternative consider fitting an in-line cigarette lighter socket. This could be connected via an"addafuse" piggy back device. See threads on fitting dash cams for details, but in your application you will of course need to tap into a non ignition switched circuit. A simpler alternative is to make the dashboard power socket permanently live. On my early 2006 Ducato, the power socket was controlled by relay T01, mounted on fuse board CFB, (LHS). I removed this relay and linked the two wider 0.25" socket holes with a short link made from 2 off male blades and a short piece of wire. The power socket is now permanently live, and may be used for charging the vehicle battery. On my vehicle relay T01 is nearest to the the centre of CFB, and only controls the power socket. The only other relay fitted in the adjacent socket of CFB is T12, which supplies the heater fan and the cigarette lighter. It is not difficult to check these functions, but in my case it was complicated by the cigarette lighter and power socket connections being transposed on delivery. PLEASE IF FOLLOWING THIS APPROACH, CAREFULLY CHECK WHICH OF THE RELAY SOCKET RECEPTACLES IS THE LIVE ONE, THEN PLUG THE SHORTING LINK INTO THAT RECEPTACLE LAST. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 pyrie The most commonly advertised solar trickle charger that connects to an OBD2 port seems to be this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/ICP-06002IC10-Solar-Trickle-Charger/dp/B003IVD77Q (Note the reviews...) An OBD2 connection adapter is marketed for RING solar panels http://www.ringautomotive.com/uk/products/Cars/Battery+Care/Solar+Power+Battery+Maintainer/RSP600 http://www.ringautomotive.com/uk/products/Cars/Battery+Care/Solar+Power+Battery+Maintainer/RSPOBD If your motorhome has roof-mounted solar panels that charge its leisure batteries (which would be ’normal’ practice) it should be practicable for those panels to be used to charge the vehicle’s starter battery by fitting a “Battery Master” device. http://www.vanbitz.com/product/battery-master/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted June 11, 2016 Share Posted June 11, 2016 Easy to check if your solar panel charges the engine battery, put a bit of a load on the engine battery (turn side lights on) then cover and uncover the solar panel measuring the voltage on the battery, voltage should rise when the panel is uncovered. If it is not charging the engine battery fit a solar split charge relay like this . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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