Has anyone got an opinion about those 12v solar battery chargers that you plug into the ciggy lighter socket and leave on the dashboard?

It's just that I'm minding my daughter's car while she travels round the world, and I've just had to replace its knackered battery... I don't want the latest one to go the same way!

David

I bought one from Maplins and took it back as it was useless. It put out a squillionth of an amp in direct sunlight.

You'd be better off paying about £30 for an Oximiser to keep it topped up. It plugs into the mains but it will only use power to keep the battery in good condition and cost about 3p a month to run. Eb ay link

[Edited on 11/10/06 by Peteff]

I've got one of those - but the car's in the drive and I don't fancy having mains leads permanently sitting in the rain...

David

The solar panels work well to keep batteries topped up, if you get one large enough. A friend of mine has one that he puts on the top of his caravan, and finds it charges his battery (the one for his lights, etc. in the caravan) while he's away hunting during the day, so that it's fully charged for the evening when he returns. His solar panel is about 2' X 4', though...