Will a solar battery charger work via the 12v socket on my mk2 Jazz?

[nigelr]

Quick question for all you clever experienced guys: I have recently changed the battery on my new (to me) Jazz. While I was at it I've bought a Halford's solar battery maintainer. I've put it on the dashboard and plugged it into the 12v socket. The instructions said the socket needs to remain live while the ignition is off .... will this charger work via the 12v socket on the Jazz?

[culzean]

Quick question for all you clever experienced guys: I have recently changed the battery on my new (to me) Jazz. While I was at it I've bought a Halford's solar battery maintainer. I've put it on the dashboard and plugged it into the 12v socket. The instructions said the socket needs to remain live while the ignition is off .... will this charger work via the 12v socket on the Jazz?

The socket is not connected to the electrical system unless the ignition key is in aux position.  You need to find a way to get charger cables under the bonnet**.  When I am changing batteries I have a 10 metre long cable with a cigarette lighter plug on each end to use another vehicles battery as a donor while I disconnect the battery,  I have to put both cars ignition keys in Aux position to get the flow going to main electrical system.

** or one of these for the OBD port - has the same SAE socket as the battery conditioner I use for our cars and motorbikes,  but I connect that under the bonnet straight to the battery via  the proper fused lead.       

https://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/garage-equipment/battery-chargers-jump-starters/ring-obd-power-cable-for-solar-battery-maintainers

to keep the wiring inside the car you could use one of these OBD trickle charging adaptors or you could just cut the plug off the end of the Ring one above and graft a cigarette lighter socket onto the twin cable,  make sure the positive from battery ends up on the centre pin if the cigarette socket though.  I don't know the pin-out of the OBD plug so I would plug the OBD adaptor in and measure the voltage on the two cable cores to find out which one is positive.

https://sw-motech.com/en/products/power+supply/4052572021583.htm

[nigelr]

Thanks a lot - it'd just be good if modern cars put in sufficient charge back to the battery to stop them from going flat, given all the systems now requiring power.

[culzean]

Thanks a lot - it'd just be good if modern cars put in sufficient charge back to the battery to stop them from going flat, given all the systems now requiring power.

Never had a problem with battery on any Jazz I have had,  people say it is a small battery but it is ample for the car.  If your battery keeps going flat I would look at your usage,  are you doing a lot of short journeys with everything including the kitchen sink turned on ? Are you not using the car often enough to keep battery charged (if it is in decent state of charge and condition it should be able to stand for at least a 3 of weeks without discharging significantly - my wifes Jazz stood for almost 4 weeks at home while we were on holiday and when I hooked the charger up it went from charging to trickle charging within 5 minutes - it is a Yuasa Silver ).  Finally don't leave a battery on a car longer than 5 years - they deteriorate so slowly that you don't realise they are failing until they start to let you down - failing batteries normally give plenty of warning they are going to fail and you ignore the signs at your peril.

[plasma]

Thanks a lot - it'd just be good if modern cars put in sufficient charge back to the battery to stop them from going flat, given all the systems now requiring power.

Never had a problem with battery on any Jazz I have had,  people say it is a small battery but it is ample for the car.  If your battery keeps going flat I would look at your usage,  are you doing a lot of short journeys with everything including the kitchen sink turned on ? Are you not using the car often enough to keep battery charged (if it is in decent state of charge and condition it should be able to stand for at least a 3 of weeks without discharging significantly - my wifes Jazz stood for almost 4 weeks at home while we were on holiday and when I hooked the charger up it went from charging to trickle charging within 5 minutes - it is a Yuasa Silver ).  Finally don't leave a battery on a car longer than 5 years - they deteriorate so slowly that you don't realise they are failing until they start to let you down - failing batteries normally give plenty of warning they are going to fail and you ignore the signs at your peril.

Good post, 10/10.


Plasma.

[nigelr]

Thanks Plasma,

It's a new car (to me) - I've only had it since the end of August, and with the car being 2013, I presume the battery that went flat was the original that came with the car. I've since had a new Bosch battery and have had no further problems. I do some short journeys, but I make sure at this time of year I do a long journey at weekends with no lights and heater on - so far, so good.

I have a feeling the original owner did a lot of short journeys with all guns blazing, as it were, so a new battery was a good idea in any case!

Cheers