solar battery charger, can it work ??

[OKsubaru]

I have got a solar auto battery charger 12V 100mA that is claimed to charge a car battery by plugging into the cigarette or accessory power socket.

My question is : can power get to the battery on my 1988 Touring Wagon through the factory fitted cig lighter socket if the ignition is switched to off position and key removed, or is it just feeding the factory dash clock that tells the time all over the world (whether it has been asked to do so or not!) Is it possible to trace the power back to the battery on a diagram ?

thanks for your input

[GOD]

Does the cigarette lighter work with the ignition off? If not, then your charger won't work either. You'll need to take the existing positive wire off the back of the cig lighter, and run a new wire straight from the battery (preferably through a fuse).

Dane.

[El_Freddo]

Well, my L's cig lighter doesn't work with the ignition in the off position...

I've often thought about this myself but never looked into getting one.

You could probabily wire it directly to the battery if you're not looking at taking it out of the car quickly - again add a fuse

Cheers

Bennie

[dibs]

i got one on my tractor. its direct to battrie
keeps it toped up

dibs

[OKsubaru]

OK, thanks for your input. My thinking is in that the clock and the cig lighter socket may be on same end of curcuit so that the solar charger keeps the clock from draining the battery, as you ask, the cig lighter does not have power in off position. The solar unit may just save the dash top from any sun exposure. I feel the instructions included are misleading or only refer to older style cars where the lighter socket works with key off or out. In all fairness instructions do add that a direct to battery connection is possible although not gonbe inmto reasons for....