Date:         Fri, 25 May 2001 16:34:23 -0700
Reply-To:     Garrett Adams <gadams@JPS.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Garrett Adams <gadams@JPS.NET>
Subject:      Re: Solar Panel "Battery Saver"
In-Reply-To:  <85256A57.0052B62E.00@CDCLN08.LVS.DUPONT.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Jay,

I don't have a solution for you, but I can confirm the same experience as
yours. There was a faster battery depletion which, as you know, is just the
opposite what we expected. I was quite disappointed.

Garrett Adams - Stockton, CA
1983.5 Adventurewagen GL

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Jay L Snyder
Sent: Friday, May 25, 2001 8:09 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Solar Panel "Battery Saver"


I bought one of those battery saver solar panels that puts out 1/4 amp in
full sunlight.  I put it in my car that was sitting outside for several
weeks without being started.  The battery was "not saved".  It was quite
near death when I went to start the car.  Is there some reverse current
leakage when the sun goes down?  Does it need to be un-plugged at night?
If so, this is a real pain.  I saw an add for a similar, but larger panel,
that had some kind of circuitry to prevent reverse flow.  I was planning on
using this for my '85 Westy, but not if I have to disconnect every night
and re-connect the next morning.
                                                        Jay