Need rec for cordless trickle charger. Ideas?

Gang,

I'm looking for a trickle charger for my 355. Yes, there are a ton out there but, unfortunately, where I store my vehicle there is no wall outlet. As such, a regular trickle charger won't do. I need one that standalone can keep the 355's battery topped off, ideally from inside the car through the cigarette lighter.

Any recommendations? When I query "cordless trickle charger" on Google or Amazon I get a lot of hits but they all require being plugged into a wall outlet.

Thanks,
ketel

 

If you have sunlight ..maybe a solar one would work

I recall another thread exactly having same question..don't think there were much answers

You can disconnect the battery to last longer without charger .. i don't recall if 355 has the master cutoff switch

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Hate to ask, but usually it's not that much money to have an electrician come run another wall outlet to where you need it. Thought about that?

 

Is it being kept in public storage? If so, is there an incandescent light in the place?

Consider screwing one of these into the bulb socket. Viola! An outlet!

https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Splitter-Converts-Polarized-Outlet-UL/dp/B07Y4RBR4J/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=16VSMG1Y1RU78&dchild=1&keywords=light+socket+outlet+adapter&qid=1612839428&sprefix=light+socket+outlet%2Caps%2C169&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyOTRMVzQyOUFWVzYwJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjY3NjA0M0M4NkJEUlg3NlM5SCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMDQwMDYzMlA2U1ZDM0pIUTBTTSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

Just use the disconnect if the wiring is stock and it will last a year.
Mine would

 

That is not an option. When I disconnect the battery, it still drains down and, when reconnected after the vehicle sat for more than a week or so, will often need a charge before it can start the vehicle.

Any recommendations guys?

ketel

 

Not an option. The vehicle is in a carport at the moment and under a cover (for obvious reasons). No sunlight.

ketel

 

Not an option. The vehicle is in a carport. I can't have extension cords running down public streets for obvious reason.

ketel

 

Could you not try to find the cause of the drain so that turning off is viable - my 355 would sit for weeks - one week suggests you are effectively not disconnecting at all - we are talking about the switch under the cover in the luggage compartment

 

A good battery without being connected should last months without being touched ..not sure if your battery is just old and weak or there is some other wiring before disconnect that causing the drain

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Acquire a portable power supply, one that can be recharged. Leave it outside the car, plug your trickle charger into it, and then into the 355's battery. There should be enough room to close the front lid with the trickle charge wire coming out near the windshield. Once a week or so, retrieve the portable power supply and recharge it.

If you're concerned about someone walking away with the power supply, get one with a handle and chain it through a wheel.

But I would not leave any electronic or charging equipment in the car.

For example:
https://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-FR01337-1200A-Jump-Starter/dp/B07895PH6R/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=ac+portable+power+supply&qid=1612889786&s=automotive&sr=1-4

 

Sounds like you need a new battery.

 

Then it’s not stock not sure where your problem is

 

Another solution would be set up a solar panel and regulator to keep battery charged. From my experience many remote weather and coms sites are set up this way.....

 

I've had my old 355 sit for 4-5 months with the battery disconnected using the knob under the bonnet and it's started just fine after coming back to it.

Either your battery needs to be replaced or you might not be disconnecting it properly. Or there's some sort of draw that is circumventing the kill switch.

 

If your battery loses charge over a period of just 1-2 weeks while being disconnected, that battery is long overdue for replacement (probably badly sulfated due to age and/or due to being kept at low states of charge over longer periods of time). So, instead of struggling with ideas as to how to have an external "cordless" power supply, power bank and what not to maintain a bad battery, just throw it away and put in a new battery then keep it disconnected. A fully charged new good quality battery should be fine for some 6 months sitting disconnected.

When a car battery is not regularly used, while sitting connected or disconnected, it is important keep its state of charge in the upper range, say 85-100%, to avoid its premature sulfation.

 

At Auto Zone I just saw a Battery Tender Jr. that was solar powered.

 

Had this exact issue w/ a F430 stored in a u haul garage they turned of the power as homeless were staying there ! using power
tried using computer APU but they only ran the c-tek chargwer for an hour or so ! so bought a small cheap gas powered generator and about once a week or 10 days I would take it there and run it for an hour or two three , charge up the battery . ! likely no battery powered device will have enough capacity to keep then battery up
this one is 4 stroke too ! no mixing oil w/ gas! $157 @ toolsquad Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

You are looking for a solution to a problem that shouldn't exist on a good F355.
When disconnected your battery should last for almost a year without needing to be charged.
If its dying, even when disconnected, then you have a bad battery that is shorted internally, and it needs to be replaced.
Save yourself a headache and a bunch of wasted time. Go buy a new battery.

 

well, I would disagree w/ that ! it's nonsense , bad advice ! ! any battery if left uncharged will decay quite rapidly ! and it can easily get to a point where it cannot recover !
it is possible he has some parasitic voltage draw so it would be helpful to do parasitic voltage draw test ( many versions of how to for DIY on you tube ! )
IF you expect the battery to stay healthy it needs to be kept well charged .uncharged, it will sulfate and the build up of chemicals between the plateswill short out ! will strangle the battery ! choking the life out of it !
a great battery for long periods of inactivity is a Lithium like the Antigravity brand but even it wonderfull as it is ( has built in jump starting ! saves a # of cells so it can jump start itself w/ one of the supplied remote controls !) It cannot be allowed to go less than 10.5 volts ! Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

^The battery should not rapidly discharge if disconnected.

Also, I feel your post has a distinct lack of exclamation points.

 

Yes.

We used to leave a vehicle in a self storage place for 6-8 months in florida. Drive in disconnect battery and leave. Arrive next season connect the battery and drive away. Did this for years with no issues. If the battery discharges rapidly completely disconnected theres an issue.

 

Buy a new battery.

 

Yea I would say you are / were lucky and it is NOT recommended do as you like .

Google searches of the topic say :

"{How Often Should I Charge My Car ,Motorcycle, ATV or Boat Battery? Any type of lead acid battery should always be left in a fully charged condition. Having done that, you should either charge your battery every 30 days or so, or consider getting a smart battery charger to maintain your battery all the time .Feb 24, 2020
Measure the voltage first. Technically, if it's below 12.6V, sulfation will start and need to charge.
, the key to making it last is to recharge it regularly. Giving the battery a charge a minimum every 8 weeks is a good standard to follow "

 

Gotta be right cuz google said it....?

In addition to that vehicle we used to leave in Fla for years, living in MN I store all my toys for +/- 6 months every year. On my classic cars without electronics I do the same. Disconnect the battery, reconnect in the spring and off I go. The internet can say whatever it likes but I have real world experience over many years saying otherwise. I wont say I've never had one not come back to life in the spring after sitting 6 months but that is the exception not the rule.