Battery replacement?

[jakobnev]

If you can't charge the car where it is parked, then you need a portable way of transporting charge to your car.

Here is what I went with:





I just connected it to the car through both filaments of a dual filament headlight bulb, but a DC-DC converter would be better.

[roosterk0031]

Just buy the biggest jump pack with air compressor, light, usb charger etc.. you can get at wally and change out the cables ends to something better. Carrying it in the house every night to recharge.

[Stubby79]

You need as much reserve capacity(amp-hours) as you can get your hands on and/or to reduce the draw (amps) from said battery, as you are already suggesting with LEDs. Plus it would be good that the battery be designed to put up with deep discharges. Pick whatever you want, though an AGM or deep cycle flooded will be cheapest and easiest. And also the most heavy.

Then you probably want to consider a means of putting back the amp-hours taken from it each day. Plug it in, or find some kind of portable power supply that you can charge inside and use to recharge the battery through your cigarette lighter. It will need to have the current limited to 10a or so, and have a higher voltage than your battery. Without over-charging it. Or you need to rig up your alternator to do it's job now and then. If it isn't already.

[JRMichler]

Lesson learned the hard way: If you P&G, you need to trickle charge the battery at least once per week.

If you park outside in the sun, maybe you could put in a solar panel. Set it on the dash, mount it in a window, and plug into the 12V power outlet. You will need to either size the panel so as to not over or under charge, or put in an oversize panel and a charge controller.

[puddleglum]

Originally Posted by jakobnev

If you can't charge the car where it is parked, then you need a portable way of transporting charge to your car.

Here is what I went with:
I just connected it to the car through both filaments of a dual filament headlight bulb, but a DC-DC converter would be better.

I did something similar with a e-bike battery this winter and went through a pair of cheap dc-dc converters off of eBay. It works pretty good but it could use a bigger converter. Disconnects easily to take in for charging. LED lights help as well.

[California98Civic]

Buy a deep cycle lead acid battery. I have had several years service under heavy use from an Odyssey unit. Make sure it has a metal jacket to ensure against expansion of the lead plates in the heat. Get the Odyssey trickle charger and plug in at night. Cheaper ways are marine deep cycle batteries, but I think I got a lot better service life out of mine with the higher price. And it's a lot cheaper than a lithium set up. Also, I really think that some smart alternators might struggle a little with charging lithium properly.

[19bonestock88]

Originally Posted by JRMichler

Lesson learned the hard way: If you P&G, you need to trickle charge the battery at least once per week.

If you park outside in the sun, maybe you could put in a solar panel. Set it on the dash, mount it in a window, and plug into the 12V power outlet. You will need to either size the panel so as to not over or under charge, or put in an oversize panel and a charge controller.

I figure this would be a good workaround... the issue had a slow onset and it just slowly became less reliable about starting... I set aside a tank of fuel and now the car is starting fine but I’m now trying to sort out a misfire so no hypermiling is possible right now...

[D.O.G.]

I gave up engine off coasting in the dark for a similar reason and went with coasting in neutral with the engine idling.
The FE hit wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it might be (and it's nice having lights that stay bright).