Will idling charge battery?

[roboto65]

I assume not, but wanted to check since the Ford Pass app has a scheduled start button. The reason I ask is I am a Tugboat Capt and I park my BS at our office parking area which is a field .
I am gone for 2 weeks at a time but this time I am going to be gone for 5 weeks this time not off again till the 5th of December. So will starting my BS say every week or 2 weeks keep it charged?

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[Glamdring70]

Get a disconnect, or a solar trickle charger. The idling is pointless and Ford limits the number of remote starts you could perform.

 

[rocks]

Also contaminates your oil with condensation.

 

[kshaw]

Get a disconnect, or a solar trickle charger. The idling is pointless and Ford limits the number of remote starts you could perform.

I think that solar is what you want, but the trickle chargers often do not have enough power to keep it charged. Frankly, I would get one of the those folding solar panels with at least 50 watt capability and leave it in the vehicle facing the front window. You want a panel with high watts so that it can still keep the battery charged even on overcast day. You want to get one of the SAE connectors with a battery pigtail and connect one side to ground and the other side on positive side of the battery before the battery management system. Then run the wire to the inside for connecting.

 

[NMhunter]

My understanding is that the BS will go into sleep mode after a couple of weeks. But, it probably won't happen until your battery has discharged to a certain point. That will shorten battery life. AGM and flooded batteries like to be stored at 100% charge.

If you use more than a 10 watt solar panel, you'll need a charge controller to prevent overcharging. On my F-250 diesel, which I rarely drive, I use a 20 watt panel and a charge controller. Here in sunny NM, it has been enough to keep both batteries charged.

 

[Bucko]

I think that solar is what you want, but the trickle chargers often do not have enough power to keep it charged. Frankly, I would get one of the those folding solar panels with at least 50 watt capability and leave it in the vehicle facing the front window. You want a panel with high watts so that it can still keep the battery charged even on overcast day. You want to get one of the SAE connectors with a battery pigtail and connect one side to ground and the other side on positive side of the battery before the battery management system. Then run the wire to the inside for connecting.

Not sure as to what trickle charger you are referring to, but the one I use does indeed keep the battery up. I installed one last week when my wife reported she got a message that the battery went to sleep mode. I installed the one I've been using on my 67 Camaro (it gets driven maybe once a month), and within an overnight connection, the battery was back to fully charged.

I have two on my RV as well; one for the house battery, and the other on the cab battery. Both stay at a full charge.

 

[kshaw]

Not sure as to what trickle charger you are referring to, but the one I use does indeed keep the battery up. I installed one last week when my wife reported she got a message that the battery went to sleep mode. I installed the one I've been using on my 67 Camaro (it gets driven maybe once a month), and within an overnight connection, the battery was back to fully charged.

I have two on my RV as well; one for the house battery, and the other on the cab battery. Both stay at a full charge.

I call those with 10-15 watts trickle chargers because they only have enough power to maintain a charge and not to recharge a battery. If you get one of those and have a few overcast days, you will have a dead battery. I tried one to keep my plane battery charged before I got a hangar and it was awful.

 

[Bucko]

I call those with 10-15 watts trickle chargers because they only have enough power to maintain a charge and not to recharge a battery. If you get one of those and have a few overcast days, you will have a dead battery. I tried one to keep my plane battery charged before I got a hangar and it was awful.

Oh, I gotcha. Your referring to the solar powered ones.

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