Does This Exist

[Fudster]

I have the Cascadia too. Have you had to charge your battery from it? I haven't yet thankfully, curious how long it would take to be crank worthy. Also been wondering if I should plug it into the Aux battery at that point instead of main.

I wish it was more than 30w for the rubicon VSS. I would happily have it longer down my hood. I just bought a foldable 100w as well.

Hey Mike:

While pages have been written on the forum about how a dead pair of batteries, and limited jump starting power might best be allocated to the aux battery in isolation, at least in the trickle charging application of the Cascadia system, it's link to the main battery is also causing the Aux battery to get trickle charge as well.

Those two batteries are connected in parallel in a resting JL. Putting the output leads of that Cascadia's solar charge controller on either battery's positive, and either battery's negative trickle charges both batteries.

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[Fudster]

trickle chargers are great if your vehicle does not get driven frequently, and sits for long period of times.

If you don't have access to a plug where you park, you can take your battery out and bring it somewhere that you can trickle charge it.

I have 2 of these and have used them to both revive dead batteries, as well as keep the ones in my car healthy. Have not used it on the jeep.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07W6B987F/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Bring the battery to the charger..I'd consider it if not for the second battery in my 3.6L that's non trivial to pull..

Your link though would be the idea product, capable of all types of charging (trickle, jump, etc.) if only it sourced its current from a self contained battery, not the wall outlet I lack.

Maybe it, paired with Rich's @rkwfxd portable battery based generator is "my ticket."

Thanks.

 

[CaJLMetalHead]

Trickle charging preserves the life of batteries and has its best use on infrequently used or short trip used vehicles where the drain on the battery for cranking the engine isn't replenished adequately by the alternator given the small amount of time the engine is on during short trips.

Trickle charging has become more prevalent in later model vehicles whose electronics draw on the battery in small amounts even when parked, and has been particularly useful for the JL crowd running models with dual batteries. This draw, in addition to even an isolated battery's/batteries' tendency to lose small amounts of charge over time, can be overcome by a trickle charger.

These dual battery JL models (e.g. 3.6L, 2.0L) keep the two batteries in parallel at most times, including when the vehicle is at rest, and attaching the leads of a trickle charger to the main battery will trickle charge both batteries. Many owners with short trip driving habits, compounded with cold weather parking, find trickle charging a way to keep the ESS system running, which won't engage unless the smaller battery has adequate charge.

Ohh ok.. understood... that is a very interesting request... not sure there is such thing in the market... but with some ingenuity I think we can get something to work.. look at this marine charger / maintainer ( look for marine solutions as of course a boat is not going to be near a 110v outlet for trickle charging )

SC1360 15A 6V/12V Fully Automatic Battery Charger | Schumacher Electric

Granted... it needs a 110v outlet to recharge the battery, but how about adding an inverter so this Schumager thing can be recharged while you drive around?... then when you park the charger switches to trickle charging mode?

Of course... such convoluted solution would need some engineering to switch / reconnect / disconnect and such.... perhaps a microcontroller-based system that detects when the JL engine is off and connects the charger to the batteries via a latching relay (a special type of relay that only needs to be powered for less than a second to change state and then no more energy is needed and it stays in that state even when everything is powered off... and when it detects the sequence of you trying to turn on the engine it disconnects the charger and activates the inverter and starts charging the Schumager thing... something like that LOL ( I studied electronics and I work in IT so these kind of projects always get me excited.. LOL )

 

[jaymz]

Sounds like it would be easier to just drive it once or twice a week. And cheaper.

 

[Fudster]

Ohh ok.. understood... that is a very interesting request... not sure there is such thing in the market... but with some ingenuity I think we can get something to work.. look at this marine charger / maintainer ( look for marine solutions as of course a boat is not going to be near a 110v outlet for trickle charging )

SC1360 15A 6V/12V Fully Automatic Battery Charger | Schumacher Electric

Granted... it needs a 110v outlet to recharge the battery, but how about adding an inverter so this Schumager thing can be recharged while you drive around?... then when you park the charger switches to trickle charging mode?

Of course... such convoluted solution would need some engineering to switch / reconnect / disconnect and such.... perhaps a microcontroller-based system that detects when the JL engine is off and connects the charger to the batteries via a latching relay (a special type of relay that only needs to be powered for less than a second to change state and then no more energy is needed and it stays in that state even when everything is powered off... and when it detects the sequence of you trying to turn on the engine it disconnects the charger and activates the inverter and starts charging the Schumager thing... something like that LOL ( I studied electronics and I work in IT so these kind of projects always get me excited.. LOL )

Yeah, the shore powered trickle charger, in combination with the battery based generator combo seems to be the best option, thanks.

 

[Fudster]

Sounds like it would be easier to just drive it once or twice a week. And cheaper.

...were I home, agreed

 

[rkwfxd]

Yeah, portable shore power......sounds good, thanks

Battery Tender makes a plug that works with the OBDII plug. Id get that with the Tender and a Jackery or Buletti “Solar” generator. Plug it in and charge it in my home then put it on floorboard with tender plugged into OBDII port. Bet you could go a full week or more before a recharge.

You could use it in other situations as well.

FWIW I keep my jl on a trickle charger as well. I work from home so it doesnt get driven much.

 

[Shibadog]

I’ve ran battery tenders on motorcycles forever and they work great. With that said, I’ve had trucks, cars, and Jeeps that have sat for 2 + months while we we traveling, and thus far, never had one fail to start when I got home. If I was leaving it for six month, yeah I’d be concerned, also possibly if driven only rarely and then for very short distances where the battery would not get recharged. Otherwise I think you may be overthinking this. Get that Jeep out of the garage and Drive that puppy

 

[Fudster]

Battery Tender makes a plug that works with the OBDII plug. Id get that with the Tender and a Jackery or Buletti “Solar” generator. Plug it in and charge it in my home then put it on floorboard with tender plugged into OBDII port. Bet you could go a full week or more before a recharge.

You could use it in other situations as well.

FWIW I keep my jl on a trickle charger as well. I work from home so it doesnt get driven much.

I agree Rich that the Battery Tender ODBII plug (already own) is the way to go (or the rear accessory plug if equipped and configured to the factory always on setting) as the accessory plug in the dash won't accept or delivery electric when the vehicle is parked. Thanks.

 

[Old Dogger]

I have never had to trickle charge a battery, to keep it charged up. If that is needed, then one has a bad alternator, bad battery, or a draw on the system.

 

[rkwfxd]

I have never had to trickle charge a battery, to keep it charged up. If that is needed, then one has a bad alternator, bad battery, or a draw on the system.

Orrrrr one doesn't drive much and the vehicle sits for days at a time and when it DOES get driven it is only for very short trips.

 

[Fudster]

I have never had to trickle charge a battery, to keep it charged up. If that is needed, then one has a bad alternator, bad battery, or a draw on the system.

I hear you.

Many of us are finding ESS won't engage unless the Aux battery is close to fully charged, which for some us short mileage trippers comes only from a trickle charger.

Then again, some might call that a feature.

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