Anybody had this problem?

[overlander64]

I don't know whether Mercedes offers one, but Volkswagen offered a solar charger that attached to the inside of a window with suction cups and plugged into a port under the dash. I had one of these options on my 2007 Vokswagen New Beetle Convertible. My Beetle had the 2.5 Liter inline 5-cylinder gasoline motor, and the solar charger kept the battery fully charged and ready to go even when the car sat idle in the driveway for eight weeks or more. The Beetle was equipped with a high-end burglar alarm as well as a Monsoon Stereo System. If Mercedes offers an option or accessory like this for the Sprinter it may offer some assistance to keeping the battery charged.

Kevin

P.S.: A photo of the VW Solar Charger is below:

[Protagonist]

I was at a Mercedes/Sprinter dealership on Monday, and didn't see anything about solar chargers, in either their display area or their brochures. Of course, at that point I hadn't specifically asked…

Yesterday I ordered a solar charger that will plug into dashboard power outlet. It supposedly puts out 8½ watts on a bright, sunny day, and clips to a visor panel. 8½ watts should be plenty to offset the draw caused by the alarm sytem. Most of the offerings I found in my Internet search were in the 1~2 watt range, which I know wouldn't have been enough to keep up with the alarm system's current draw.

It has a built-in blocking diode to prevent current from flowing in reverse in the event I forget to unplug it when starting the engine. However, it doesn't have a charge controller— most dashboard-style solar panels don't— so I probably should not use it if the alarm system isn't turned on. Which won't be a problem. I always leave the alarm on unless I'm actually using the vehicle.

I thought about hooking the alarm to the house batteries, but then I'd never be able to disconnect the house batteries while the unit's in storage. That just trades one problem for another.

[Skater]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

It has a built-in blocking diode to prevent current from flowing in reverse in the event I forget to unplug it when starting the engine. However, it doesn't have a charge controller— most dashboard-style solar panels don't— so I probably should not use it if the alarm system isn't turned on. Which won't be a problem. I always leave the alarm on unless I'm actually using the vehicle.

Don't worry about the panel overcharging the battery - it's just not powerful enough.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Skater

Don't worry about the panel overcharging the battery - it's just not powerful enough.

You're probably right. Still, my karma is such that, if there's any possible way to screw it up, I'll find it.

[73shark]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

You're probably right. Still, my karma is such that, if there's any possible way to screw it up, I'll find it.

Mr. Murphy always looking over your shoulder, is he?