If you’ve read any of our vehicle winterization/long term storage articles…

…Then you already know that hooking your battery up to a trickle charger is a smart way to keep it healthy and juiced up while the vehicle sits in storage.

But what happens when you don’t have easy access to AC power to plug in said trickle charger?

Enter our pal, the Solar Battery Charger.

solar charger connected to a motorcycle BATTERY
Our bike gets tucked up in the back of the garage near an old trailer and, more importantly, a window. (Image/OnAllCylinders)

Specifically, we picked up this Performance Tool Solar Battery Charger to feed juice to a motorcycle battery as it waited out the snowy season.

In addition to being an all-in-one kit, this particular solar charger was really budget friendly. It included the solar cells in a robust housing, long connector cable, and pair of connector options:

  • A set of alligator clips for a direct-to-battery hookup
  • A standard DC power plug for a dash accessory socket
car aux plug dx power adapter
We used to call these cigarette lighter plugs, but the youths say “accessory” plugs nowadays. (Image/OnAllCylinders)

Thankfully there was a window in the back of our garage, so mounting the panel was a simple matter of hammering two small tacks into a window sill. Performance Tool does include a pair of suction cups to attach it to the window or—better yet—the inside of your vehicle’s windshield.

Within an instant of setting the panel down on the window sill, the blue indicator light began…well…indicating.

solar charger INDICATOR LIGHT
This little blue LED begins to blink pretty much the moment sunlight hits it. (Image/OnAllCylinders)

We attached the battery terminal clips onto our trusty multimeter for a more precise reading.

Even on an overcast afternoon, the panel was producing around 12 to 13 volts.

close up of a voltmeter on 12 volts
The voltage varied continually, so it was tough to snap a pic. Even late in the afternoon on a really cloudy day, it was producing over 12 volts. (Image/OnAllCylinders)

Once we established that the trickle charger was working, connecting the thing was a breeze. Performance Tool gives you ample length (about nine feet) to hook it up, so we were able to keep the battery installed in the motorcycle.

While it’s only been in place a few months, the favorable reviews at SummitRacing.com give us plenty of optimism that this trickle charger will prolong the life of the battery and ensure the motorcycle is ready to fire up in the spring.

All told, this seems like a smart option if you’ve got an ATV, dirt bike, golf cart, tractor, mower, boat, classic car, or any other vehicle that sits idle for long periods of time. And since it’s pretty much self-contained, it doesn’t matter if you have access to AC power or not.

Click the part number below to see pricing and availability.

  • WMR-W2997 – Performance Tool Solar Battery Charger
large alligator clips on a vehicle battery
Attaching the alligator clips on the battery was the toughest part of the hookup here. (Image/OnAllCylinders)
Keywords
battery charger , parts bin , performance tool , Solar Power
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Author: Paul Sakalas

Paul is the editor of OnAllCylinders. When he's not writing, you'll probably find him fixing oil leaks in a Jeep CJ-5 or roof leaks in an old Corvette ragtop. Thanks to a penchant for vintage Honda motorcycles, he spends the rest of his time fiddling with carburetors and cleaning chain lube off his left pant leg.