Best Trickle Solar Charger 12V
This portable solar panel can be used to charge a variety of 12V devices, including cell phones, laptops, and other small electronics. It is also great for camping, hiking, and other outdoor activities.
The best one for maintaining your car batteries!
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A portable solar panel 12V is not enough for running a fridge or other large appliance. It is however, great for charging small devices, lights and powering other low wattage electronics.
We’ll keep it simple across 3 completely different options which are all top choices:
Solar trickle chargers 12V
Comparing Portable Solar Panels of 12V
| Style | Weight | Dimensions LxWxH | Connectors | Wattage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ECO-WORTHY 12 Volt 10 Watt Solar |
 
|
1.46lbs | 14.37 x 1.46 x 9.25 inches |
SAE connector
Alligator Clips |
10 Watts |
| OYMSAE 30 Watt 12 Volt Solar |
 
|
2lbs | 21.2x 13.6 x0.79 inches |
SAE connector
Alligator Clips |
30 Watts |
| Sunway Solar Car Battery Trickle Charger |
 
|
1.41lbs | 13.9 x 5 x 0.5 inches |
SAE connector
Alligator Clips |
4 Watts |
ECO-WORTHY 12 Volt 10 Watt Solar Car Battery Charger
- PVC suckers to keep it in place
- Built-in blocking diode to prevent discharge
- 2 way connect – SAE and Alligator clips
WHAT WE LIKE
- Nice output for the size
- Lightweight
- Well-built to last
WHAT WE DON'T LIKE
- Not quite water-resistant
- LED consumes power regardless of the diode
- Not compatible with Battery Tender
Overall, it’s an okay charger, does the job well enough. But there are some things you should know before buying this product.
The connectors are in reverse with your Battery Tender
The cord is only 4.75 feet long. This may be too short especially if you plan to use it out of the car while keeping your car covered.
It is not water resistant. Water-resistance is not even stated but there are customer ratings that might bring in some misunderstanding around this.
Connecting an unregulated charger directly to any rechargeable battery can put out too much voltage, which might even end up with your battery being dead. Ideally, use this trusty trickle charger to top off your batteries with a controller which can be purchased separately.
The ECO-WORTHY 12 Volt trickle charger comes with a handy LED light and a resistor. We know for sure that with the LED and resistor removed, it won’t drain your battery overnight. The diode works well but there are cases of battery drain and this is happening because of the LED/resistor which consume additional power.
OYMSAE 30 Watt 12 Volt Solar Trickle Charger
- Monocrystalline with ETFE material
- Built-in processor to prevent discharge
- Suction cups to keep it in place
- 3 color LED indicator
WHAT WE LIKE
- Solidly built
- Good Voltage output
- Awesome Wattage
WHAT WE DON'T LIKE
- Suction cups not reliable
16 gauge wiring appears to be very small for rugged use but it is normally working well in all conditions.
The length of the cord is 19.2 inches which might not be enough for all positions but there is also plenty of accessories the product comes with.
It has a built-in processor that prevents the battery from overcharging and damaging the solar panel.
The charger also has an LED indicator that shows the charging status of the battery:
- Blue light means it is in the sun
- Red light on means it is charging
- Green light on means charging completed
- All three indicator lights are off – this means a short circuit occurred
OYMSAE 30 Watt 12 Volt is proven to be element resistant.
What is mostly questionable are its suction cups which don’t seem to be that great. Also, the placement of the controls at the back make it difficult to access. Despite all these, it is still a good product.
It is made of high quality materials and can withstand all kinds of weather.
Sunway Solar Car Battery Trickle Charger & Maintainer
- Suction cups to keep it in place
- prevents reverse charging with a built-in diode
- Covered with ultra clear PV glass for protection
WHAT WE LIKE
- Lightweight and pocket-size
- Great customer service!
- Comes with a longer cord
WHAT WE DON'T LIKE
- Only 4 Watt output
- Percentage indicator not reliable
This solar charger is designed to help manage 12v battery continuous tiny drain in all seasons, and can be used on any size battery. It features suction cups for easy mounting, and plugs into your car’s cigarette lighter.
Keep in mind that the suction cups that come with the product are not of great quality and might fall off, break after short time, or not work as proposed.
It has one indicator light – a blue LED. If the blue light is not on, check if you’ve connected your wires to the battery port properly.
If you want to charge your solar car battery to full capacity, you’ll need a larger solar panel. This panel will perform as designed by topping up batteries that don’t have a load. And it’s a very good one for that purpose.
You no longer need to remove the batteries when not planning to drive for a while. Simply connect the trickle solar charger to the battery, and it will maintain a full charge. You can also use it to keep your accessories charged, like your phone or tablet.