Solar-based systems are becoming viable options for traditional electronic appliances. Like all solar-based systems, solar car battery chargers are easy-to-use, durable, maintenance-free and comparatively inexpensive.
Features
The most sophisticated brands are waterproof, sparkproof, and have built-in temperature compensation that prevents them from damaging the battery during extreme high or low temperatures.
Others have protection for when the terminals are wrongly connected.
They are also lightweight and can be carried about.
Some have built-in LED to illustrate operation and monitor the battery charging level.
There are some that have to be used internally, not directly and are thus made to be attached through the cigarette pods or mounted on the dashboard or hung from the window. These can be used on the move. Others are to be attached directly to the battery terminals. Some have both direct and indirect-connection capabilities.
The most sophisticated ones are also able to prevent energy draining when the battery is not being charged with the help of a revers-blocking diode.
Solar car chargers are mostly 'battery maintainers' or 'trickle chargers'. In other words, they cannot charge a dead battery. But they can 'trickle charge' a healthy battery. They are made to be used mostly for maintenance purposes and to improve battery health. For non-direct users, they can serve as a good option for the charging of car batteries in storage.
While they are still relatively a new entry into the Nigerian market, solar car battery chargers are a great option for personal use, high-terrain vehicles, car battery dealers and for automobile repair and maintenance businesses.