Home build or buy more product?

[Windbag]

Yup. All cars wire in a permanent live.

[robl]

Some have a connection via the OBD port Robi, would that help your Mondeo out any do you think?

I found the mondeo has a tiny extra fusebox by the rear lights cluster, close to where I wanted to put the panel. I added an extra fuse, safety first :-), then a new little plug and socket and the 10W panel.

[Mr Gus]

Thanks guy's I can definitely sort the (beloved) Smart out easily as I already have both the battery in the front floor area, & blade fuse piggyback cables which could sort one out lickety split.

For the leaf I'll have to investigate, remember the leaf had tinted rear passenger windows (limiting potential) but the rear / dashboard are still options.

I will order a few weedy window sucker solar sets from Ali-express & play from there.

[Mr Gus]

Walked the daughter through a battery change, she's buggered the plastic skirt clips (bar 2) so will have to find some from my kit, & she did short the ratchet tool one time, a good lesson I suppose, but then I talked about sheeting as a preventative against scratches, loss of schmutter into the engine? compartment & to prevent shorting so a lively lesson that took way longer but, it's not rocket science & an easy learning curve, so why not eh!?

Wee solar on order to assist in "battery keepy-uppy"

[marshman]

Walked the daughter through a battery change, she's buggered the plastic skirt clips (bar 2) so will have to find some from my kit, & she did short the ratchet tool one time, a good lesson I suppose, but then I talked about sheeting as a preventative against scratches, loss of schmutter into the engine? compartment & to prevent shorting so a lively lesson that took way longer but, it's not rocket science & an easy learning curve, so why not eh!?

Wee solar on order to assist in "battery keepy-uppy"

Short across the terminals ??? If short from positive to body work shouldn't have happened as you should remove the negative first to prevent exactly that happening.

Assume there were no radio codes etc to "lose"?

Also worth mentioning that if it is a newly supplied battery that you need to remove the "transport" bungs from the vents (usually 2 of them fitted).

[Mr Gus]

The infotainment needs to be checked out yet just had time for the lights, it's on charge currently, previously the battery has taken about 10 minutes to sync? with the leaf, so rather than shout I warned her AGAIN why shorts are to be avoided, ..the rest is up to her to check & report back, not going to cosset any kid, but fingers crossed.

Should know imminently when pre-drive checks are completed.

[marshman]

__

[Mr Gus]

The problem was over reach & lack of strength, car had been parked up, & had not fed the 12v as it is supposed to (by my understanding) to keep it topped up, I must now think harder that these are two completely separate systems & leave a note to self in the leaf, however my understanding was that the leaf big batt fed little batt if required, thus standing not a problem = WRONG! (thus need for solar)

Car parked tight against wall, hindering access, she's a short arse, I forgot to lay anything down due to finding out that it was me this morning who had to do it not the wife (perfectly capable of changing a battery) as they were meant to be off out early this a.m. driving practise, ..still here at nigh on 4.40pm

Mind you, "we did find the butter" (long story)

The other lesson learnt by daughter, the clips she ended up breaking upon removal cost £3.20 each from nissan = don't buy from nissan!

(plastic engine bay tray to access the charger release flap by hand)

[marshman]

Only charges the 12V battery when being driven OR the main battery is being charged. Think this is true of other EV's as well.

Interesting Post on this thread:

https://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?t=31713

[Joeboy]

Thanks guy's I can definitely sort the (beloved) Smart out easily as I already have both the battery in the front floor area, & blade fuse piggyback cables which could sort one out lickety split.

For the leaf I'll have to investigate, remember the leaf had tinted rear passenger windows (limiting potential) but the rear / dashboard are still options.

I will order a few weedy window sucker solar sets from Ali-express & play from there.

I have a couple of the 5W (I think) small trickle charge panels on the Bongo. They've been on for about 5 Winters. The van sits for months at a time between Winter cranks. Never once failed to start up.