Best Battery Charging Option

[OneTimeUser]

First of all, I searched around and couldn't find much. The one promising link comes up 404, page not found.
Anyway, I want to keep the battery on my stage 420 predator charged and use some low-draw LED lights. It's mounted on a Murray Kilowatt an there is not much room for a stand alone alternator.

On another cart, pull start only, I solved the problem by installing a solar panel to keep the battery charged. It works well.

So, do I spring for an expensive higher-output alternator, or go with a solar panel to keep the battery topped off.

I do not have room for a stand alone alternator and I'm not planning on running the LED lights for extended periods-- just from time to time while I drive in the dark.

I await advice/experience from someone who has successfully solved this problem.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Hellion]

What kind of battery is it, what type?
Is a wall plug trickle charger out of the question?
The solar panel charger is genius, by the way, free energy. Will also wait for the learned elders to weigh in.

 

[OneTimeUser]

It's a garden variety 350 CCA 12 volt. I can certainly use a plug in or solar trickler. I currently have solar panel tricklers with regulators on the mower, the tractor, and the bucket truck. The panel is pertinently mounted and I just plug the vehicle in when I park it. This means though that I have to park said vehicle in the same place every time. I'd like a bit more versatility with the cart. The little 212 pull start has the solar panel mounted directly on the cart so it works wherever I park it.

 

[Edwin Spangler]

I think I have the same battery and my 420 keeps it charged. We only run one LED but the kids use the starter all the time and it keeps itself charged.

 

[Sparkwizard]

We have a 420 on an old Wheel Horse"mud kart" with lights and a 12000 lb winch. The engine keeps the battery charged very well. In the pole barn where it lives, there is a small, like 12x4 inch solar maintainer on one of the poles that gets connected for long storage. Never fails to start.
that system has worked for quite a few years. Also a 350 amp lawn and garden battery.

 

[Hellion]

Got pics of the solar maintainer, or your particular setup Sparkwizard?

Seems the price of 12V lead acid conventional batteries went up 50% in just a few short years so I really want them to last now. Anyway, I meandered off the beaten path into battery maintainers that *desulfate*. It seems that is what you really want for long term battery life. I think most of the info came from private pilots who took a keen interest in that because planes tend to sit. I don’t know much about desulfation though.

 

[Sparkwizard]

I can get a picture, but it's just one of those things that some guys throw on the dash. Available at Hobo Fright, any parts store and Tractor Supply. They come in different sizes and do not produce enough current to overcharge. I literally have four different ones mounted on walls and poles near tractors and the boat. Just small flat solar panels with two long wires.
I had six of them on top of a golf kart for a long time.
I have a couple of desulfators, too but they are in the garage where there is 110 volts AC.

 

[OneTimeUser]

Just for fun.

Solar panels around the place: 212 Fox kart, ancient bucket truck, tractor, mower. Except for the kart I got these high quality solar panels from a friend who used to work in the west Texas oil fields. They would retire the panels when they still had much life left in them. I've been using a couple of them for about 20 years.

Guess I'll be looking for one for the Murray Kilowatt now that I've got it up and running. I plan to install some lights.