I reckon those 420G Jags. were MAGNIFICENT!
Both my cigar lighters will let current out, but not in. I've seen this on other vehicles too. Chrysler could have made a minor spec. change. Safety reasons?
Like your photovoltaic charger, I suppose you could put it on the front parcel shelf at the bottom of the windscreen. Now that's a good idea, because once it's done, I wouldn't have to think about it, all automatic.

Leedsman.

 

- I'll meter mine
- can't be difficult to go direct to [2 way] pole
- they were, we only just managed with 4 of us paying to own it
- we bought it of a **** officer for cheap money
- boy was it one wide long beast

Leedsman - if you see RED writing - you are supposed to click on it !


Anyone in the group know how the LHS [high output] cigar lighter is wired ?

 

Apologies to Qinteq re. the cigar lighter sockets -- I got mixed up with the TWO sockets, the RH socket is in fact switched, only 'on' if the ignition key is switched to accessories etc. The LH socket IS in fact connected both ways. Viewing these sockets of course from the driver's side. Smacked bottom for me.
Quinteq in fact set me off thinking about using a photvoltaic device to charge the battery gently in daylight only of course. Would you believe it, Maplins* just happened to be selling an automotive one on special offer at £15 -- what a coincidence! So I bought one and I'll see if it does the trick over time. It does lift the battery near 13volt with only microprocessor load, but this is in direct sunlight. The device is parked on the parcel shelf below the windscreen in front of driver. The one I bought says it makes 2.4watt. Will report soon....
Looks like the coolant radiator problem is solved, it was all plugged up AND there had been some leakage. This was likely lack of maintenance from new, the antifreeze had probably not been changed since new, and it would in that case be 2 YEARS overdue. There was a brown-orange sludge in the plastic expansion tank. The rad. is one of those aluminium and plastic jobbies mounted sideways, so ANY sludge at all will block some of the tubes, unlike the vertical type where the sludge falls to the bottom tank and doesn't impede the coolant flow much. I spent just over £350 on this job. So pay attention to routine maintenance, or pay out to fix the ensuing problems. For reference: It seems the correct long life antifreeze, HOAT is sold in UK by "Comma" called GO5 very heavy duty. It's a new antifreeze for them. Some people on Chrysler websites have found it almost impossible to find the right stuff. It was £21 for 5ltr. Seems it's VERY easy to get hold of.
Batteries again -- can ayone tell me if "Ducellier" batteries are top-notch? I have one, and voltage-wise seems to outperform the rest.

*Maplin's are an electronics hobbyist store with branches all over the UK. That special offer ceases 6th. August next. So be quick if you want one at £15.

Leedsman.

 

I read my ciggi-out LHS yesterday and is as you say its two way. My readings in poor sun and not facing the correct compass in Jan this year [ish] were well in excess of 2.4W. My intention was not to make a lot of wattage otherwise I would have bought one capable of 10W+, indeed a 20W+ or bigger would be safe on our GV's as the batteries are [or should be for UK-CRD's] more than 90ah with a CCA of 100+. Its the best £12 I ever wasted, I wanted a :

- plug it in [in car] and forget it
- that simply put, produced more than ≥ the % loss

I've no experience with Ducelier 096's, I didn't even know Ducelier were still making them. There are many posts on here on batteries, for myself I've always said its 80% lifestyle and 20% battery. A battery should be 80/800 [ish] to cope with our winters, the solar trickle charger copes with the 'lifestyle' issue. Whether the battery physically fits into the battery tray is usually an issue, and always ignore e-tailers and others who tell you to put your REG in, they always sell you an undersized, CCA battery that fits the tray .. .. but not the car's electrical needs.

 

A further addendum to the battery issues with this vehicle:--

It appears that virtually the only 12volt lead acid battery commonly available as a replacement is the "calcium lead-acid" type. It is held that the alternator's charging voltage (constant-voltage principle) should be higher than it was for wet lead-acids, at 15volt for the calcium, (or 14.4volt for the wet type). The charging voltage is under the control of a micro., and starts off high on my motor at 13.9volt after starting cranking, to drop back to the float charge voltage after a few minutes of 13.5volt. The micro works by controlling the current in the alternator's rotor/armature. I.e., the slip-ring current, and therefore the charging voltage.
Thusly it would be a conclusion to think the program in the micro is producing the wrong voltage for calcium batteries. I remember on my Jag., the micro could be set to either 13.8volt or 14.4volt.
Opinion has it that under these circumstances, the calcium battery is NEVER properly charged anywhere near it's capacity. This could well have a bearing on the calcium battery's service life, as consistent undercharging will have exactly that effect. Obviously it will also exacerbate the "flat battery syndrome" as I mentioned in the technical section here recently.
So....part of the "flat-battery syndrome" could revolve around not fitting a calcium type as a replacement...Or, altering the after-cranking and normal running voltage to be higher than that set by the micro. The normal setting (13.5volt) appears to me to be that for sealed lead acids, i.e. not too much gassing as was allowed for the wet type at 14.4volt.
Doesn't life get complicated sometimes?

Leedsman.