Review of the Wagan 2017 Solar Car Battery Charger

The Wagan 2017 Solar Car Battery Charger is a preventative tool meant to be used in conjunction with cars that have working batteries, but may suffer from slow discharge due to not being used. The charger connects to the car’s 12-volt DC socket or cigarette lighter socket. It can then be left on the dash of cars that receive direct sunlight. The mono-crystalline cells are highly efficient and made to work behind windshield glass even on overcast days.

Ease-of-Use – The Wagan 2017 is very simple to use, but if not used properly, it will not work. There are several prerequisites that must be met before it can be expected to work at all. The first requirement is the 12-volt DC socket must be operable while the ignition is off. The second requirement is the car must be outdoors and receive direct sunlight at least part of the day.

As long as those two conditions are met, you just plug it in and set it on the dashboard. It doesn’t get easier than that. There is one fact that is true of all 12-volt socket electronics. 12-volt vehicle sockets are very susceptible to corrosion and this may prevent an instant connection. You may have to wiggle the plug slightly until the indicator light displays that the connection has been made.

Maintenance – This solar charger requires no special maintenance. It is made with scratch-proof materials so it is durable during handling. It is UV-resistant so it doesn’t wear out due to it being in direct sunlight day-after-day.

Dependability – The Wagan 2017 does what it is supposed to do, but its name is a bit of a misnomer. To be sure, the Wagan 2017 is not a battery charger, as its name claims. It cannot be used to charge a dead battery. The solar energy it collects is not enough to fully charge a dead battery, or even to charge a battery enough to start the vehicle. It would be more appropriate to call the Wagan 2017 a trickle charger. Although the official product description explains how it is to be used, the name could be misleading to those who don’t read the description.

Pros
• Easy to use
• Works as advertised
• Durable

Cons
• Requires direct sunlight
• Requires an always-on 12-volt DC socket
• Does not charge dead or low batteries, but keeps charged batteries from losing their charge.

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