Charger outside storage
 

My golf cart stays at the campground all camping season. I just put new batteries Ranger 160's and bought a new DPI charger. When it is not in use I would like to leave the charger on it plugged in.
Last season I'd plug it in every night and use a golf cart cover if there was bad weather. Sometimes the cover would blow up exposing the charger but it wouldn't get wet. I was lucky a few stormy nights. During the week while we aren't there I'd store the charger in the camper, and not have the batteries charging.
This season I don't want to chance the new DPI charger getting wet and would like to leave the charger on all week long.
So my question is:
Is there something I can put the charger in to seal the weather out and still let it breathe? Or some idea to weather proof it in the golf cart. It still will be covered by the golf cart cover but I just would like a secondary precaution.
I was thinking like a plastic container with breathing holes? Will that be enough to prevent overheating?
Any thought would be great.

Re: Charger outside storage
 

How about mounting one od those square ish plastic garbage pails on it's side where you are gonna charge the cart? Be sure to get one large enough to allow air circulation around the charger and aim it out of the prevailing wind. Could even cut a couple of air holes under the charger to increase circulation. A peice of window screen over the opening will also help keep rain out but still allow air circulation. Made a couple similar to this for electric fence controllers that were mounted to the fence outside, [less chance of lightning finding it's way into a building that way!]

Re: Charger outside storage
 

CTD,
I don't have an answer for you but I was thinking about a very similar question.

In my case the car sits in a carport with a cheap golf car cover over it. I was wondering about leaving the charger under the cover and also about battery gasses under a cover.

Let's see what we both can learn from the experts here.

Aflyer

Re: Charger outside storage
 

I used to take a five gallon bucket and put over the charger on the floor of the buggy. I would put the charger on four bricks, then the bucket would go on two bricks to raise it up and let the charger breathe. Then I put one brick on top of the bucket so it wouldn't blow over.

After doing that for one season, I decided to put a hole in the side of my shed and leave the charger plugged in inside the shed and run the charge cord out the hole and plug it in.
I put a hook on the outside of the shed to hang the charge cord on when it's not plugged into the buggy.
That way it's less work and my charger won't grow legs...

Have one of these for the hole in the shed:

http://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/d/l225...lxJ3qyEujA.jpg

Re: Charger outside storage
 

:thumbup::thumbup:

Re: Charger outside storage
 

Get a pet carrier, Has a handle on top also,...

Re: Charger outside storage
 

This topic came up a while back. Some people have made some very clever, attractive little houses for their chargers.

Re: Charger outside storage
 

Wont leaving charger on while away wear on the charger . Asking because I don't know ? I was told always to unplug charger while not in use . How about building a small dog house with a lift style roof could install a lock to prevent from running away . Liking the plastic RV wire chase I'm using a 2inch PVC fitting with a screw cap in my shed . But have to pull cord and cap due to critters .

Re: Charger outside storage
 

The DPI Chargers have a float mode (The non-OBC ones)
Made to be left plugged in all the time.

Re: Charger outside storage
 

Its just the opposite leave the charger plugged in all the time.