Hi. I did a search and didn't find anything so maybe I can find some help here. I bought a Solarex solar panel (with a 4 X 9 grid on it) that I was hoping we could use to run our well pump during our many power outages/brownouts that we have where we live. I was told by someone that this is not strong enough for that but I could charge, and keep charged, one or two car batteries. My question, if the solar panel was hooked up to the car battery or batteries would that supply enough power to run the well pump? We have a very small bathroom with no tub (just a small shower) so we can't store extra water there for flushing the toilet. It would be nice if we could have running water during an outage. Thanks for any help you can offer.

I'll have to go look at the brand(s) that I have. I have a 6 amp charger and the booster charger, but frankly, there's not a lot of difference between them. There's not a lot of different brands to really choose from. Actually, since I've had mine for so many years now, well, decades, going by brand name on mine wouldn't be a good idea since who knows if they're built the same way. Might be a good idea to go to a reputable auto parts store, but I'd go ahead and check the discount places too. Like I said, there's not a lot of manufacturers I've seen of the booster chargers but I do recall that at the time I got mine they could vary a lot in price. I think I paid about $50-$60 for mine and there were others, not really better, charging over $100 for similar. So shop around. Also, have a heavy duty extension cord in case you need it. Don't try using a lightweight one, invest in a good heavy outdoor cord. As I think about it, mine might be a 30 amp booster, I'd have to check. I'll double check. But it will put a charge in much faster. The alternative if you can't find a booster/charger is a 12-15 amp charger. That'll charge faster. The great thing about the boost is that it can get you going in seconds rather than having to wait 10, 20 or more minutes for it to charge. Remember safety rules with handling them. Never try to charge a frozen battery if you're in cold weather areas, or at least, only use a small trickle charger. It's best to then warm the battery, thaw it out before charging. A frozen battery, if it truly freezes is probably not much good anymore. Also, batteries give off gas when charging. Be careful in enclosed areas, and even outdoors. If you connect them wrong or short them out, there's a possibility of the battery blowing up. It is rare, but be aware it can happen. Not trying to scare you away, just show respect. I always connect the charger, double and triple check that red is to positive and black to negative and then turn away and even step away if possible then switch on the charger. If the needle doesn't go up but you hear the buzzing of the charger, you probably don't have a good connection on the battery. Shut off the charger, wiggle the clamps on the connectors and try again. Batteries can build up a corrosion. Be safe, be happy.

No, it's not likely to hurt the starter; but if you do as Kalining suggests, don't run the engine for too long. The points and coil may not like the higher primary voltage and current. (That's why 12 volt point-ignition cars had ballast resistors - to limit primary current.) As I suggested above, the easiest and safest answer is to find a decent used golf car battery. They're really robust. Many years ago, I used to jumpstart my neighbors' cars from my golf car (using 2 of the batteries) on subzero mornings. It worked at least as well as the wreckers' rigs, and a lot better than jumping from a running car. (Jumping the battery, I mean.)

This isn't a phone brand issue ... this is a battery issue. I've had a Macbook battery that did a partial melt ... my ipad battery is having issues ... my sister had a macbook battery that also charred ... so you should all probably get rid of your Apple products too! My son was also recently having battery issues with his Google phone overheating. Again, this is a battery technology issue. My husband is into remote control planes and he charges most of his batteries in special heat/explosion resistant containers. Just the nature of the technology. I'll continue to buy ipads and I'll continue to buy Samsung phones. My son will probably buy another Google phone. When you look at the total number of phones that have sold worldwide, the number of defective products is very small. I even owned the infamous Samsung Note 7, mine had no issues, but were still recalled. I've owned the Samsung Galaxy 7 without issues and will probably upgrade soon to a Note 9 or Galaxy 10, or wait for the Note 10 later this year.