Battery charging

[andromeda]

Apologies for what will seem an obvious question to those who know the answer.
How long can I leave my engine battery flat before it affects the leisure batteries?
My engine battery is as dead as the proverbial dodo; I've been unable to give it its weekly turn over for a month due to illness but I've got someone coming to get it going for me. The battery was changed during the first lockdown and the leisures are two 110 gels. The van is in storage and I have no access EHU at home for it.
Thanks

 

[Molly 3]

Oh dear could be a chance your battery is under warranty ? , get yourself a nice young man to remove your engine battery (tempt him with chocolate cake ) take, him home ,sorry it , home put on charge for a couple of days as your battery may recover . My solar has done nothing this year due to lack of sun my engine battery has been low and has needed hook up . Bazz

 

[argoose]

If you have solar you could look into linking leisure batteries to trickle charge engine battery. If not maybe look into a small 10-20Watt temporary window mounted panel with crocodile clips to engine battery .check here

 

[trevskoda]

Your starter batt will be cream crackered, this is the correct solar regulator to charge all batteries if all of same type, other wise a split sys is required, two control reg units set to different types of battery

 

[andromeda]

Your starter batt will be cream crackered, this is the correct solar regulator to charge all batteries if all of same type, other wise a split sys is required, two control reg units set to different types of battery

View attachment 58289

Blimey. Thanks but I have no idea what any of that means

 

[andromeda]

Oh dear could be a chance your battery is under warranty ? , get yourself a nice young man to remove your engine battery (tempt him with chocolate cake ) take, him home ,sorry it , home put on charge for a couple of days as your battery may recover . My solar has done nothing this year due to lack of sun my engine battery has been low and has needed hook up . Bazz

Thanks Baz but the nice young man has a nice young wife with whom he is madly in love.
I haven't got solar but will check about warranty.

 

[andromeda]

Thanks folks. Im not too worried about main batteries but about whether leisure batteries will suffer or am I being thick?

 

[Markd]

If van is in storage without access to solar or mains it would be best to get all batteries home and charge every few weeks.
Agree with Trevskoda about Votronic to keep starter topped up if solar available.

 

[andromeda]

Thank you

 

[Molly 3]

Thanks folks. Im not too worried about main batteries but about whether leisure batteries will suffer or am I being thick?

Thick certainly not ,you being a regular wilder i presumed you had solar ,all i can suggest is disconect .leisure battery for the winter months to slow down the drain ,solar would help , unless you can diy it would be expensive, cant see someone as. Ladylike as you jumping on the roof .it could help if you bought a cheap multimeter to monitor you battery ,when it drops to about 12.2 charging is needed ,Bazz

 

[Molly 3]

Blimey. Thanks but I have no idea what any of that means

Think it means open your purse .

 

[witzend]

After they've been fully charged at home I'd ask that young man what he thinks of one of these for keeping all batterys charged

Pardon our interruption...

And connecting both batterys engine and leisure with this set up
http://www.motts.org/BRIDGING FUSE.htm

 

[andromeda]

Mechanic is going to take battery out and give it a good charge but he's not sure whether his charger will do the leisure batteries.

After they've been fully charged at home I'd ask that young man what he thinks of one of these for keeping all batterys charged

Pardon our interruption...

And connecting both batterys engine and leisure with this set up
http://www.motts.org/BRIDGING FUSE.htm

Thank you

 

[Heppy]

So when on a camp site and on EHU what is best way to keep batteries topped up?
A: Smart charger and solar panels both on.
B: Solar panels on ( sun permitting ) charger off.
C: Charger on solar off.

 

[Molly 3]

Mmmmm thats a tricky on

 

[SquirrellCook]

So when on a camp site and on EHU what is best way to keep batteries topped up?
A: Smart charger and solar panels both on.
B: Solar panels on ( sun permitting ) charger off.
C: Charger on solar off.

I'd never turn of the solar for fear of forgetting to turn it back on again, now what was I typing?

 

[Heppy]

It’s definitely got me confused, but I’m sure somebody will have a good answer.
edit: easily confused.

 

[Markd]

If you're on hook up then there will be minimal draw on the leisure battery as all electrical demand will be met by mains - the 12v system will be running via the transformer.
There use the solar which should do the trick even in poor conditions.

 

[in h]

The whole point of having separate batteries for the habitation area is that they are separate.

So if you run the leisure batteries down, you can still start the engine to start charging them again.

Of course it works the other way round too. Run the engine battery flat and the rest of the van is still habitable.

The engine battery ought to be OK for a month or so of standing idle: after that, it may need charging because the alarm, the stereo memory and the engine ECU will be a small drain.

The leisure batteries ought to be OK for maybe a year or so without being charged, as long as everything is switched off - and as long as the batteries aren't faulty.

If you've not used the van since March 2020, they really ought to be charged up again now.

 

[in h]

So when on a camp site and on EHU what is best way to keep batteries topped up?
A: Smart charger and solar panels both on.
B: Solar panels on ( sun permitting ) charger off.
C: Charger on solar off.

Stop worrying. Plug the EHU in and leave everything as normal.