2020 Ducato Cab battery charging

Georges

Georges

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Searched on here but not found a definitive answer so here goes.

I had my 2020 Elddis CV20 delivered just after lockdown so its curently parked up.
I would like to give the cab battery a charge now and then and have a Victron charger to do this.
I have a socket to attach to the battery that came with the charger so I could just plug it in without having to remove the battery cover from the floor, however the manual states that I should remove a lead from the negative side of the battery.
My question for the techies is: Do I have to do this?
If so, then its not really possible to have this socket wired direct as I would need to remove the cover each time to disconnect the lead.
Also fitted to the vehicle is a b2b charger, could I utilise this somehow for the cab battery?
going forward (when lockdown is over) I will be fitting another leisure battery and having cab battery wired into solar controller.

manual.jpgterminal2.jpgschaudt.jpg
 
For trickle-charging, leave it connected, no question. That manual makes no sense to me.
 
It says “with start&stop system” which seems like very specific advice. I have no idea why having start&stop would make a difference to using a battery charger but I wouldn’t want to ignore it until I understood why.
 
Okta said:
It says “with start&stop system” which seems like very specific advice. I have no idea why having start&stop would make a difference to using a battery charger but I wouldn’t want to ignore it until I understood why.
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Hence my post

The only differences as far as I am aware is that there is a sensor on the negative terminal (you can see in photo) and it has abattery to battery charger built in for leisure battery instead of standard split charge system
 
The way I read the section of the manual you posted, it is about how to recover a flat starter battery, and they are telling you to essentially remove the battery from the vehicles electrical system whilst doing that recharge - presumably to avoid doing anything to the vehicle electrics if you do it wrong (so basically a manufacturers CYA procedure).
 
Georges said:
Hence my post

The only differences as far as I am aware is that there is a sensor on the negative terminal (you can see in photo) and it has abattery to battery charger built in for leisure battery instead of standard split charge system
Click to expand...
It would seem they want the battery sensor isolated from the vehicle chassis during external charging but not from the charger. Perhaps it stops the vehicle system from logging some false information that might mislead the stop&start function. My suspicion is that it might have something to do with complex algorithms in the ECU but I am only guessing. I have found Fiat’s customer care quite helpful, you could call them and ask.
 
wildebus said:
The way I read the section of the manual you posted, it is about how to recover a flat starter battery, and they are telling you to essentially remove the battery from the vehicles electrical system whilst doing that recharge - presumably to avoid doing anything to the vehicle electrics if you do it wrong (so basically a manufacturers CYA procedure).
Click to expand...

Interesting thought, I just rechecked the manual and it is just in a general ‘battery charging’ section.
Without stop start it says to disconnect negative lead
for stop/start it’s as above
For jump start, it’s the 2 points under the bonnet and no need to disconnect anything.
 
Okta said:
It would seem they want the battery sensor isolated from the vehicle chassis during external charging but not from the charger. Perhaps it stops the vehicle system from logging some false information that might mislead the stop&start function. My suspicion is that it might have something to do with complex algorithms in the ECU but I am only guessing. I have found Fiat’s customer care quite helpful, you could call them and ask.
Click to expand...

that makes sense (although I confess not to understand why they specify it) I’ll see if any local dealers or main Fiat customer service is available tomorrow 👍
 
Georges said:
For jump start, it’s the 2 points under the bonnet and no need to disconnect anything.
Click to expand...
Always best to use those in any event, whether jump starting or trickle-charging. I have an Anderson connector attached to these on my car.
 
Check if your van has an engine battery charge facility built in to the charging system , some do as mine dose , it also charges the engine battery from the solar panel . disconnecting the neg lead is probably a precaution as you very likely have a smart alternator .so I would charge as instructions. Some years ago I would connect a battery charger to the jump start terminals but things have moved on .
 
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Molly 3 said:
Check if your van has an engine battery charge facility built in to the charging system , some do as mine dose , it also charges the engine battery from the solar panel . disconnecting the neg lead is probably a precaution as you very likely have a smart alternator .so I would charge as instructions. Some years ago I would connect a battery charger to the jump start terminals but things have moved on .
Click to expand...

hi, only the leisure battery has a charge facility from new. Although Elddis fit a dual solar controller it is only wired to leisure battery. Something whi I will rectify later when this lockdown is over.
 
Stop-start systems do have a voltage sensor 'at' the terminal to ensure that the battery can start again if the engine is stopped automatically.
My daughter in law's Golf has a separate earth post for jump lead and unusually has negative terminal cover with warning to encourage its use.

In the good old days I'd have charged anything without disconnecting the battery but nowadays I would think twice.
 
Hi
we have a cv60 which i would expect to be similar - I didn't know it had a B2B. Does that mean if we have it hooked up at home (to power the heating on a anti frost setting) it will keep the cab battery charged?
 
Be careful with built in battery chargers - there's a distinct risk that they don't drop down to a safe trickle voltage and will gas the battery.
Not all will charge both batteries either.
If you don't have a solar top up then it might be worth investing in separate proper maintenance chargers running off hook up. Tip not all of them will kick in again above 0.8A if the battery drops down.
Not a problem if 'no load' but leave a light on and you could be in trouble.
Most batteries should last at least a couple of weeks so you could check k the voltages fortnightly and then charge one followed by the other using one charger.
 
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