Charging cab battery from hab battery

[wildebus]

I suspect that, as with quite a few things on the M/home front, Members will fit what suits them. I'm delighted with my 99.99% idiot proof set up (only have to remember to wait for the Warning Lights on the dashboard to extinguish and check that the airbag warning light is extinguished) and then start the engine

Now there is an idea ..... fit some kind of countdown delay that stops the starter motor from being engaged for say 20 seconds after ignition is turned on. move it to 99.999% idiot proof

I shall need to use the grey cell (singular) in November to decide whether to play very safe and have the Yuasa Engine Battery replaced at 3 years old (makes it less than £1pw cost over 3 years) for peace of mind; or whether to wait for warning signs of a dying Battery to reappear

Steve

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I have the control panel to look at and a ciggy light volt meter, if they agree I'm happy they also let me know if the alternator is doing it's job.

The only thing I would like if I had the bread to pay for it to be fitted would be a means of knowing from the house instead of going down to the van, I know it can be done but it isn't pennies.

I'm not against the tech in the least I'd have it all, as simple is by necessity but the hi-tech stuff has to be sourced and paid for and nowadays fitted and I'd need a David to do that and whilst I'd love to meet the man he doesn't live near me.

 

[wildebus]

I have the control panel to look at and a ciggy light volt meter, if they agree I'm happy they also let me know if the alternator is doing it's job.

The only thing I would like if I had the bread to pay for it to be fitted would be a means of knowing from the house instead of going down to the van, I know it can be done but it isn't pennies.

I'm not against the tech in the least I'd have it all, as simple is by necessity but the hi-tech stuff has to be sourced and paid for and nowadays fitted and I'd need a David to do that and whilst I'd love to meet the man he doesn't live near me.

The next project I have lined up for my Van is a touch of technology to provide a very low-tech solution. It will help me to stop driving off with the EHU lead still plugged in!
Cost of driving off with lead in - potentially £££s
Cost of tech to stop it happening - under a tenner.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

The next project I have lined up for my Van is a touch of technology to provide a very low-tech solution. It will help me to stop driving off with the EHU lead still plugged in!
Cost of driving off with lead in - potentially £££s
Cost of tech to stop it happening - under a tenner.

Old bits of cardboard are expensive where you live then David?

My tech for that is a plastic hook around the door handle and it holds the lead off the floor (home only) so I have to unhook it to get in the cab, foolproof.

Like hell it is, twice I've unhooked it to get in and do something then realise I need to move the van slightly. the cardboard with EHU ! ! ! written in BIG letters works every time though.

 

[trevskoda]

No EHU required now with solar and sun.

 

[marchie]

No EHU required now with solar and sun.

We're on an Aire at Roquetes that is free, including an EHU, Trev. It's the first one we've used since the trip began on 6th March, and whilst the Solar and a decent sized Lithium have coped well, the ability to charge bike batteries, use the slow cooker, save gas on the hot water, and have sufficient of the latter on tap for instant use, without having to think about the time of day re Solar drain etc al, is a real benefit, not to say, joy. 'Joy? I said not to say that ...'

Steve

 

[witzend]

So fiddly, switch so easy.

Switch So easy to forget and end up with burning wires thats why he suggests a fuse

 

[merl]

The next project I have lined up for my Van is a touch of technology to provide a very low-tech solution. It will help me to stop driving off with the EHU lead still plugged in!
Cost of driving off with lead in - potentially £££s
Cost of tech to stop it happening - under a tenner.

If it's my 1M long extension cable with the lock catch removed you'd better not be patenting it matey

 

[HurricaneSmith]

............... Maybe you should remove the starter from your van and get an cranking handle instead. It is simplier and less complicated.

I wouldn't always agree with that. One of my father's early cars had a cranking handle, and my first lesson in using it was to keep fingers and thumb on the same side of the grip.

He told me that I ever forgot, then kick back would probably break my thumb, so I remembered.

 

[CriftinsCampers]

@Budgie
Very easy to diy a battery maintainer and dirt cheap as well
A diode, fuse and a light bulb does the job perfectly ok.
Several examples on YouTube.

That’s effectively what is inside the budget Voltronic unit except they use a different component to a bulb as the current limiter.

If you have a Victron multi plus it has a built in trickle charger.
Sterling make a battery maintainer buts it relatively expensive and prone to disabling itself due to false high voltage errors

The Ablemail AMT12-2 is probably the most expensive option especially if you buy one that turns out to have corrupted firmware or you want to fine tune it’s settings and then have to buy the even more expensive Bluetooth interface to set it up properly!

Some solar controllers do bidirectional charging e.g. the Renogy Dccs range but following several price hikes Renogy products are no longer the good value they once were imho.

 

[marchie]

@Budgie
Very easy to diy a battery maintainer and dirt cheap as well
A diode, fuse and a light bulb does the job perfectly ok.
Several examples on YouTube.

That’s effectively what is inside the budget Voltronic unit except they use a different component to a bulb as the current limiter.

If you have a Victron multi plus it has a built in trickle charger.
Sterling make a battery maintainer buts it relatively expensive and prone to disabling itself due to false high voltage errors

The Ablemail AMT12-2 is probably the most expensive option especially if you buy one that turns out to have corrupted firmware or you want to fine tune it’s settings and then have to buy the even more expensive Bluetooth interface to set it up properly!

Some solar controllers do bidirectional charging e.g. the Renogy Dccs range but following several price hikes Renogy products are no longer the good value they once were imho.

I had no problems with the Ablemail set up (if I had, then David @wildebus or Jonathan at Ablemail would have replaced it, under warranty. The AMT12 was £64.95 and a pair of the ABB07 (I was over cautious and needed only 1 but kept the second as a spare) came as part of a £200 fitting package that included USBs that also included tidying up previous wiring and resolving a couple of anomalies. This set up has worked perfectly for over 3 years and was a lot cheaper than replacing a blown ECU, a dodgy new Bosch Vehicle Battery, a damaged replacement, and a final Yuasa installation plus diagnostic testing and proxy realignment at some £1335

Steve

 

[Sonar]

No EHU required now with solar and sun.

I have made myself a laminated sign the same sort as they hang on the hotel door knobs. But hook mine onto the steering wheel.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Too much time on their hands some folk

 

[trevskoda]

Switch So easy to forget and end up with burning wires thats why he suggests a fuse

No chance, mine can stay on 24/7 as it does when driving, battery to battery is with hd battery cable, hence the 200ah relay, no we thin wire here.

 

[merl]

@Budgie
Very easy to diy a battery maintainer and dirt cheap as well
A diode, fuse and a light bulb does the job perfectly ok.
Several examples on YouTube.

That’s effectively what is inside the budget Voltronic unit except they use a different component to a bulb as the current limiter.

If you have a Victron multi plus it has a built in trickle charger.
Sterling make a battery maintainer buts it relatively expensive and prone to disabling itself due to false high voltage errors

The Ablemail AMT12-2 is probably the most expensive option especially if you buy one that turns out to have corrupted firmware or you want to fine tune it’s settings and then have to buy the even more expensive Bluetooth interface to set it up properly!

Some solar controllers do bidirectional charging e.g. the Renogy Dccs range but following several price hikes Renogy products are no longer the good value they once were imho.

The problem with using a diode is the voltage drop. Typically 0.6v to 1V, you can lower the figure by using Schottky diodes but there's still over 0.3V lost AND the diodes get hot too.
If a smart bypass diode is used instead then the difference is basically zero and there's no heat generated either.
Link below to the WC thread. There's an error in the 1st post with the diode part number, it's a SM74611. About £3-£5 each.

Charging cab / engine battery from Solar panel.

Ive often left all my vehicles for months on end with no charge. Cars get left for up to five or six months, bikes often the same and the motorhome often gets left over winter. I just disconnect the negative lead off the batteries. Seems to work. Ask any good battery shop and you will be told...

wildcamping.co.uk

 

[Sonar]

Too much time on their hands some folk

And some of us just dont have enough time.