Ctek charging of leisure batteries.

BobbyT

Guest
Hello,
Is it possible to charge two leisure batteries connected in parallel using one ctek charger? If so, would they need to be removed from the electrical system of the vehicle?
Thanks to anybody who replies.
Regards
Bob
 
Hello,
Is it possible to charge two leisure batteries connected in parallel using one ctek charger? If so, would they need to be removed from the electrical system of the vehicle?
Thanks to anybody who replies.
Regards
Bob
Yes it is possible in fact it is quite normal. You can charge the batteries in situ without disconnecting them, after all that is what an on board charger is doing.
 
Thanks for your reply racy. Thought that was the case but just needed confirmation from somebody with greater knowledge.
 
I would say that it depends on the ctek charger model

different models handle different capacity batteries

So add up the two batteries capacity and size the CTEK charger accordingly
 
The size of charger required really depends on how quickly you need to charge the batteries as much (more so IMO) as the size of the bank.
If I can recharge my fairly significant battery bank overnight on EHU, that is good enough. I don't need it to be recharged by 1AM if 8AM is perfectly fine.
Same is true of charging while driving
 
I've got a smart CTek gizmo charging my 2 batteries. I don't claim to know anything about leccy but I know I had to buy the 20amp version for my 260Ah battery total instead of the 10amp that was originally fitted in the van. The old 10amp charger had worked OK when I increased the batteries - albeit more slowly as Wildebus said - but then blew up and that sort of made the decision for me! :rolleyes:
 
If you do want to upgrade here is a 20ah unit which is as good as any expensive stuff we are told to fit to vans
Isn’t that a 240v charger ? If so. I already have one. Aren’t we talking about 12v to 12v ?
 
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Thanks to all who responded to my ctek question. Although I am on hook-up at the moment, supplied while at home from my garage, I would prefer to charge using the ctek charger, which, according to the instructions, does a better job of maintaining the batery(s). As I won't be using the motorhome until the new year, I was told that this would be the best option of keeping the batteries in good condition. Thanks again for your replies. Really appreciated.
 
Aah so you are looking for a 220/240 vac mains charger to just maintain the battery at full charge throughput the winter

Then yes a ctek charger can be plugged in and left on permanently and as your only after a maintenance charge then one of the smaller output ctek’s should do
( aldi / lidl sell a similare product for around £15 periodically)

But you will need to think vehicle battery and leisure battery

Do you buy two ?

What i do during the dark winter months is connect my mains hook up using a timer so the mains charger is only on for say an hour a day and it charges both engine and leisure batteries
 
Thanks Trek. I Think that I should have included on my initial post that I only wanted to maintain the leisure batteries and possibly the engine battery through the winter. Can I ask why you put the ctek charger on only periodically when in affect it states that this can be left on permanently on a maintenance trickle charge?
The photos you included look very proficient! Please excuse my ignorance but why have you wired in two ctek charges? All I was going to do was clip the Ctek charger onto the terminals of one battery and because it is wired in parallel to the other I assumed that this would be sufficient to charge both. Please let me know if this is wrong.
Thanks again.
 
Hi BobbyT

I have a 20amp CTEK charger but i do not use it on my motorhome Unless it is to desulpate and fully charge the batteries which i do about once a year at same time i top up the water levels

When i use a timer on hookup it is using the campers built in original Shuadt EBL Charger , i limit it to about an hour a day using this timer rather than having it on permanently


PS Debs posted the photos
 
Hiya Trek,
Okay, so Debs photos, it looks like you have this as a permanent set up in your motorhome, or am I mistaken as you said that you do not use it in your motorhome? Just a little confused (my default state).
 
Hi BobbyT

Debs installation has nowt to do with me Its nothing like i have

I use a timer in the winter months to limit the motorhome manufacturers SHAUDT charging system to just an hour a day

I only occasionally use my large CTEK charger probably once a year when I remove the batteries and top up the electrolyte with distilled water and set the CTEK to desulpate the battery plates and mix the electrolyte up and give it a FULL charge
 
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Debs photos show the dc to dc charger with a smart pass connected to give up to 120amps I believe and these are B2B chargers
 
We have the Ctek D250s and the MXS 25 the later is hard wired so when on ehu it charges the 270ah battery bank. The D250s operates the solar which during the summer works well, and in the winter as as long as we move every day or so gets charged from the engine. So seldom use the MXs though it’s good to have it there during the winter months!!
 
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Aah so you are looking for a 220/240 vac mains charger to just maintain the battery at full charge throughput the winter

Then yes a ctek charger can be plugged in and left on permanently and as your only after a maintenance charge then one of the smaller output ctek’s should do
( aldi / lidl sell a similare product for around £15 periodically)

But you will need to think vehicle battery and leisure battery

Do you buy two ?

What i do during the dark winter months is connect my mains hook up using a timer so the mains charger is only on for say an hour a day and it charges both engine and leisure batteries
Hi trek I have 3 x 110ah battery's fitted charging off solar only , I want to fit a 240v charger to top up when not enough solar power and I'm on hookup , would the Aldi smart charger be enough ?
 
If, and now more probably, when I fit the Ctek 250, I can see a problem routing the welding cable. Bearing in mind, Demi is basically a Fiat panel van under her finery.
Two things are causing me scratch my head ATM. Neither are nits.
1, Getting the cable to turn a tight right angle coming out from the starter battery around the passenger seat. Was thinking of, using over the top fuse holders, 150a or more, to give be the change of direction and not protection. Regular fuses that come with the kit will do this.

2, Getting the cables across the sliding door opening.
Looking under the step into the van, it looks like there's room to fit them under the floor. Securing them with P clips. I'm concerned about interfering with the sliding door mechanism. That could act as a guillotine, with sparks, fire and no more me.

Alternatively, pushing the cables, (I'm thinking there are 2 , +&- ), through a piece of aluminium rectangular tubing 25x50x3, making a slightly higher step into the van.

3, Going under the van. Don't think I want to do this. This is a Fiat. Tin worm needs no encouragement.

I looked a Deb's, then realised her set up is behind the N/S passenger seat. You self builders have got it easy. :whistle:
 
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