On or off

[andromeda]

No derision please. I should know the answer but have gone completely blank.
Do I leave the lever in the on position to charge the leisure batteries whilst driving or leave it in the off position ( meaning for example I would not be able to use hab lights etc)
Thank for any kind responses I get

 

[barlicker]

No derision please. I should know the answer but have gone completely blank.
Do I leave the lever in the on position to charge the leisure batteries whilst driving or leave it in the off position ( meaning for example I would not be able to use hab lights etc)
Thank for any kind responses I get

You would want to charge your leisure batteries when driving therefore leave the "lever" in the on position.

 

[oppy]

Don't fret chuck, it's a question I've been wanting to ask too

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Lever ???

 

[andromeda]

Lever ???

Behind the drivers seat is a lever like thing which I turn on or off. It means all the hab electrics can be turned off in one go so batteries aren't drained if I inadvertently leave something on I presume

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I have never come across such a thing, I assume an owner has fitted it.

I would start the engine and see if the leisure batteries are charging or not depending on the position of the lever, and that will give you a definitive answer.

 

[yorkslass]

Unusual. When the engine is started on mine, the leisure side is automatically disconnected. I only found out when I moved the van with an internal light on.

 

[jagmanx]

I am no expert but surely it must be left on im order for your alternator to be live to the leisure battery to charge it. With it off only solar will charge leisure battery. Also I suspect fridge will not work if set to 12v.
We have a switch rather than a lever.
I leave it on in winter so solar will top up LB and EB but with everything else off (including the fridge ! Which is left open).

 

[TJBi]

I have never come across such a thing, I assume an owner has fitted it.

I would start the engine and see if the leisure batteries are charging or not depending on the position of the lever, and that will give you a definitive answer.

A quarter-turn battery switch (not really a lever) is a common feature, usually installed on manufacture.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Not had that either, start and go on all our vans even my self build where the LB gets a charge as we drive, some vans all the hab light would be dead but that's about it.

 

[Tidewatcher]

All habitation electric are turned off when the engine starts usually by the Seargent small controller. This apparently is a legal requirement as I understand it to stop the tv being on and distracting following drivers, a law introduced for coaches but it also covers campers. As the controls are factory fitted they operate in this way in case a tv is fitted later. The switch you are talking about is an isolator for the habitation batteries should you wish to ensure no power loss when stored or if you are working on the habitation electrics. Leave it on at all other times for battery charging via the alternator. Without seeing it that is the best conclusion I can come to.

 

[trevskoda]

Leave on always, except if the starter batt is low then drive for a few miles and switch back on again and leave it.

 

[wildebus]

A quarter-turn battery switch (not really a lever) is a common feature, usually installed on manufacture.

I am not sure that it is a common feature, but it is certainly a very useful feature to be able to totally isolate the batteries. (I recommend these to anyone asking me about electrics upgrades and installations).

It is not something you would use on a regular basis though and is very much a maintenance/layup/emergency feature.

All habitation electric are turned off when the engine starts usually by the Seargent small controller. This apparently is a legal requirement as I understand it to stop the tv being on and distracting following drivers, a law introduced for coaches but it also covers campers....

The setup where all the habitation electrics are disabled when the engine is running is certainly very common on British Manufactured Motorhomes, but is not a legal requirement and you don't tend to see this on European built Motorhomes. I would say you see it on Autosleepers, Autotrails, Swifts, Elddis, etc as they all use Systems that are fitted in Caravans as well and it makes sense to disable everything in a caravan when towing it.

 

[Tidewatcher]

Seems it is to do with electrical interference but a sort of leftover from a possible problem with interference in caravan electrics. Odd one but to be honest it real isn’t a problem as most of the time when the engine is running I am looking out of the front window……

"The PSU also includes an EMC isolation relay to turn the outputs off whilst the engine is running. It is a legal requirement to ensure that equipment that is not approved for use whilst a vehicle is in motion is isolated during motion. This ensures such items as an oven igniter cannot interrupt or affect vehicle systems. To enable this please ensure an ‘engine running’ (D+) signal is connected to the EMC input terminal.”

 

[wildebus]

Seems it is to do with electrical interference but a sort of leftover from a possible problem with interference in caravan electrics. Odd one but to be honest it real isn’t a problem as most of the time when the engine is running I am looking out of the front window……

"The PSU also includes an EMC isolation relay to turn the outputs off whilst the engine is running. It is a legal requirement to ensure that equipment that is not approved for use whilst a vehicle is in motion is isolated during motion. This ensures such items as an oven igniter cannot interrupt or affect vehicle systems. To enable this please ensure an ‘engine running’ (D+) signal is connected to the EMC input terminal.”

you quote a paragragh ... what is the source? Why do European vans not comply?

 

[wildebus]

Here is a comment (https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.u...-12v-electrics-when-the-Engine-starts-/46665/) that quotes the MD of Autotrail.
3rd hand info, but just as valid as anything else on internet forums ....

"I remember asking Mr Dave Thomas (now MD of Auto-Trail) about this some 18 years ago, as my Herald motorhome (that he had designed) included this ‘feature’. I said that Continental motorhome converters clearly did not disable habitation-area 12V services, so it seemed strange that UK converters apparently considered doing this to be essential.

Mr Thomas’s reply was that the ‘ploy’ originally permitted any 12V equipment that was fitted to UK-built caravans to also be used in UK-built motorhomes without being concerned about whether the equipment might have an EMC-related impact on the vehicle. Having introduced this ‘fix’, it had become standard practice and all UK motorhome converters now did this irrespective of whether the practice was necessary or rational.

I asked if there were any UK regulations forcing UK motorhome converters to disable the 12V system as a matter of course. Mr Thomas replied that he was not aware of any, adding that if I was able to establish the legal position he would be interested to learn what I had found out."

 

[Tidewatcher]

you quote a paragragh ... what is the source? Why do European vans not comply?

Found it on a simple google search and it seemed reasonable. Maybe it’s a legal requirement, maybe it’s a recommendation, maybe it’s left over from caravan regs. Personally it doesn’t seem a big deal, if charging phones and the like it can be done in the cab and never used the loo when driving yet! Still remember something about tv and coaches though. Maybe I will delve into it a bit deeper when the dark nights arrive....

 

[wildebus]

Well, I would be willing to bet it is not and can not be a legal requirement as otherwise a large number of European manufacturers would end up being prosecuted as if it is a law, it will be European wide.
And it could be a big deal for many people actually. Maybe not you as the driver, but what about passengers who are not in the front cab and want to charge their phones, use their tablets etc?
Need to consider the bigger picture - something sadly UK Motorhome builders forget about and it is unreasonable.
One of the first things to do for me .... disable the automatic habitation disconnect

 

[jagmanx]

If habitation electrics are disabled..
Surely that would mean no fridge on 12V....The alternative being to power it by gas whilst running. I suggest this is more risky and potentially catastrophic !

 

[Tidewatcher]

On mine lights and 12v sockets disabled but fridge runs on 12v doing its auto thing quite happily. Must admit it’s no problem as only two of us so both looking out of the front window when driving, double usb socket and never had a problem charging stuff. The only one you have to remember is the eberspacher which you need to turn off and let it go through it’s shut down cycle before starting the engine. Did look at wiring it separately but it’s a lot easier to just think a bit before you start up, it goes on my list of covers to put on , plugs to pull out and hatches to close I place on the dashboard when stopped. You can’t beat a check list.