Batteries - a few questions on charging etc

[AeonMach]

Ok, electricity hurts my head for some reason so hoping a few of the house experts can help me with what are probably easy/dum questions!

Now I have a 110Ah AGM leisure battery - under seat, charged Victron DC-DC charger - and I think after a couple of years usage that it might be coming to the end of its life (struggles to now charge much above 12.7V)?
Firstly I think that’s not unreasonable for these batteries right? (I’ve probably slept in the van well over a hundred nights over the last 2 years).

I will probably look to upgrade to a new Lithium battery given the price now and advantages (eg the Ecoworthy 110Ah with Bluetooth battery monitor has good reviews and price)…. but in the meantime I have a Noco Genius1 (1A) charger that I had for my wife’s old car (she often did a lot of short journeys - teacher - and the battery sometimes needed a boost).
Is this useful for a bit of trickle charging top-up?
The manual says only for batteries <30Ah but I presume that is for full charging given low Amps bc it would simply take too long? But would it be ok for a bit of trickle charging/top-up/miantenance?
Can I charge it by simply plugging in to a 12V lighter style plug that connects to it?

Also on wider interest, could you plug a charger into the main lighter plug to charge the starter battery? Or does this not work with modern car/van electrics?
And if you did, would this activate the Victron charger and charge through to the leisure battery too?

 

[CAB]

1. 12.7 v seems mostly full?

Random Google image:


2. Yes, Lithium is always the answer! Seriously, more capacity for the money.

3. Yes, it will keep it topped up. Straight into the 12v socket is fine for that current.

4. Yes. VW dash 12v sockets are permanent live (on T6, I think also on T6.1?)
Both go to starter unless you have factory leisure battery.

CTEK MXS 5.0 in van 240v socket + EHU and plugged into the 12v dash socket is how I kept my T6 healthy over winter, before Lithium and Ablemail.

Pretty sure 6.1 is the same.

5. Yes, it might trigger the Victron B2B if you don't use the D+ signal to trigger it, but that's no bad thing - two batteries charged for the price of one!



Edit:
have a good read on Delmassive's battery monitoring / charging / maintaining threads.

Thread 'Dellmassive’s "How I Done It" blogs.'

30 Aug 2018

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[AeonMach]

1. 12.7 v seems mostly full?

Random Google image:
View attachment 313558

2. Yes, Lithium is always the answer! Seriously, more capacity for the money.

3. Yes, it will keep it topped up. Straight into the 12v socket is fine for that current.

4. Yes. VW dash 12v sockets are permanent live (on T6, I think also on T6.1?)
Both go to starter unless you have factory leisure battery.

CTEK MXS 5.0 in van 240v socket + EHU and plugged into the 12v dash socket is how I kept my T6 healthy over winter, before Lithium and Ablemail.

Pretty sure 6.1 is the same.

5. Yes, it might trigger the Victron B2B if you don't use the D+ signal to trigger it, but that's no bad thing - two batteries charged for the price of one!



Edit:
have a good read on Delmassive's battery monitoring / charging / maintaining threads.

Thread 'Dellmassive’s "How I Done It" blogs.'

30 Aug 2018

-- Dellmassive`s -- "How I Done It" -- thread --

**************************************************
Dellmassive`s -- "how I Done It" -- Thread
**************************************************
Kit List And Stuff -- How I Done It & What I Use --
**************************************************
Trade members and forum supporters
**************************************************
For Sale - Summer-weekend-t6f Limited Edition External Stickers
For Sale - T6F Flags
**************************************************

@Dellmassive`s - Camper Van...

• Dellmassive
• dellmassive how to guide
• Replies: 36
• Forum: Electrics, Lighting, ICE, Security

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• 

Smashing, thanks for the detailed reply! Confirmed my shaky understanding of electricals!! Honestly I have a Physics degree but practically it remains a mystery
(To be fair to me, I think I’ve a reasonable layman’s underrating of van electrical and charging these days)

But aye, I’m maybe being a bit pessimistic about the existing AGM battery (and yes I use a chart that like that to gauge my battery from my mini voltmeter)… but I can definitely tell that it doesn’t quite take the full charge it used to

 

[CAB]

Smashing, thanks for the detailed reply! Confirmed my shaky understanding of electricals!! Honestly I have a Physics degree but practically it remains a mystery
(To be fair to me, I think I’ve a reasonable layman’s underrating of van electrical and charging these days)

But aye, I’m maybe being a bit pessimistic about the existing AGM battery (and yes I use a chart that like that to gauge my battery from my mini voltmeter)… but I can definitely tell that it doesn’t quite take the full charge it used to

Possibly the capacity is reduced if it has been drained too low too often, but the voltage will be the same when fully charged.

So it might only have half the capacity, and so appears to be fully charged much quicker (reaching charged voltage).

 

[Pauly]

I have a noco genius 1 and use it for all sorts
I often don’t use my Transporter for weeks so I connect to cig socket to safely charge main battery and leave it connected for days to give it a little trickle top up, same with my lithium battery box, I never need to recharge it in a hurry and it’s convenient to just plug into the cig socket
Just be aware it can take mine days to reach a full charge (that’s why I also have a 5a and 20a charger)

 

[AeonMach]

Possibly the capacity is reduced if it has been drained too low too often, but the voltage will be the same when fully charged.

So it might only have half the capacity, and so appears to be fully charged much quicker (reaching charged voltage).

Hmm, I’d say I’m definitely seeing a slightly lower max. voltage.
And I’ve been very careful and I don’t think I have EVER let the battery go below 12.1V…

 

[AeonMach]

I have a noco genius 1 and use it for all sorts
I often don’t use my Transporter for weeks so I connect to cig socket to safely charge main battery and leave it connected for days to give it a little trickle top up, same with my lithium battery box, I never need to recharge it in a hurry and it’s convenient to just plug into the cig socket
Just be aware it can take mine days to reach a full charge (that’s why I also have a 5a and 20a charger)

Smashing, thanks Pauly! That confirms that it is worth me buying the cig socket adapter!

 

[Pauly]

Smashing, thanks Pauly! That confirms that it is worth me buying the cig socket adapter!

I have a couple chargers that use same connector so handy swap around and chop and change charger