Battery charging
- Thread starter SofaKing
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- dc - dc charger
Just following on from this. I have a ctek 250 Dc to Dc charger to charge the second battery from the engine battery. It’s “sensor” cable is connected to an ignition live spare fuse and I have no smart pass (not enough space under the seats).
Am I ok charging the second battery by hooking up to the mains and using my victron charger and also connecting up a ctek charger to the engine battery without the keys in?
Just want a way to keen the engine battery also topped up when camping....
Am I ok charging the second battery by hooking up to the mains and using my victron charger and also connecting up a ctek charger to the engine battery without the keys in?
Just want a way to keen the engine battery also topped up when camping....
You are OK charging the leisure battery from the Victron charger but why would you need to charge the van battery?
Is there an easy way to trickle charge the leisure battery then?
Understood. You have to be sure to connect the negative from a charger to the body of the van and not direct to the battery terminal, other than that it will be fine.
Yes, fit a smart charger and either connect it into your mains hook up if you have one or plug it into an extension cable when required and coil up the mains cable under the seat out of the way when not in use. It can be left permanently connected to the battery.
travelvolts other makes are available
Thanks, i thought that would be the case. I always use the ground rather than terminal on the battery as i read somewhere else on the forum of all the voltage sensors etc. Thanks @travelvolts
Just to restart this thread, I've done quite a lot of reading on the forum about trickle charging the leisure battery, but I'm still not sure exactly what I need to do. From this thread, @travelvolts, you suggest that if I have an electric hook-up (which I do), I can trickle charge the leisure battery using that... but that link above showed about 6 different chargers, can you please just explain - for a complete novice - which one I need, and then is it as simple as plugging in that charger and plugging in my electric cable?
Also, I think I have understood this correctly that letting the leisure battery go dead and remain dead is a bad thing, so if the van is left on the drive all week most weeks, then I should 'hook-up'....?
The van battery though will be fine if I leave it all week and just use it on weekends??
Thanks in advance.
Your leisure battery should last weeks without charging, unless you have something drawing current from it.
I can leave our camper for at least 4 weeks without use, and the starter and leisure battery are fine. But I know nothing is drawing current from the leisure battery.
Pete
I can leave our camper for at least 4 weeks without use, and the starter and leisure battery are fine. But I know nothing is drawing current from the leisure battery.
Pete
All of those chargers are suitable. Which one you choose will depend on how much power you draw from your leisure battery whilst you are camping. Unless you have exceptional demands we recommend the IP65 12/10 model. We also recommend using this charger to condition charge your leisure battery a couple of times a month. An overnight charge once a fortnight is a good thing. Leaving a battery in a partially or fully discharged state is not a good thing and will lead to premature failure of the battery.
The chargers can be "hard wired" into your van so you don't have to bother with plugging them in when you hook up, they just do what is needed automatically.
hi @travelvolts would I be able to fit one of these charger to my set up , its sargent ec155 and would it be of benefit to me
also I think I just have a split charge relay , would I be better with a dc - dc charger
appologies for me not fully understanding this but im learning
also I think I just have a split charge relay , would I be better with a dc - dc charger
appologies for me not fully understanding this but im learning
Hello Nige, yes you will benefit massively from fitting one of the Victron chargers. I would also say that it is crucial to fit a DC-DC charger. Your current set up will destroy your battery in no time at all. neither the split charge system or the mains charger in the Sargent are doing anything of any value for your battery.
@travelvolts
thank you for that
I will be looking into getting them in the near future
one last question ?
I read somewhere on here where the van battery sits at 80% and if the leisure battery is at 100% it draws back to 80%
is this true
all these questions are based around my battery not lasting above a day and half with a fridge and a few l.e.d,s
I used it all week for work 10ml round and on the fri charged on hook up for 6hrs then a 2hr drive , for it to go flat sat night
cheers nige
thank you for that
I will be looking into getting them in the near future
one last question ?
I read somewhere on here where the van battery sits at 80% and if the leisure battery is at 100% it draws back to 80%
is this true
all these questions are based around my battery not lasting above a day and half with a fridge and a few l.e.d,s
I used it all week for work 10ml round and on the fri charged on hook up for 6hrs then a 2hr drive , for it to go flat sat night
cheers nige
Not a MOLL issue. This is mainly due to improper charging and as you mention, drain back due to the relay. The mains charger in the Sargent is not a proper charger, it is more a power supply that can keep your battery up if it is already full but would take an age to fully re charge a battery that has been discharged. I guarantee you a massive difference or your money back.
thank you for taking the time to advise me , it was becoming a bit of an issue for us , but now I feel we can
get these 2 items and move forward and enjoy thing better
I have read all the information on your website and that also makes things clearer to a non electrical persons
will be in touch over winter to order the charger,s
cheers nige
get these 2 items and move forward and enjoy thing better
I have read all the information on your website and that also makes things clearer to a non electrical persons
will be in touch over winter to order the charger,s
cheers nige
No problem. Always feel free to ask if you are at all unsure about anything electrical.
