Can the van electrics be used whilst on trickle charge?

[JDC]

My son has told me he wants to take the van abroad for 4 weeks at Easter with his girlfriend, but there's no elec and it's my first time doing a van. I'm hoping to finish off the insulation etc over the next week or so but not started on the electrics. Basically need some help on the electric. Is it easy and quick to do lesuire battery install etc or go portable? What are the rough costs? Can a AC/DC battery charger be plugged in under the bonnet and run from EHU to charge the starter battery and could the van be ok with doors open and lights etc being used?? I've read so much from you talented group of people that my brain can't cope with the information I'm trying to gather, hence the above questions.
Long term, probably mainly EHU but need it for days out and occasionally an odd night stop over. It's a kombi so no fridge inside. Do I swop the starter battery charger and just get a Nocco instead?? Don't know what to do??

 

[Dave Lawson]

Could go for the easier option with something like this:

3 Way Mobile Mains Unit Power Hook Up RCD Cable Lead - Caravan Motorhome Camping | eBay

The Camping Hook Up Mains Power Unit - 3 Mains Outlets is ideal for use in awnings, tents and caravans and more! The mains unit has protective covers which are IP44 water resistance for added safety and longevity for use outside.

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[Dave Lawson]

Leisure battery install is fairly straight forward, loads of info on here, usually located under one of your seats. For a fixed ehu you’d need to get your consumer box sorted and decide where it’s going. I had mine under the bonnet in front of the starter battery but you need to fish the cable through the bulk head for that.

 

[Pete C]

A leisure battery install is the best option, but you may not have time to do that - depends on the current state of your van.
You could just buy a decent battery charger, and hook your starter battery to that on EHU. That should keep the starter battery topped up, but you don’t mention what the power usage is likely to be.

Pete

 

[JDC]

Leisure battery install is fairly straight forward, loads of info on here, usually located under one of your seats. For a fixed ehu you’d need to get your consumer box sorted and decide where it’s going. I had mine under the bonnet in front of the starter battery but you need to fish the cable through the bulk head for that.

EHU will go under the battery and I'm thinking of an IP rated socket to supply the charger for the starter battery. I do like the look of the small mains unit though.

 

[Dave Lawson]

You can trickle whilst using, in answer to your original question.

 

[JDC]

A leisure battery install is the best option, but you may not have time to do that - depends on the current state of your van.
You could just buy a decent battery charger, and hook your starter battery to that on EHU. That should keep the starter battery topped up, but you don’t mention what the power usage is likely to be.

Pete

I'm not sure in the usage as we haven't used it yet so don't know what we'd use. We have a 12v/230v cool box from when we used to camp, that will probably be used, and the rest would be chargers for phones and tablets. What charger do you recommend so I can do what you suggest and then use it in the van on a permanent install.

 

[JDC]

You can trickle whilst using, in answer to your original question.

Cheers. So if it's on charge via EHU my starter battery won't go flat because of doors open etc?

 

[DXX]

If you want a problem free installation I would advise solar, B2B and EHU. It’s much easier to get the build done in one hit rather than retrofitting after completion.
There are many battery problems reported on this Forum due to flat batteries, mainly static vans where the B2B charge is not running, solar power solves the problem (unless you put the van in a garage).
I would also consider the re-sale value, at some point it will be sold, the better the equipment level the more likely it will attract a good price.

 

[DaveCrampton]

I have a similar system to that which DXX describes.

I have a Renogy Solar Suit case which I take away for if not close to an EHU.
I have a leisure battery under my passenger seat. Charging this I have a DCC50S but that is overkill for my 62Ahr AGM. A DCC30S would do, but I wanted to future proof myself.
I have an EHU which comes in next to the vehicle battery, and initially bought a small fuse box but then found this inline RCD:

https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/kp-b13c/rcd-in-line-rewireable/dp/PL15119?

This has a thick three core which I routed via a plastic gland through the firewall into the passenger side cabin, and then down the wheel arch, under the carpet and over to a 2 x 3 pin female outlet under the driver's seat.
When the vehicle drives, the alternator charges the leisure battery via the DCC50S.
I have a Victron IP65 smart Blue battery charger:

Blue Smart IP65 Charger (120V and 230V) - Victron Energy

The Blue Smart IP65 Charger is the new professional battery charger with built-in bluetooth. Find a Victron Energy dealer near you.

www.victronenergy.com

I have seen this hard wired into the mains EHU and secured next to the vehicle battery, so that when you plug in the EHU the Victron charges the Vehicle battery and this in turn through the DCC50S charges the leisure battery. I do not have this wired in, as I like to have the Victron ready to charge my car or lend out to friends if their batteries need rescuing.

 

[Salty Spuds]

My son has told me he wants to take the van abroad for 4 weeks at Easter with his girlfriend….

“Tell” him that the van will be ready when it’s ready & if that doesn’t suit his demands, he can buy a 2 man tent & some good walking boots…..

 

[t0mb0]

I'm not sure in the usage as we haven't used it yet so don't know what we'd use. We have a 12v/230v cool box from when we used to camp, that will probably be used, and the rest would be chargers for phones and tablets. What charger do you recommend so I can do what you suggest and then use it in the van on a permanent install.

Check the type of cool box you have and its power draw, if it's a compressor type, it'll likely be well suited to run off a leisure battery. However, if it's not, it could be extremely power hungry and flatten any sensible leisure battery very quickly.

 

[JDC]

“Tell” him that the van will be ready when it’s ready & if that doesn’t suit his demands, he can buy a 2 man tent & some good walking boots…..

Haha, that's what I've told him.

 

[JDC]

Check the type of cool box you have and its power draw, if it's a compressor type, it'll likely be well suited to run off a leisure battery. However, if it's not, it could be extremely power hungry and flatten any sensible leisure battery very quickly.

I'm not sure on the power but we did used to have it on charge in the car down to the campsite then fitted a transformer to operate 230v on hook up.

 

[Salty Spuds]

I'm not sure on the power but we did used to have it on charge in the car down to the campsite then fitted a transformer to operate 230v on hook up.

Sounds like a thermoelectric type, it’ll kill your battery in around 8hrs.

 

[JDC]

Is a battery monitor required? I see there useful.