Leisure battery charging while electrics isolated

Sooty6.1

Sue Rubies ~ 'CamperVanya'
T6 Pro
Hi, I’ve been advised to isolate the habitation electrics whenever my van’s parked up on the drive and not in use, which I’ve done. However, if I want to give the leisure battery a charge by hooking it up to my home supply for a day or so, do I need to switch the electrics back on during that time?
 
Probably not. Do you have a charger built in and wired to an external hook up, or are you attaching a 'loose' mains charger to the battery? Either way, cutting out any draw from the battery is a good thing.
 
Probably not. Do you have a charger built in and wired to an external hook up, or are you attaching a 'loose' mains charger to the battery? Either way, cutting out any draw from the battery is a good thing.
Thanks for the reply. I have a charger fitted and a hook-up attachment beneath the bonnet so my idea is to keep on top of the charge that way in between uses, i.e. just like on hook-up on camp sites but at home with a hook-up adapter to attach to the mains. I just wondered whether I could do this with the habitation electrics still isolated. I thought I could but am not 100% sure.
 
If your van is on the drive just leave it connected to your house supply 247. The charger will make sure your batteries are ready to go and will not draw power from house mains until needed. Isolated the hab bats and they will not charge from your EHU supply. I have been doing this for 12+ years and got 8yrs out of the last set of batteries. The batteries will only take what they need to charge up.
 
If your van is on the drive just leave it connected to your house supply 247. The charger will make sure your batteries are ready to go and will not draw power from house mains until needed. Isolated the hab bats and they will not charge from your EHU supply. I have been doing this for 12+ years and got 8yrs out of the last set of batteries. The batteries will only take what they need to charge up.
Ah, ok I considered doing this but wasn’t sure how it worked exactly. So, just to confirm, you’re saying NOT to activate the isolation switch when charging the leisure battery?
 
Ah, ok I considered doing this but wasn’t sure how it worked exactly. So, just to confirm, you’re saying NOT to activate the isolation switch when charging the leisure battery?
It's up to you, but I have never an isolation switch whilst my vehicle was parked outside my home. I always have the batteries ready to go fully charged.
 
It's up to you, but I have never an isolation switch whilst my vehicle was parked outside my home. I always have the batteries ready to go fully charged.
Absolutely, yes I know its my decision, but knowing how you do it has helped me understand so thanks v much for that *thumbs up*
 
Hi, I’ve been advised to isolate the habitation electrics whenever my van’s parked up on the drive and not in use, which I’ve done. However, if I want to give the leisure battery a charge by hooking it up to my home supply for a day or so, do I need to switch the electrics back on during that time?
I just wonder what they mean by habitation electrics?
on mine the recommendation is to leave it plugged full time into the mains, with the charger turned on but to flip the RCD’s off which supply power to the 240v sockets in the habitation area.
Mine therefore sits on permanent charge but with the internal mains isolated.
(Sargent electrical system).
 
Where did you fit the isolation switch?

What EHU charger are you using?

Is the charger connected behind the isolation switch?

Got a few pics?
 
I just wonder what they mean by habitation electrics?
on mine the recommendation is to leave it plugged full time into the mains, with the charger turned on but to flip the RCD’s off which supply power to the 240v sockets in the habitation area.
Mine therefore sits on permanent charge but with the internal mains isolated.
(Sargent electrical system).
Not sure why you would plug into EHU, but to flip the RCD’s off. I cannot see why this would be useful at all.
 
Not sure why you would plug into EHU, but to flip the RCD’s off. I cannot see why this would be useful at all.
the RCD’s are built into the campers control box (Sargent) two of them provide mains power to sockets within the camper and I guess it’s safer to isolate these rather than keeping them live whilst hibernation.
 
Where did you fit the isolation switch?

What EHU charger are you using?

Is the charger connected behind the isolation switch?

Got a few pics?
The isolation switch is fitted onto the kitchen unit, to the rear of the driver’s seat.
It’s fitted with a Victron Blue Smart IP22 charger.
Pics of front and rear of isolation switch ...

0B463A73-5546-4E5E-BFDF-64B2361B6D1D.jpeg

A771284F-6B51-45A6-822C-0BF4858733B5.jpeg
 
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