Starter battery isolation whilst camping?

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CooseVW

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T6 Guru
So I've almost finished my 'day van' conversion and we have booked our first camping trip.

I've ran in some cables for a battery charger whilst on EHU but I've not actually fitted one yet.

Please tell me why it is a bad idea to disconnect the ground from the starter battery whilst we are camping, preventing a non-start situation when we try and leave the campsite due to a flat starter battery.

P.s. I've got a leisure battery and all the other gubbins fitted to power lighting etc in the van. Cool box and all that will be powered via EHU extension lead to the awning.
 
How do you plan on closing / locking the van? If the SB is disconnected?

Interior lights?
 
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And also, a 50w solar panel to put on front screen, on top of the screen wrap.

A 50w panel will keep the SB topped up during in the summer time when camping.

A 100w I'll be even better...

Like on if these and add a solar controller....



.Screenshot_20260712_090641_Amazon Shopping.webp


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20260711_111645.webp
 
CooseVW said:
So I've almost finished my 'day van' conversion and we have booked our first camping trip.

I've ran in some cables for a battery charger whilst on EHU but I've not actually fitted one yet.

Please tell me why it is a bad idea to disconnect the ground from the starter battery whilst we are camping, preventing a non-start situation when we try and leave the campsite due to a flat starter battery.

P.s. I've got a leisure battery and all the other gubbins fitted to power lighting etc in the van. Cool box and all that will be powered via EHU extension lead to the awning.
Click to expand...
I can think of one good reason, when you’re on a campsite at 2am and people are banging on your door telling you to evacuate because the forest is on fire. You don’t want to be dicking around re-connecting the earth to start the van. I’m sure there are other good reasons…..9f6ce24f-924b-4955-98ec-fcae3b39bacf.webp93446436-0b81-4d6a-959d-f89a8576123a.webp
 
Closing/ locking could be done via the key and interior lights are off the leisure battery.

I already carry a jump pack like you've linked so I've got that covered.

I was just concerned that I would flatten it beyond jumping with the booster pack.

Long term I'll fit a battery maintainer which can be connected to the EHU. Was just thinking for this trip.

I think the point on safety is a good one, I hadn't considered that.

Good job everyone, I think you've convinced me it's a bad idea! I'll stick with the jump pack!
 
CooseVW said:
Closing/ locking could be done via the key and interior lights are off the leisure battery.

I already carry a jump pack like you've linked so I've got that covered.

I was just concerned that I would flatten it beyond jumping with the booster pack.

Long term I'll fit a battery maintainer which can be connected to the EHU. Was just thinking for this trip.

I think the point on safety is a good one, I hadn't considered that.

Good job everyone, I think you've convinced me it's a bad idea! I'll stick with the jump pack!
Click to expand...
TBH in the 9 years we’ve had the van, and we are “heavy” users, it’s never been a problem. We’ve had an Ablemail AMT12 fitted for about 4yrs.
 
CooseVW said:
Closing/ locking could be done via the key and interior lights are off the leisure battery.

I already carry a jump pack like you've linked so I've got that covered.

I was just concerned that I would flatten it beyond jumping with the booster pack.

Long term I'll fit a battery maintainer which can be connected to the EHU. Was just thinking for this trip.

I think the point on safety is a good one, I hadn't considered that.

Good job everyone, I think you've convinced me it's a bad idea! I'll stick with the jump pack!
Click to expand...
I'm glad you've got it all sorted out.

But if they start a battery is disconnected the central locking won't work... On a T6 you have a key barrel on the driver's door, passenger door, rear door, but none on the side slider?.. so the side slider electronic lock wooden trigger..

It gets even worse on a T6.1 where it's normally just the passenger side that has a key barrel.... All of the other door locks are only via electronic central locking. I think later models may also have the key barrel on the drivers side for a UK build van
 
Bargy62 said:
If you have a battery charger you use at home take that and plug into EHU to keep your SB topped up
Click to expand...
I don't. Yet....

Might get that one I linked off Amazon then that solves all my problems!

I appreciate all your input.... I knew in the back of my mind that it wasn't a great idea, hence the reason I posted the question and never just went and done it!
 
@Dellmassive I know you're a bit of an electrical guru...

Would that NOCO one I've linked suffice? Would it trigger my CTEK D250se and also keep my lithium leisure battery topped up whilst charging the starter battery?
 
Don't know what LB charging system I have but I do know if I charge my SB via the ciggy lighter socket it charges the LB as well so to answer your question it probably will
 
CooseVW said:
@Dellmassive I know you're a bit of an electrical guru...

Would that NOCO one I've linked suffice? Would it trigger my CTEK D250se and also keep my lithium leisure battery topped up whilst charging the starter battery?
Click to expand...
No & Yes.....

The 2A charger above is too low power, that will only just about trickle charge then starter

A 5A battery charger is recommended for a Starter battery maintenance charger.

Then..... If you want to charge the LB via your Dcdc Ctek... To need more power., so a 10-20A charger is needed. For that.

So you need a 10A charger.... With that it WILL charge your LB.

Eg.

Noco 10A charger



 
But....... !


I don't recommend the NOCO chargers as maintenance charges.

As the charger profile cuts out after 48hrs in campervan mode.

See here....

SamD

Thread 'Noco Genius 10 not working correctly'

I have posted this on another thread but its the charger discussion one so i thought id do a separate one to see if anyone else has had this with Noco’s or any other charger. I've been camping this weekend. Running a Dometic CRX50 and a Noco Genius 10. The Noco charges when you turn it on/initially plug into hook up and it works through its stages and gets to the top so all lights are light and top green is flashing, once it swaps into optimisation mode and the rest of the lights go off and the top green flashes the charge just tails off and although the fridge is continuing to use power...
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So I recommend the Victron iP65 range.

Here s the 10A charger. That will charge both batteries.



...


More info here....


moodsterT6

Thread 'Charging Starter and Leisure batteries with same charger - Victron'

Hi, Inspired by @Deaky build post, I was planning on installing a Victron IP65 Smart charger next to the Starter Battery and a 2nd one to charge the Leisure batter (110AH AGM). I've discovered the CTEK D250SE will still charge the leisure battery as long as the volts on the starter battery are above 12.9v regardless of the switched live input providing +12V or not. I guess this is expected behaviour for the VSR aspect on the CTEK. My question is why install a 2nd Victron Charger for the Leisure battery, If I install the 15AMP version of the Victron charger, the starter and leisure...
 
Another option is the 5A charger via the dash socket....

See here...


Dellmassive

Post in thread '[Guide] Battery Maintainer (for Starter battery) -- How I Done It --'

Winter 2022 - Mobile EHU and battery charging via 12v socket.


right so its winter / xmas 2022 so the van will be layed up for a while. . .

possibly 2 weeks or more. . .

so this time i thought i would demo the Mobile EHU method using a Portable Power Pack and mains charger.


this is what we are going to use . . .

1671815441162.png



I've fully charged the ECOFLOW River Pro 600 . . . .

its 720Wh capacity. ( your see why this numberr is important later)

1671815522761.png1671815534011.png1671815693672.png


+++


next up we have the charger . . .

im going for a small...
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