Starter battery - tips when camping?

[stupot]

Hi all, silly question and I can’t find an answer, when camping, if I constantly go in and out of the van, sliding door lights come on etc I’m worried I’ll drain the starter battery. Any tips or tricks? Is there a way to stop the sliding door step lights coming on or a way to switch them off? Leisure battery side of things all good, got a lithium one so tons of power for other stuff

 

[Bargy62]

Take the bulbs out

 

[roadtripper]

If they're LED the draw will be minimal?

 

[keith baker]

I put a charger on the starter battery if I'm using EHU. This has the benefit of charging the leisure battery via the dc/dc once the starter is up to voltage.

 

[Pete C]

As above, a 5A battery charger plugged into the "always on" cigarette lighter socket does it for us if we are stationary on site for some time.

Pete

 

[Dellmassive]

You can turn the auto front head lights off via the switch. And disable driving lights with handbrake on via VCDS... (A must tweek for camping)

...

The battery will go flat eventually without any top-up charge over a weekend.

So look at adding a small 5-10A charger for starter.(if EHU available)

Or small 50-100w solar mobile kit for starter battery maintenance.

And a jump pack to get you going when the battery does go flat.....

Or worst case scenario....run the engine for 15mins the following daytime, each day, with the blower fan set to 2.... (which Will kick the smart alternator into higher power mode in an attempt to put some charge back into the starter battery)

 

[Dellmassive]

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[Dellmassive]

You could also fit a reverse charger that will top-up your starter battery from your lithium leisure battery.

We use the amt2-12.


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[stupot]

Wow so many things to think about! Dammit I thought the leisure battery would solve all my problems… battery maintainer might be the best bet as I’m rarely on hook up. Easy to fit? I’m petrified of car electrics and don’t fancy getting to the leisure battery as it’s under the drivers seat.

 

[Dellmassive]

Wow so many things to think about! Dammit I thought the leisure battery would solve all my problems… battery maintainer might be the best bet as I’m rarely on hook up. Easy to fit? I’m petrified of car electrics and don’t fancy getting to the leisure battery as it’s under the drivers seat.

Just buy the amt12-2 yourself.

Then take it to a car audio shop or caravan place to fit.

But saying that.... If you fave a dc-dc charger for your lithium then all the hard work is done....

It just needs tapping in with a few fused wires.

But take it to an auto electrical place if you not happy doing it yourself.

 

[stupot]

Thanks, yes I have a battery to battery charger CTEK I believe. @Absolut5 did the install a few months ago. This seems like the best solution I think and not too expensive