Another battery charging question

[NePa]

First post so be kind

I’ve read many posts on the forum about charging vehicle and leisure batteries but none quite seem to fit with my question. We had a Swift Bessacarr for many years and if I wanted to keep on top of battery charging over longer periods I could plug into the mains and select between vehicle and leisure to ensure they were both maintained.

We now have an Autotrail V Line which seems to have no such facility. It seems like the only way to keep on top of the vehicle battery is take it for a run or hope it’s very sunny (only has a 100w solar panel). Appreciate in the longer term a battery master would allow a trickle charge back into the vehicle battery but the van is still under warranty and irrespective of this, we go on an extended (non campervan holiday) soon for 5 weeks.

So simply my question is, am I better disconnecting the battery for 5 weeks but don’t believe I can lock the doors then? Or hook up a trickle charger to the vehicle battery whilst it’s still connected and then put van on EHU via a smart plug so that the sockets are live long enough to feed the battery charger? Would the direct connection of the battery charger cause any other issues with the van electronics? I’ve been told the tracker is enabled from the leisure battery.

 

[PhilandMena]

Surley a brand new Autotrail has an onboard charger as standard. Are you certain there is no charger ???

 

[PhilandMena]

THE V-LINE 610 SE
Specification details

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

ENGINE & CHASSIS

WEIGHT & DIMENSIONS

MAX. BED MEASUREMENTS

FLOOR COVERINGS & UPHOLSTERY

KITCHEN FEATURES

WASHROOM FEATURES

LIVING ROOM FEATURES

CAB AREA INTERIOR FEATURES

WATER & GAS

ELECTRICAL & GAS FEATURES

MY AUTO-TRAIL ONLINE PORTAL

Included
12V UNDER LOCKER LED LIGHTING

Included
12V RECESSED, AMBIENT OVER LOCKER LIGHTING

Included
12V LED READING LIGHTS

Included
230V SOCKET(S)

Included
COAXIAL TV AERIAL, 12V AND 230V SOCKET

Included
ENGINE BATTERY CONDITION INDICATOR

Included
2 X 12V SOCKETS TO CAB AREA

Included
INTELLIGENT CHARGING SYSTEM WITH DIGITAL CONTROL PANEL

Included

 

[Jev88]

If you have EHU and no charge option to engine battery you have several choices;
1) Get a Vanbitz Battery Master - takes surplus power from leisure battery and trickles to engine.
2) Use an internal 240V AC socket to power a trickle charger you then connect directly to the engine battery.

 

[NePa]

Surley a brand new Autotrail has an onboard charger as standard. Are you certain there is no charger ???

Yes there is a charger but it only feeds the leisure battery. The vehicle battery just sits there with its voltage dropping

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[NePa]

If you have EHU and no charge option to engine battery you have several choices;
1) Get a Vanbitz Battery Master - takes surplus power from leisure battery and trickles to engine.
2) Use an internal 240V AC socket to power a trickle charger you then connect directly to the engine battery.

Looking like option 2 is the best short term choice until we return and get the van in for some warranty work and get the battery master fitted. Thanks for the feedback

 

[Lenny HB]

What charger & control panel have you got?
Some of the Sargent ones you have to set them up to charge the starter battery.

 

[NePa]

THE V-LINE 610 SE
Specification details

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

ENGINE & CHASSIS

WEIGHT & DIMENSIONS

MAX. BED MEASUREMENTS

FLOOR COVERINGS & UPHOLSTERY

KITCHEN FEATURES

WASHROOM FEATURES

LIVING ROOM FEATURES

CAB AREA INTERIOR FEATURES

WATER & GAS

ELECTRICAL & GAS FEATURES

MY AUTO-TRAIL ONLINE PORTAL

Included
12V UNDER LOCKER LED LIGHTING

Included
12V RECESSED, AMBIENT OVER LOCKER LIGHTING

Included
12V LED READING LIGHTS

Included
230V SOCKET(S)

Included
COAXIAL TV AERIAL, 12V AND 230V SOCKET

Included
ENGINE BATTERY CONDITION INDICATOR

Included
2 X 12V SOCKETS TO CAB AREA

Included
INTELLIGENT CHARGING SYSTEM WITH DIGITAL CONTROL PANEL

Included

Thanks but it does seem like the intelligent system on the 635 isn’t that intelligent as it only feeds the leisure battery. The solar can go to either. Thanks for the feedback

 

[NePa]

What charger & control panel have you got?
Some of the Sargent ones you have to set them up to charge the starter battery.

Hi Lenny,
Attached is from the manual but not sure about the actual charger unless I start removing panels as assumed it was in the Sargent unit. Can you can change battery selection on the control panel but that (I’m informed) just means the van internals are being run off the vehicle battery as opposed to the leisure. I have tried it (not that I’m untrusting) and the vehicle battery remained the same.
Thanks
Neil

 

[Lenny HB]

This video shows you how to do it, you can switch the charger to vehicle battery.

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[NePa]

This video shows you how to do it, you can switch the charger to vehicle battery.

Brilliant video thanks Lenny. When id tried this previously the control panel was turned off and therefore seems to stop you charging the vehicle battery even if plugged in. When the panel is switched on….it seems to work

Looks like we can go and enjoy our trip now….thanks.

I’ll be back with more questions as we get closer to our first European trip in a few months. Enjoying the sabbatical

 

[Bognor Saint]

I recently discovered that our new Bailey needed the control panel to be switched on for charging to take place.

 

[Jev88]

Looking like option 2 is the best short term choice until we return and get the van in for some warranty work and get the battery master fitted. Thanks for the feedback

Battery Master is just 3 wires - in case you have time to get one and fit it. No worries about wire gauge as it is only a trickle charge.

 

[NePa]

Battery Master is just 3 wires - in case you have time to get one and fit it. No worries about wire gauge as it is only a trickle charge.

Definitely seems to be the best solution but fly out on Wednesday…..I must get better prepared next time. Hopefully get my son to swap the battery selection every week to keep both charged up in the meantime.

 

[dash300]

Battery Master definitely well worth fitting when you get back. My 100w solar during a 6 week trip away Nov into Dec
kept the 2 habs the and starter battery nicely topped up and continues to do so.

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