Cab battery charging

[paul18]

Hi guys, hope someone will be kind enough to help me. After 20 years caravaning, we have bought our first motorhome, 2004 Ace modena (fiat ducato) Been sat on drive for 8 weeks over winter, thought we would take it for a drive today and fill up with cheap(er) diesel. Cab battery hadn`t enough charge to turn over the engine! Have had it on hook up as we have been in and out putting stuff in, making beds etc over the weeks, so leisure battery is fine. The battery selector switch has been in middle position (neither battery selected) as I understand things default to leisure battery. We have been using the electric step, could this have drained the cab battery? Also, is there anyway of re-charging the cab battery via hook up, maybe by selecting cab battery on selector switch? If so, how long should it take? Hope we havent caused ourselves unnecessary expense so early on!
Thanks in anticipation

 

[paul18]

Now that is clever and simple. I dont suppose it matters what capacity the wire has as long as the fuse is correct! Very cheap solution.
I really appreciate all the comments and suggestions. Best tenner I ever spent!

 

[Khizzie]

If you're going to start running wires then a much simpler solution is
http://www.motts.org/BRIDGING FUSE.htm

Brilliant!!! So simp!e.thanks techno.

 

[angusboy]

Keith wkhere is leisure battery on your bessy regards steve mine is e745

 

[Moodybrook]

Now that is clever and simple. I dont suppose it matters what capacity the wire has as long as the fuse is correct! Very cheap solution.
I really appreciate all the comments and suggestions. Best tenner I ever spent!

Brilliant!!! So simp!e.thanks techno.

I have been using this for some time and instead of an ordinary fuse I incorporated a 12v 20amp trip switch which I got off ebay. (for safety if I forgot to disconnect the fuse when winding up the elastic band) My solar panel also chucks charge up the same cable to the vehicle battery (actually the cable incorporates your vehicle battery onto your Leisure battery and the Solar regulator sees them all as one big battery). This works fine in the summer but when my van is in her winter bed I wire on a Lidl charger(to the vehicle battery) and run that off a 240 supply. (the lidl charger is vastly superior to the vans own system !). P S use a real heavy gauge cable as you are probably running 3 - 4metres and 12v doesn't travel well (I used 10mm.sq).

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[Techno]

Just remember it is Clive Mott's idea and if you visit his home page there is much more to chew on.

http://www.motts.org/index.htm

 

[mjltigger]

I don't understand why the fuse will blow when you start the engine. I also don't understand why this arrangement wouldn't cause both batteries to be flat if not on ehu

 

[Techno]

Because the link makes them as one battery
Starting takes 100's of amps and as the leisure battery will try to contribute the 10 amp fuse should blow
As for both going flat eventually if not on hook up
Again they are now one battery so an alarm will drain both but take twice as long.
Likewise if camping then drawing from the leisure for lights tv etc will be drawing from both with the fuse still in place

 

[Photo4x4]

Stephen

The leisure battery in under the offside rear bench ('u' shaped lounge) and the vehicle battery is under a panel in the front passenger footwell.

The main battery slave unit under the bonnet was tested and showed 14.5v at tick over. However the mechanic did say that really only tested the alternator output and he would need to put his tester on the actual battery. I'm going to get him to do that next week as I'm dropping of my wife's Smart car for some work there.

Keith Hart

 

[angusboy]

thanks keith mine is not u shape i think it mut be under seat didnt want to start digging there thanks steve

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[Baldeagle7470]

I am the worlds worst at electrics.However I have managed to overcome my ignorance two ways.
I have no switch on my electro block or a multimeter.
What I do have is a little folding solar panel on my dashboard which luckily living in SW France seems to always start my engine battery through the cig lighter,but it has to be permanently on,not ignition dependent.
I found on evil bay a little doodad that goes in the cigarette lighter and when you switch on gives you the voltage,then cranking power then charging rate.
Not rocket science but then I can't post a picture on here!!
Please forgive me my ignorance and I promise one day to become more interested in vehicle electronics than motorbike racing.

 

[taffybloke]

I have one of these.
Broken Link Removed
It is connected to the starter battery and runs out of the battery compartment and it lives at the side of the passenger seat so no need to muck about with crocodile clips. takes a couple of seconds to connect charger plug into 240v socket and forget. I can leave the van without keep going back to switch over batteries.

I accept that a vanbits battery master will keep both batteries charged but this works for me.

Mike

 

[Photo4x4]

Just a thought...

When I hook up at a site I press the big black button on the main panel and then I switch on the 'power' button on the other panel (the one with the levels etc.). However when hooking up at home I only press the black button on the main panel. I do not press the power button on the other panel.

Is this the right thing to do?

Keith Hart

 

[28313]

Our van wouldn't start when we first bought it in November, flat battery,
then we had a solar panel fitted and have had no problems since. It has never been on electric hook up.We go away every couple of weeks and use television, lights etc on electric. hope this is helpful.