EHU at home and idling

The Tafia said:
I have found a CBE electronic battery charger and I am now totally confused. Is this charging my hab battery only or my starter battery as well? It is on and running so charging the hab battery at present. The starter batt is dissconnected and being charged with a Maypole standard charger. Surely if Chausson installed this they would have wired it up to charge the starter battery also.
Click to expand...

My CBE CB-516 charger does both leisure and engine battery without the additional CSB-2. A picture of your charger and distribution unit might help.
 
here is the batt charger. How do I photograph the distribution unit?
 

Attachments

  • batt charger.jpg
    batt charger.jpg
    252.4 KB · Views: 46
The Tafia said:
here is the batt charger. How do I photograph the distribution unit?
Click to expand...
That is the same charger I have but on a closer look it is my CBE DS300 Distribution Unit that actually divides the charge up between the leisure battery and the engine battery. The engine battery gets a 2A trickle charge but the unit gives priority to the leisure battery.
My distribution unit looks like this, do you have something similar?
5AC3A01F-90E6-44CE-86AE-15B6ABA129EA.jpeg
 
kevenh said:
If, like mine, and on EHU hookup, your engine/cab battery is not charged, then adding a battery master will fix.
We’ve an MHF discount on the original & best (y)
(Link coming)
Come: [Broken Link Removed]
code for discount Broken Link Removed
Click to expand...

I can't see a way to apply the discount code to an online order - it takes you straight through to the paypal checkout with nowhere to enter it - so I suspect it might only be available if you call them.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Pausim said:
That is the same charger I have but on a closer look it is my CBE DS300 Distribution Unit that actually divides the charge up between the leisure battery and the engine battery. The engine battery gets a 2A trickle charge but the unit gives priority to the leisure battery.
My distribution unit looks like this, do you have something similar?
View attachment 696976
Click to expand...
 
Heres my DB board. Very similar to yours
 

Attachments

  • 20221213_173315.jpg
    20221213_173315.jpg
    251 KB · Views: 38
The Tafia said:
Emmit
How did you get the figure of 20% charge at 11.97 volts? That would be 60 volt at full charge by my reckoning.
One of us is wrong.
Click to expand...
A fully charged 12 volt battery has a voltage of 12.9 volts (give or take) As the charge from the battery is used (and not replaced) it loses strength. Have a look at this chart. I used a different chart to give the figure but you'll get the idea.
1670958436942.png


As you can see, your battery does need charging.
 
That looks like a CBE DS 300 unit which should be allowing a trickle charge to go to the starter battery as long as the leisure battery is on charge (mains or solar) and the voltage at the leisure battery is 13.5v +. If there is this voltage at the leisure battery and the starter battery is not getting trickle charged either a fuse or wiring connection linked to the starter battery is faulty or the DS300 may need to be repaired. www.apuljackelectronics.co.uk can test it if needed but if there are not any other electrical problems (including fridge cooling operation on 12v with the engine running) it may be worth just fitting a Vanbitz battery master or similar to keep the starter battery charged up from the leisure battery.
 
The Tafia

Don't beat yourself over not understanding the electrics in your van.

We survived for two years without our van at the time having a van battery being charged when on EHU.
It turned out that our on board charger was broken.
 
GeoffnDee said:
That looks like a CBE DS 300 unit which should be allowing a trickle charge to go to the starter battery as long as the leisure battery is on charge (mains or solar) and the voltage at the leisure battery is 13.5v +. If there is this voltage at the leisure battery and the starter battery is not getting trickle charged either a fuse or wiring connection linked to the starter battery is faulty or the DS300 may need to be repaired. www.apuljackelectronics.co.uk can test it if needed but if there are not any other electrical problems (including fridge cooling operation on 12v with the engine running) it may be worth just fitting a Vanbitz battery master or similar to keep the starter battery charged up from the leisure battery.
Click to expand...
Its a DS 516
 
Sorry but I do not have any information regarding a DS 516 PDU unit (only the CB516 charger when linked to a DS300 PDU , the operation being as I have described) but it could be worth contacting Apuljack to check if that model should be allowing a trickle charge to the starter battery as the DS300 (and DS520) models do. There is information about some of these items in the Resources section on page 2 of Manuals for Motorhome stuff which may be helpful.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Last edited:
GeoffnDee said:
Sorry but I do not have any information regarding a DS 516 PSU unit (only the CB516 charger when linked to a DS300 PSU , the operation being as I have described) but it could be worth contacting Apuljack to check if that model should be allowing a trickle charge to the starter battery as the DS300 (and DS520) models do. There is information about some of these items in the Resources section on page 2 of Manuals for Motorhome stuff which may be helpful.
Click to expand...
it is the cb 516. sorry for the duff info
 
The Tafia said:
Heres my DB board. Very similar to yours
Click to expand...
It does look like a DS300 but I think the big motorhome constructors may sometimes order special variations to suit their preferred set up. The DS300 in my picture has a small stick on label at the bottom showing it is a DS300-CA and that might mean it has some features particular to Carthago. Does your unit have a similar sticker and if so does it have different letters after the -. I have a vague recollection that someone on here once posted a picture showing their DS300 with different connections to the batteries i.e. it only had 1 large positive wire connected and 1 negative instead of 2 separate positive connections.
 
All of these pictures are of the exact of my installation and both batteries get charged on EHU….😎

748C1B7F-845E-4809-823C-5B62714F7C74.jpeg
 
Right this is what I think happens on my ChaUsson 718
It says in the book of words, THE MANUAL that there is a coupling relay between the 2 batts and when travelling the relay couples the 2 batts to recharge both. When stopped it does not charge them.
So in short both are charged when tavelimg none of them is charged whenstopped and only the hab battery is charged on EHU.
Comments
 
The Tafia said:
Right this is what I think happens on my ChaUsson 718
It says in the book of words, THE MANUAL that there is a coupling relay between the 2 batts and when travelling the relay couples the 2 batts to recharge both. When stopped it does not charge them.
So in short both are charged when tavelimg none of them is charged whenstopped and only the hab battery is charged on EHU.
Comments
Click to expand...
That sounds a reasonable conclusion though I have no idea why Chausson don’t use the trickle charge for the engine battery that is normally built into the DS300.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
The Tafia said:
Hi All
I hope your all wrapped warm somewhere keeping nice and toasty.
I am wondering about my motorhome on EHU at home. Does it charge the vehicle battery (I don't think so but...) when on EHU.
If not should I idle the vehicle for a short amount of time each day, lots of conflicting information to be had.
Or should I get a smart charger and if so which do you recommend.
Is the EHU adequate to charge the habitation battery and keep it in top shape.
I will of course be taking the MH out when I get a chance
Thanks
Click to expand...
I wouldn’t idle the van, assuming it’s diesel it will do damage to the engine, they need driving.

would expect the EHU to charge the batteries anyway
 
As Pausim has said it seems very strange that the starter battery (2amp) charging feature is not in use when it already exists through the DS 300 unit and the CBE manual for the DS300 (in resources) also states that the DS300 has this feature (page 16) for mains charging of both the starter and leisure batteries when on EHU. (It also describes the engine running charging coupling relay the same as your manual does )
It may be best to ask a Chausson Dealer if this is normal for this make/model of Motorhome for some reason and , if it is , fit a battery master.
 
I looked at the Ds 300 today and it had two places on it for connecting to marked B1 and B2. B1 is used B2 is not. Are these Battery connections.
 
The Tafia said:
Right this is what I think happens on my ChaUsson 718
It says in the book of words, THE MANUAL that there is a coupling relay between the 2 batts and when travelling the relay couples the 2 batts to recharge both. When stopped it does not charge them.
So in short both are charged when tavelimg none of them is charged whenstopped and only the hab battery is charged on EHU.
Comments
Click to expand...
My Benimar charged both, and Chausson is a sister make. However, its dead easy to check. Look at the battery monitor for each battery before connecting EHU. Mine would normally be on 2 green bars for each battery. That rose to 3 bars when on solar charging , and 4 bars when on EHU. That reflected the higher charging voltages for the solar and EHU. When plugging into EHU, both batteries would show 4 bars indicating EHU was charging both.
 
They are the battery connections which are normally (according to the CBE manual) B1+ = Starter battery positive , B2+ = Leisure battery positive , and B2- = negative leisure battery /vehicle chassis.
If your set up is different to this , I cannot advise you , as I do not have any information regarding Chausson system of wiring.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Last edited:
Very strange. As I mentioned at #47 I had a recollection of seeing a picture of a DS300 with only one battery connected but why B1 is used instead of B2 is another mystery. Perhaps another Chausson owner can explain this.
 
I did a search for Chausson wiring diagram and came up with this.
www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Wiring diagram Suite Relax

Hi all, came across this and thought may be of use for some of you. It’s dated 2011 may be similar for other models as they can be a bit generic. If anyone needs clearer copy I can scan and email to you if you send me your email address . Hope this is ok with admin Geoff
www.motorhomefun.co.uk www.motorhomefun.co.uk
Not necessarily the same as your wiring The Tafia but it does show the DS with only a B2 connection no B1. Must be a peculiarity of Chausson and doesn’t help keeping you engine battery topped up. Alternatives have been suggested but idling the engine is definitely not the solution.
 
Could you not aftermarket the wiring on the ds300 and connect it up yourself so it charges the cab batteries…?

😎
 
Old Gibber said:
My Benimar charged both, and Chausson is a sister make. However, its dead easy to check. Look at the battery monitor for each battery before connecting EHU. Mine would normally be on 2 green bars for each battery. That rose to 3 bars when on solar charging , and 4 bars when on EHU. That reflected the higher charging voltages for the solar and EHU. When plugging into EHU, both batteries would show 4 bars indicating EHU was charging both.
Click to expand...
I checked the meter reading today both on and off EHU. On EHU both hab and starter battery were on full bars off EHU hab battery was still on full but the starter battery showed just one bar. This would indicate that both batteries being charged. Is this correct?

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Join us

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Back
Top