New motorhome owner. Battery trickle charger suggestions please...

SteveandSueJ

SteveandSueJ

Joined
Nov 2, 2022
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Thaxted, Dunmow, UK
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92,220
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Autocruise Starfire
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Newbie
Hi
Just bought 1st motorhome having crossed over from a caravan. Autocruise starfire 2011. Over winter, as parked in storage location I will need to keep at least, engine battery topped up. We have 1 engine and 2 hab batteries. Would a windscreen located trickle charger unit, say 5 or 10w be sufficient for engine? Would it charge via cig lighter socket or best direct to battery? Would hab batteries need charging and if so, how best to do this? Much appreciate any advice...
 
Stevejjones said:
Hi
Just bought 1st motorhome having crossed over from a caravan. Autocruise starfire 2011. Over winter, as parked in storage location I will need to keep at least, engine battery topped up. We have 1 engine and 2 hab batteries. Would a windscreen located trickle charger unit, say 5 or 10w be sufficient for engine? Would it charge via cig lighter socket or best direct to battery? Would hab batteries need charging and if so, how best to do this? Much appreciate any advice...
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I would have thought 10w solar in the UK winter gloom to be inadequate, especially behind glass which will reduce solar efficiency. I use a 150w solar panel on split charge controller for both van & leisure batteries and never have a problem in the depths of winter, but I guess you could get away with less?
 
Read this thread.

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Keeping your car battery charged when you are away for several weeks.

Hi all, I was wondering what other members do when they are away for several weeks at a time to keep their car battery charged? Having retired 18 months ago after one of our early trips when we arrived home our car battery was flat! This year we have had a couple of trips of 6 weeks away, my...
www.motorhomefun.co.uk www.motorhomefun.co.uk
 
daveandsan said:
Read this thread.

www.motorhomefun.co.uk

Keeping your car battery charged when you are away for several weeks.

Hi all, I was wondering what other members do when they are away for several weeks at a time to keep their car battery charged? Having retired 18 months ago after one of our early trips when we arrived home our car battery was flat! This year we have had a couple of trips of 6 weeks away, my...
www.motorhomefun.co.uk www.motorhomefun.co.uk
Click to expand...
Thx for that. Interesting thread. I suppose I am wondering if I need a 100w or so panel professionally Installed on the roof (and the expense of that) or can a dash 10w or so charger suffice? I don't really plan much wild camping except the odd day so as new, don't know what I don't know so appreciate you experienced guys welcome advice...
 
daveandsan said:
Read this thread.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately that thread is mostly about keeping a battery charged using mains hookup, which probably will not be available in a storage location.

I have used a small solar panel stuck to the inside of the windscreen with suckers. However the MH was facing south and was not shaded, so it could use all the sunlight there was. I would expect a 10W panel would be enough in that situation. I had a second panel for the leisure batteries, and that didn't really keep up with the slow discharge - it slowed it down so could visit every month to recharge it.

Make sure you turn off the display panel, that can be quite a high drain that adds up over days or weeks.

If the cig socket is live when parked up, then it can be used, but usually they aren't.

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Thanks for the advice offered. Looks like I need to investigate the fitting of a panel by a professional. Not a job I can do...!!
 
Like Autorouter I use two 10w solar panels on the dash, one for the engine battery and the other for the leisure battery. Up to now they replace any nighttime discharge but I’m not sure how well they will do over winter. If they do drop I have a couple of electric trickle chargers that I’ll set up with wi-fi plugs to provide any needed boost
 
Brains said:
VanBitz 'Battery Master' (£60)

problem solved.

Next .......
Click to expand...
Bought a BM yesterday from MH Fun so awaiting arrival. Gonna see how the 2 x leisure batteries last with BM and defer solar devision for now.... thx for advice all..
 
Depends how long you're going to leave the van unused as although with the battery master fitted your leisure batteries will trickle charge your starter battery there is nothing to charge the leisure batteries ie solar.
So your leisure batteries will have an amount of natural discharge and any parasitic drain to cope with plus be drained by any charge they are putting in to your starter battery.

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Yes, I understand. I have 2 x 100a wet batteries, fairly new, only just got motorhome being ex caravanner. So really not sure on usage yet as unsure if we will wild camp much, or use cheap CL's so no idea how long leisure batteries will last without charging when used, and when in storage with no EHU. Always used expensive CAMC sites in past with caravan so on a learning curve with limited funds...!!! But 1st step I figured was to ensure I can start engine hence BM, which i will always need anyway.... well thats where my thoughts are caught now.... BTW van has ec450 smart charging which does help with engine or EHU power...
 
If you do not already , and your Sargent PSU is a 400 series , you should use the (black) shutdown button that is on it when in storage as this will stop parasitic drain from the leisure batteries which will help them stay charged a bit longer and should not alter the BM operation which will have its own battery wiring connection set up.
 
Ahhhh, left it on, crap.... thx geoffndee I will nip down and disable it... Sargent ec400 IS the unit.... rmthx..
 
headlight said:
Depends how long you're going to leave the van unused as although with the battery master fitted your leisure batteries will trickle charge your starter battery there is nothing to charge the leisure batteries ie solar.
So your leisure batteries will have an amount of natural discharge and any parasitic drain to cope with plus be drained by any charge they are putting in to your starter battery.
Click to expand...
My Battery Master trickel charges both engine and leisure batteries from the solar panel.
 
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That isn't how the Vanbitz battery master normally works.
Solar charges the leisure batteries via the solar controller and the battery master is connected between the leisure and starter battery.
If the battery master detects that the starter battery is 0.5v lower than the leisure batteries it trickle charges at 1amp from the leisure batteries to the starter battery.
The battery master shouldn't have anything to do with the solar.

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Could you look at buying one of those fold up solar panels and small mppt to fit inside the windscreen to charge the leisure battery. The BM will then charge the starter battery. You could do this to get you through the winter without the cost of a professional installation. There may be fold up solar panels with a 12v output.
Next year you would know better what you need for a professional installation. You can still use your fold panel to boost input later.
 
I did think of that but storage options limit sun access to the windscreen. I can likely survive thru storage this winter as have couple trips coming up so likely have some time...
 
Got my vanbitz BM today from MH Fun. No idea where split charge relay is as they recommend connecting to (have sargent EC450 PSU) so considering hard wiring to both batteries and ground. Gotta check cable run access first as Van battery under passenger floor, leisure and ground easy to get to. Is there a specific order to connecting or does it not matter? Appreciate your help... thx.
 
SteveandSueJ said:
Got my vanbitz BM today from MH Fun. No idea where split charge relay is as they recommend connecting to (have sargent EC450 PSU) so considering hard wiring to both batteries and ground. Gotta check cable run access first as Van battery under passenger floor, leisure and ground easy to get to.
Click to expand...
The BM requires a connection to starter battery, leisure battery and common negative. The reason a split charge relay is suggested is that all those three connections are available in a convenient place.

The split charge relay is built into the EC450 PSU. You will find that there is a connection to starter battery, leisure battery and ground at the EC450 terminals, so this may be a convenient spot to wire your BM into.

It also depends where your batteries are. Sometimes they are difficult to access, and difficult to route a wire to. And sometimes the leisure and vehicle batteries are right next to each other in a convenient spot.

I'm sure the connection order makes no difference to a BM.

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Thank you Autorouter. Going to the van storage to investigate further over next couple days...
 

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