Hi Dan. I am so pleased that you gave the correct advice for charging batteries using a smart charger. The only thing i would say is that a AGM battery needs a higher charging voltage of 14.7 volts. I use a Optimate 7 smart charger it the dual voltage charger that does standard batteries at 14.4 volts and AGM batteries at 14.7 volts. I also have the Truma solar panel on our Bailey Pegasus Grande caravan but i have altered the settings to suit an AGM battery when the sun is out i get 14.7 volts bulk charge and 13.6 volts float charge. I have found in the past i had a 150 watt solar panel on my Elddis caravan with the CBE regulator and display panel it kept the battery great over the summer months but over the winter it didn't perform very well and i had to remove the battery and charge it at home. I always use and AGM battery because they perform better and don't sulphate as easy.
I’ve never had a leisure battery until last month for going off grid, I’ve always used the caravan on hookup and have used the onboard battery charger as a power supply for years with no trouble.
Detailed and informative vid Dan. I usually bring the battery home twice a year and give it a smart charge, hopefully they solar panel I have recently started to use will make sure the battery is kept in good condition whilst in storage. Take care, Martin
Great video. I charged a completely flat Yuasa battery to fully working using a smart charger. It took 5 days to do it mind so now I have a spare. I forgot to switch off the aerial amplifier in the van and although I've got a solar panel on the roof, it wasn't enough to charge the battery vs the drain by the aerial amplifier. thats just crazy. You'd think there would be a master switch for 12 volt that would kill all of the systems in a caravan. Having said that, on the Truma charge controller, you can set how much charge goes into battery one and two. Factory default is 50% to batt 1 and 50% to batt 2 I believe. I've now changed this and set it to 90% to batt 1. I think that's the maximum that can be set. I only have 1 battery in the van so hopefully that will take care of that. Good vid Dan and up to the expert level we have been used to. Now that lock down will be eased a little, there will be a rush to buy new batteries and smart controllers me thinks. Let alone seized brakes. Cheers 👍 :-)
@@Gixer750pilot Yes as that's what happened to me. I left the amp on and it drained my battery. There is a little slide switch on the top left hand corner and once off, the blue led will go out after a while.
Hi Dan just watch this video and the battery charger is actually produced by C-TEC and have been making this smart intelligent battery charger for quite some years now, the one used by the yuasa battery company has their own label on it The reconditioning step at number six is really quite good and seems to revitalise the battery a lot as you noticed your car cranked over faster the next morning
Great video. My dad had battery charge fitted in the boot of the car and he always kept the battery on charge there even when not on holiday with the caravan. Everytime the car was used the caravan battery would get a charge.
For the cost of a decent battery you can get a solar kit and fit it to your roof nowadays and never have to worry about your battery state again, marvellous bits of kit :)
My caravan permanently mains connected,today no lights, water pump working,I have lived in the caravan for just over 4 years,is battery just finished, do I have too turn mains off before I check with volt meter?,great video s keep them coming
Hi Dan, great video. What are your thoughts on the solar trickle chargers that you can just clip onto the battery and leave it connected while the caravan is in storage. Thanks.
I have the smart charger and have used it on the Land Rover for the starter & deep cycle batteries. Never thought of using on the Caravan. Guess the caravan battery will be getting a birthday soon 👍. Many thanks.
Chargers such as the Sargent featured in the swift vehicle are multi-stage and although not 8-stage are an improvement on the old style float chargers.
Great Dan, but I throw the same question back at you about the best amperage smart charger to buy and use. Have been told 10 to 20% of the batteries AH rating. That little 5 amp smart charger is not designed for a 110AH leisure battery or am I wrong? Also, it is possible to replace the manufacturers dumb charger with a correct amp smart charger then when using electric hookup your battery is getting the best treatment.
Very useful video, thanks. Could you consider doing one on the caravan handbrake, perhaps explaining the auto reverse system and why even when the handbrake has been applied the caravan can roll back (but not forwards) a few inches if on a rearward slope? I know the feature lifts the handbrake handle up vertically, but It's a feature I don't quite fully understand and catches me out sometimes, and I'm sure many other caravaners. Thanks.
I am in the design phase to transform a Sprinter 211 cdi, new (2021), L1H1, all a little tight !!!!, but perfect for use here in Europe and exploring small towns, easy to park ... etc But now I got to the point of doing the electrical project, which I'm not used to doing, I'm a civil engineer, I understand 110 / 220v AC circuits. I wish you could help me with that part. I'm Brazilian, but I also live a lot here in Portugal, where I'm going to do the conversion. Well, I started making a spreadsheet, with the equipment, the necessary power and time of daily use, I have no intention of filling the motorhome with things, not least because it is a Sprinter L1H1, and I would like to have a simple electrical installation, but I would not like have gas inside, so I would prefer a stove with only one induction zone. To heat the water it would be a D6 truma, which is diesel. But from the calculations I made and compared with others I saw on the net, it seems that it ends up consuming a lot of energy, making the electrical part more expensive. I don't want to spend so much just because of induction. I don't know what other electrical equipment I would still need for everything to work, still using the car's alternator and an external 220v point when stopped at a camping site. In your opinion, which a good configuration sufficient to have a quick meal, with induction and stay out of the network for a day or two?which a good configuration sufficient to have a quick meal, with induction and stay out of the network for a day or two? Well, the result of the spreadsheet was: 220V equipment notebook - 65w - 1 hour of use - 5.4 Ah induction cooker - 1800w - 0,4 hour of use - 60 Ah 12V equipment USB - 50w - 1 hour of use - 4.2 Ah refrigerator - 45w - 8 hours of use - 30 Ah lights - 15w - 3 hours of use - 1.3 Ah water pump - 42 w - 0.5 hours of use - 1.8 Ah exhaust fan wc - 40 w - 1 hour of use - 3.3 Ah I will be very grateful if you can help me by presenting an wiring electrical diagram with the necessary equipment. I appreciate if you answer. my address is: joaolp55 @ gmail com Thanks
Thank you for the video. Interestingly the Yuasa smart charger is made in Sweden by CTEK and has the same fittings. I have the CTEK equivalent and use it on the caravan battery a couple of times each year. On the car I charge via the 13 pin towing socket using an adapter I bought from a LR forum which just saves having to lift the bonnet and use crocodile clips.
@@TheTrudgians Yes I certainly do and especially useful during lockdown. I am on my 7th year with a Banner leisure battery in the caravan and mainly rally off grid.
I’ve got the ctek mxs 5.0 as well and use it on my kitcar. I didn’t think of using it on the caravan. You can get a connector with leds that shows the condition of the battery as well.
Hi, am I right in thinking... All appliances/electrics on the caravan are powered by 12v (auxiliary battery). Connecting to an EHU merely recharges the leisure battery as it is being used. Thanks.
Thanks again Dan. I wondered if you had any tips on cleaning the Cadac grill? Usual burnt bits on it take a lot of elbow grease to remove. I believe you have one so thought I’d ask.
@The Trugians Hello i have a leisure battery with a vent hole and caps on top do i remove the caps while charging or leave the caps on. I'm using a automatic charger. Thanks
Hi dan Great video very informative I have a solar panel /tracker and alarm on the van will disconnecting the battery set the tracker or alarm off thanks leigh
We are first time buyers of our Coachman Amera 2011 x 4 berth……At the moment though, we can’t tow our caravan as we are changing our car….I have purchased the suitcase solar panel from one of your previous videos and waiting for delivery….but in the meantime, we wanted to purchase the Yuasa battery charger, above, but we cannot buy an 8 stage charger anywhere, only 7…..would the 7, make any or much difference? Looking forward to hearing any advice you could give, many thanks in advance…….x p.s, also because the caravan was bought from a private seller, we’re not sure, how old the leisure battery is…..
Hi Dan, Very interesting to see how a smart charger works. On average how many years would you expect a leisure battery to last? We've owned the caravan over seven years. It's always plugged into mains even when stored. The voltage meter on control panel still shows over 13 amp. Very informative video. Best Regards. Rob
I'm a bit confused, when putting my caravan on a seadonal pitch do I need to keep the nattery in the caravan or take it out, tried to move my van the other week with the motor mover but it would move it and my battery had been.on electric hook up for 48 hoirs
On the previous (excellent) battery video, I counted 68 mentions of battery or batteries. I had 10 minutes free today to do a comparison with this (excellent) video. This time, a mere 59 mentions. ;-)
Thanks for the explanations in the video. But I have a doubt: how to calculate the power of the battery charger when the campervan is connected to an external source, in a camping. what the specifications of this charger are. thanks
Hi Dan, this will be my first winter with my recently purchased touring caravan. I was on a seasonal pitch all summer with an EHU, and will have it inside for winter storage. I intend removing the battery to home, and keeping it charged in my garage. Would you recommend keeping it hooked up to a smart charger until next spring when I shall be using caravan again. Thanks in advance Paul.
Hi Dan We have a Bailey Pheonix very similar to yours. We bought it on your recommendation in a previous video. My question is with the battery being charged by the Truma solar system, can the battery be just disconnected to take home to charge with my smart charger? Or would that damage the controller? Cheers Cheers
Ideally you should disconnect the solar panel from the controller, and then remove the battery. There should be a fuse or circuit breaker in the line between the panel and controller
Hi there. Was wondering if anyone could help me on this. Is it safe to be in a campervan or campervan while charging a leisure battery regarding gasses given off while charging the battery. Many thanks
Is it true that you need a charger that is minimum 10% of your batteries Ah. For example if you have a 100ah leisure battery would you need a minimum of a 10amp charger?
Thank you for this. I have a campervan with a normal battery and leisure battery connected by a VSR split relay. Can I charge both batterys by hooking up my charger to either battery or do I need to remove the leisure battery? Thanks!!
Quick question Dan. On the subject of solar panels now that you have a roof fitted unit on the Bailey how do you feel about your original 100w suitcase that you used on the Lunar. I want to install solar and am interested in your thoughts now you have had both systems.
Hi Dan, Quick question! My car is wired up to charge the battery while towing I also have a truma factory fitted solar panel. Will both of these charge the battery at the same time while towing? Cheers
Hi Dan need some advise Bought 2 x Halfords leisure batteries agm ones class a having a problem there only showing 13.8v put on charge with the noco genius 10 but after charge cycles there still showing 13.8 now have purchased the wrong batteries or take them back to Halfords as not charging upto 14.8v or do I have that wrong or incorrect charger I’m new to this sort of thing all help would be much appreciated The reason for this question is that truma told me to reset the truma inet control panel due to fault w255h but told me over the phone that if battery is below 14.2 volt I won’t boot up and won’t show any icons for heating options etc only shows the clock and spanner options
Hi Dan Further to My previous comment. I had read on a forum that you should Cover the solar panels. (I use the caravan carpet) Disconnected the positive wire that runs from the panel at the controller. Disconnect the battery. Do you think this is correct or is this going overboard? Great video as usual. Cheers
Most solar controllers want you to disconnect the panel before disconnecting the battery, many of them are dual voltage 12/24v and having the battery connected tells the controller which of these two it should be working at, so having just the solar panel connected means the controller does not know which configuration to use. I have installed my own system and included a switch that will disconnect the solar panel and another that will disconnect the battery, so I can control connecting up and disconnecting. My solar panel is 60v (a triple panel) so well above even the 24v and so there is plenty of scope for battery voltage confusion. My MPPT controller uses DC to DC conversion to drop that voltage and increase the current available to the battery, but I think Dan said he would cover that in another video. So to answer Mr Grumps, if you cannot disconnect the solar panel easily, then yes cover it before disconnecting the battery.
I have a solar charge and controllerr for when off grid and plugged in permanently when in storage or at sites with ehu, will I be damaging my battery by leaving it plugged in ?
Simon Peat If you mean leaving the battery connected to the solar charge controller - no, you will not damage your battery by leaving it connected... 👍🏻 😉
Very informative as usual - thanks Dan. I have a 100w solar panel on our van and if I wanted to take the van battery home from the storage site to use a Ctek smart charger, is there anything I need to do other than just disconnecting the battery in the correct order. Any additional steps because I have a solar panel fitted? The same again when its time to reconnect the battery? Hopefully the solar panel has kept it topped up over the past few months but using a smart charger on it seems a good idea. Thanks again Dan.
Morning Stephen, Simply disconnect the battery from the caravan, negative terminal first, then then the positive - then remove.. If the van is insured, make sure the alarm is still active / trackers are enabled temporarily while the leisure battery is removed.. its really that simple. I suspect the CTEK will do a great job of topping up the battery !
When you DISCONNECT the leisure battery remove the negative(black) terminal first. When the time come to RECONNECT the battery attach the positive(red) terminal first. NB Removing the battery may well leave your caravan without a functioning alarm and this could then void your caravan insurance.
@@Andeecee Thanks for the info M of M. Although I was aware of the correct disconnect/connect procedure something I hadn't considered is possible Tracker activation whilst the battery was away from the van. I live 10 mins from my Gold CaSSOA storage site & was planning on removing the battery about 8am and returning it the same evening. Obviously no alarm during that time. I might reconsider if the Tracker is going to activate tho'.
Like a couple of others on here have used CTek on the two car batteries in my Discovery for a number of years. I have noticed however that the Optima I use doesn’t hold the charge for as long as it used to and not sure if that is because I keep the car perm plugged in when at home.
A battery not holding its power so well is usually a battery that is starting to get near its use by date. Both age and cycles affect deepcycle batteries.
Wayne Hobbs yes heard that people are complaining that Optima batteries aren’t as good as they used to be at managing repeat discharge cycles. The very thing they are supposed to be good at. Trouble is lithium batteries are mega money
As I haven’t been to my caravan for over 6 months now, it’s likely that battery will be flat. Am I best removing it and then charge up using a charger, or just reconnect to the mains and continue as normal in the caravan until it’s fully charged? Cheers
Hi David - yes remove the battery, and i would recommend using a smart charger - if it can recharge the battery it will attempt to. A trickle charge wont recondition the battery back to optimum.
@@TheTrudgians brilliant thanks, I was in two minds what to do but you’ve made my mind up and I will get a smart charger and sort it out, thanks for your advice again 👍👍👍
Hi Dan. Do I need a smart charger if my Caravan is always on electrical hook up? When not using my caravan it is stored at the back of my house and is always plugged into the garage. Is this a good thing? Does this damage the battery always having mains connected?
HI Alan, it certainly wouldn't hurt the battery to have it on a smart charger occasionally, but your battery is always in a state of charge so you're not damaging the battery as it is.
just noticed that the only replies to the comments on this video are in reply to comments other than specific and i guess important questions are you guys to busy to reply to the actual people who support the channel or are you only interested in rewarding the posts that make you feel good
What? Micheal, look at the channel, you will notice that NO comments have been made on any video in the last 2 weeks, no video uploads have taken place either, nor will there be in the near future. Maybe think before you comment, maybe something else, far more important, is taking part in our lives other than youtube!
Dan your advice is 100 % wrong., my continental Adria does not have a leisure battery at all. But all the fittings lights, water pump etc are all running 12v from the transformer so you can 100% run 12V without a battery, . And no issue whatsoever. I am now currently into month 4 of living in the van just about full time as a site warden.
Morning just found your channel and subscribed. If you’re using the smart charger on your car. Do you have to disconnect any of the terminals? Thanks Charles
I hate to say it, but this channel is sounding and looking more and more commercialized. Enjoy you relationship with Yuasa and your multiple amazon redirect tokens. This feels like product placement so I will be unsubscribing.
The Trugians channel is like the British Library of caravanning! You simply cant live without it! Thank you guys! xxx
Hi Dan. I am so pleased that you gave the correct advice for charging batteries using a smart charger. The only thing i would say is that a AGM battery needs a higher charging voltage of 14.7 volts. I use a Optimate 7 smart charger it the dual voltage charger that does standard batteries at 14.4 volts and AGM batteries at 14.7 volts. I also have the Truma solar panel on our Bailey Pegasus Grande caravan but i have altered the settings to suit an AGM battery when the sun is out i get 14.7 volts bulk charge and 13.6 volts float charge. I have found in the past i had a 150 watt solar panel on my Elddis caravan with the CBE regulator and display panel it kept the battery great over the summer months but over the winter it didn't perform very well and i had to remove the battery and charge it at home. I always use and AGM battery because they perform better and don't sulphate as easy.
Thank you Dan. Very well presented; at last some real info on this really important topic. Graham.
Great informative video as always, good to get the answers for things you might be too embarrassed to ask!
Really excellent video , I love the way that you give clear but concise information with no waffle.
Great video. I never heard of a smart charger before. Thanks.
I’ve never had a leisure battery until last month for going off grid, I’ve always used the caravan on hookup and have used the onboard battery charger as a power supply for years with no trouble.
Detailed and informative vid Dan. I usually bring the battery home twice a year and give it a smart charge, hopefully they solar panel I have recently started to use will make sure the battery is kept in good condition whilst in storage.
Take care, Martin
Great video. I charged a completely flat Yuasa battery to fully working using a smart charger. It took 5 days to do it mind so now I have a spare. I forgot to switch off the aerial amplifier in the van and although I've got a solar panel on the roof, it wasn't enough to charge the battery vs the drain by the aerial amplifier. thats just crazy. You'd think there would be a master switch for 12 volt that would kill all of the systems in a caravan.
Having said that, on the Truma charge controller, you can set how much charge goes into battery one and two. Factory default is 50% to batt 1 and 50% to batt 2 I believe. I've now changed this and set it to 90% to batt 1. I think that's the maximum that can be set. I only have 1 battery in the van so hopefully that will take care of that.
Good vid Dan and up to the expert level we have been used to. Now that lock down will be eased a little, there will be a rush to buy new batteries and smart controllers me thinks. Let alone seized brakes.
Cheers 👍 :-)
Hi Ronin, so even though my master switch is off when in storage , can the tv amp still be draining the battery ??
@@Gixer750pilot Yes as that's what happened to me. I left the amp on and it drained my battery. There is a little slide switch on the top left hand corner and once off, the blue led will go out after a while.
If there is only 1 battery connected to the Truma charge controller, 100% goes to the connected battery, automatically.
Nice one very interesting,I've learnt something today watching this👍👍
Thanks, interesting about how the smart charger works.
Hi Dan just watch this video and the battery charger is actually produced by C-TEC and have been making this smart intelligent battery charger for quite some years now, the one used by the yuasa battery company has their own label on it
The reconditioning step at number six is really quite good and seems to revitalise the battery a lot as you noticed your car cranked over faster the next morning
Great video. My dad had battery charge fitted in the boot of the car and he always kept the battery on charge there even when not on holiday with the caravan. Everytime the car was used the caravan battery would get a charge.
Excellent Dan, thank you. Greetings from the "land down under".
Love my solar panel. Never let me down,always good voltage ready ho go.
very informative Dan, thanks.
For the cost of a decent battery you can get a solar kit and fit it to your roof nowadays and never have to worry about your battery state again, marvellous bits of kit :)
My caravan permanently mains connected,today no lights, water pump working,I have lived in the caravan for just over 4 years,is battery just finished, do I have too turn mains off before I check with volt meter?,great video s keep them coming
Hi Dan, great video. What are your thoughts on the solar trickle chargers that you can just clip onto the battery and leave it connected while the caravan is in storage. Thanks.
I have the smart charger and have used it on the Land Rover for the starter & deep cycle batteries. Never thought of using on the Caravan. Guess the caravan battery will be getting a birthday soon 👍. Many thanks.
Very interesting, I’ve learnt a lot. 🎉
Excellent explanations as usual
Thanks Dan. Very informative. Always take your advise onboard.
Glad to help! take care
@@TheTrudgians why no answer the other questions then say thanx when someone praises you...thanx for the video 👍
Chargers such as the Sargent featured in the swift vehicle are multi-stage and although not 8-stage are an improvement on the old style float chargers.
this was a brilliantly helpful video :)
Good upload big fella. Great topic.👊🏼
Much appreciated - thank you
Great Dan, but I throw the same question back at you about the best amperage smart charger to buy and use. Have been told 10 to 20% of the batteries AH rating. That little 5 amp smart charger is not designed for a 110AH leisure battery or am I wrong? Also, it is possible to replace the manufacturers dumb charger with a correct amp smart charger then when using electric hookup your battery is getting the best treatment.
Very useful video, thanks. Could you consider doing one on the caravan handbrake, perhaps explaining the auto reverse system and why even when the handbrake has been applied the caravan can roll back (but not forwards) a few inches if on a rearward slope? I know the feature lifts the handbrake handle up vertically, but It's a feature I don't quite fully understand and catches me out sometimes, and I'm sure many other caravaners. Thanks.
I am in the design phase to transform a Sprinter 211 cdi, new (2021), L1H1, all a little tight !!!!, but perfect for use here in Europe and exploring small towns, easy to park ... etc
But now I got to the point of doing the electrical project, which I'm not used to doing, I'm a civil engineer, I understand 110 / 220v AC circuits.
I wish you could help me with that part.
I'm Brazilian, but I also live a lot here in Portugal, where I'm going to do the conversion.
Well, I started making a spreadsheet, with the equipment, the necessary power and time of daily use, I have no intention of filling the motorhome with things, not least because it is a Sprinter L1H1, and I would like to have a simple electrical installation, but I would not like have gas inside, so I would prefer a stove with only one induction zone.
To heat the water it would be a D6 truma, which is diesel.
But from the calculations I made and compared with others I saw on the net, it seems that it ends up consuming a lot of energy, making the electrical part more expensive.
I don't want to spend so much just because of induction.
I don't know what other electrical equipment I would still need for everything to work, still using the car's alternator and an external 220v point when stopped at a camping site.
In your opinion, which a good configuration sufficient to have a quick meal, with induction and stay out of the network for a day or two?which a good configuration sufficient to have a quick meal, with induction and stay out of the network for a day or two?
Well, the result of the spreadsheet was:
220V equipment
notebook - 65w - 1 hour of use - 5.4 Ah
induction cooker - 1800w - 0,4 hour of use - 60 Ah
12V equipment
USB - 50w - 1 hour of use - 4.2 Ah
refrigerator - 45w - 8 hours of use - 30 Ah
lights - 15w - 3 hours of use - 1.3 Ah
water pump - 42 w - 0.5 hours of use - 1.8 Ah
exhaust fan wc - 40 w - 1 hour of use - 3.3 Ah
I will be very grateful if you can help me by presenting an wiring electrical diagram with the necessary equipment.
I appreciate if you answer.
my address is: joaolp55 @ gmail com
Thanks
Hi I have only just come across your very interesting video. I would like to know if you can leave this charger on our battery constantly.
Thank you for the video. Interestingly the Yuasa smart charger is made in Sweden by CTEK and has the same fittings. I have the CTEK equivalent and use it on the caravan battery a couple of times each year. On the car I charge via the 13 pin towing socket using an adapter I bought from a LR forum which just saves having to lift the bonnet and use crocodile clips.
Awesome stuff, do you find the charger makes a big difference to the leisure battery?
@@TheTrudgians Yes I certainly do and especially useful during lockdown. I am on my 7th year with a Banner leisure battery in the caravan and mainly rally off grid.
I’ve got the ctek mxs 5.0 as well and use it on my kitcar. I didn’t think of using it on the caravan. You can get a connector with leds that shows the condition of the battery as well.
How often would you treat the battery? Biannually perhaps?
Brilliant video ❤
Hi, am I right in thinking...
All appliances/electrics on the caravan are powered by 12v (auxiliary battery). Connecting to an EHU merely recharges the leisure battery as it is being used.
Thanks.
Thanks again Dan. I wondered if you had any tips on cleaning the Cadac grill? Usual burnt bits on it take a lot of elbow grease to remove. I believe you have one so thought I’d ask.
@The Trugians Hello i have a leisure battery with a vent hole and caps on top do i remove the caps while charging or leave the caps on. I'm using a automatic charger.
Thanks
Hi, when charging battery to an electric hook up do you leave the battery turned on or off? Thanks 😊
Hi dan
Great video very informative I have a solar panel /tracker and alarm on the van will disconnecting the battery set the tracker or alarm off thanks leigh
Hi Leigh, depending on your tracker it may set an alarm of power disconnect, check with your tracker company if this is the case.
We are first time buyers of our Coachman Amera 2011 x 4 berth……At the moment though, we can’t tow our caravan as we are changing our car….I have purchased the suitcase solar panel from one of your previous videos and waiting for delivery….but in the meantime, we wanted to purchase the Yuasa battery charger, above, but we cannot buy an 8 stage charger anywhere, only 7…..would the 7, make any or much difference? Looking forward to hearing any advice you could give, many thanks in advance…….x p.s, also because the caravan was bought from a private seller, we’re not sure, how old the leisure battery is…..
Hi Dan, Very interesting to see how a smart charger works. On average how many years would you expect a leisure battery to last? We've owned the caravan over seven years. It's always plugged into mains even when stored. The voltage meter on control panel still shows over 13 amp. Very informative video. Best Regards. Rob
I'm a bit confused, when putting my caravan on a seadonal pitch do I need to keep the nattery in the caravan or take it out, tried to move my van the other week with the motor mover but it would move it and my battery had been.on electric hook up for 48 hoirs
On the previous (excellent) battery video, I counted 68 mentions of battery or batteries. I had 10 minutes free today to do a comparison with this (excellent) video. This time, a mere 59 mentions. ;-)
i mistakenly thought that my battery was dead now i have 3 perfectly good leisure battery's :)
This might a stupid question. We saw you connect the "smart" charger to the battery terminals, but what powers the charger?
Do you still have the x5 if so could you do a towcar comparison
Where do I charge my caravan at home? Can I do it indoors with window left open? I don’t have a garage
Superb info. Subd
Thanks for the sub!
Great video
Thanks for the explanations in the video. But I have a doubt: how to calculate the power of the battery charger when the campervan is connected to an external source, in a camping. what the specifications of this charger are. thanks
If I take the battery off,can I leave a smart charger connected all the time when the battery is not in use?
As always Dan, useful information to help me. Cheers
Hi Dan, this will be my first winter with my recently purchased touring caravan. I was on a seasonal pitch all summer with an EHU, and will have it inside for winter storage. I intend removing the battery to home, and keeping it charged in my garage. Would you recommend keeping it hooked up to a smart charger until next spring when I shall be using caravan again. Thanks in advance Paul.
Hi Dan
We have a Bailey Pheonix very similar to yours. We bought it on your recommendation in a previous video. My question is with the battery being charged by the Truma solar system, can the battery be just disconnected to take home to charge with my smart charger? Or would that damage the controller?
Cheers
Cheers
Ideally you should disconnect the solar panel from the controller, and then remove the battery. There should be a fuse or circuit breaker in the line between the panel and controller
Hi there. Was wondering if anyone could help me on this. Is it safe to be in a campervan or campervan while charging a leisure battery regarding gasses given off while charging the battery. Many thanks
Is it true that you need a charger that is minimum 10% of your batteries Ah. For example if you have a 100ah leisure battery would you need a minimum of a 10amp charger?
Thank you for this. I have a campervan with a normal battery and leisure battery connected by a VSR split relay. Can I charge both batterys by hooking up my charger to either battery or do I need to remove the leisure battery? Thanks!!
TheMotorBlog you'll have to remove the leisure battery to charge it or connect direct the Leisure battery not the starter battery
Great video as always, how do you become a member?
I've a smart charger use it on my motorbike battery
Quick question Dan. On the subject of solar panels now that you have a roof fitted unit on the Bailey how do you feel about your original 100w suitcase that you used on the Lunar. I want to install solar and am interested in your thoughts now you have had both systems.
Hi Dan,
Quick question! My car is wired up to charge the battery while towing I also have a truma factory fitted solar panel. Will both of these charge the battery at the same time while towing?
Cheers
Hi Dan need some advise
Bought 2 x Halfords leisure batteries agm ones class a having a problem there only showing 13.8v put on charge with the noco genius 10 but after charge cycles there still showing 13.8 now have purchased the wrong batteries or take them back to Halfords as not charging upto 14.8v or do I have that wrong or incorrect charger I’m new to this sort of thing all help would be much appreciated
The reason for this question is that truma told me to reset the truma inet control panel due to fault w255h but told me over the phone that if battery is below 14.2 volt I won’t boot up and won’t show any icons for heating options etc only shows the clock and spanner options
Hi Dan
Further to My previous comment. I had read on a forum that you should
Cover the solar panels. (I use the caravan carpet)
Disconnected the positive wire that runs from the panel at the controller.
Disconnect the battery.
Do you think this is correct or is this going overboard?
Great video as usual.
Cheers
Most solar controllers want you to disconnect the panel before disconnecting the battery, many of them are dual voltage 12/24v and having the battery connected tells the controller which of these two it should be working at, so having just the solar panel connected means the controller does not know which configuration to use. I have installed my own system and included a switch that will disconnect the solar panel and another that will disconnect the battery, so I can control connecting up and disconnecting. My solar panel is 60v (a triple panel) so well above even the 24v and so there is plenty of scope for battery voltage confusion. My MPPT controller uses DC to DC conversion to drop that voltage and increase the current available to the battery, but I think Dan said he would cover that in another video. So to answer Mr Grumps, if you cannot disconnect the solar panel easily, then yes cover it before disconnecting the battery.
That's an excellent reply. I might try to wire in a switch from the panel my self. You would expect a switch to be a standard thing on solar systems.
@@vince_martyn Just disconnect your battery when its dark as the solar panel is in effect covered when its not getting any light?
How long would the process start from an assumed dead battery?
If only I lived close to somebody who could lend me his smart charger ....... caravan sat nav ........... drain down kit ......... led lights .......
I have a solar charge and controllerr for when off grid and plugged in permanently when in storage or at sites with ehu, will I be damaging my battery by leaving it plugged in ?
Simon Peat If you mean leaving the battery connected to the solar charge controller - no, you will not damage your battery by leaving it connected... 👍🏻 😉
@@Venomator. Thanks for that, curious about the 240v that I am plugged into for the rest of the time even when not using my caravan
I have two 110ah leisure batteries in my van. can they be charged when joined together ( live/live - neg/neg)
Hiya, can you tell me a decent solar panel controller to buy? Many thanks...Kevin.
Sure, this is a good one that will work well.
amzn.to/3Z2vkAB
@The Trudgians Many thanks for that mate....Kev.
Hi I’ve brought this ctek Mx 5. 5.0. Is it normal when on for the battery to start getting very warm also the charger ?
Very informative as usual - thanks Dan. I have a 100w solar panel on our van and if I wanted to take the van battery home from the storage site to use a Ctek smart charger,
is there anything I need to do other than just disconnecting the battery in the correct order. Any additional steps because I have a solar panel fitted? The same again when its time to reconnect the battery? Hopefully the solar panel has kept it topped up over the past few months but using a smart charger on it seems a good idea.
Thanks again Dan.
Morning Stephen, Simply disconnect the battery from the caravan, negative terminal first, then then the positive - then remove.. If the van is insured, make sure the alarm is still active / trackers are enabled temporarily while the leisure battery is removed.. its really that simple.
I suspect the CTEK will do a great job of topping up the battery !
@@TheTrudgians Thanks Dan.Thats a job now planned for Saturday.
When you DISCONNECT the leisure battery remove the negative(black) terminal first. When the time come to RECONNECT the battery attach the positive(red) terminal first. NB Removing the battery may well leave your caravan without a functioning alarm and this could then void your caravan insurance.
@@Andeecee Thanks for the info M of M. Although I was aware of the correct disconnect/connect procedure something I hadn't considered is possible Tracker activation whilst the battery was away from the van. I live 10 mins from my Gold CaSSOA storage site & was planning on removing the battery about 8am and returning it the same evening. Obviously no alarm during that time. I might reconsider if the Tracker is going to activate tho'.
@@stephenmanning3426 I don't have a tracker fitted on my caravan however I think they may have their own power source independent of the main battery.
Like a couple of others on here have used CTek on the two car batteries in my Discovery for a number of years. I have noticed however that the Optima I use doesn’t hold the charge for as long as it used to and not sure if that is because I keep the car perm plugged in when at home.
Provided the Optima is a smart charger like the Ctek it is most unlikely to be detrimental leaving it on unless using Lithium Polymer batteries.
A battery not holding its power so well is usually a battery that is starting to get near its use by date. Both age and cycles affect deepcycle batteries.
Wayne Hobbs yes heard that people are complaining that Optima batteries aren’t as good as they used to be at managing repeat discharge cycles. The very thing they are supposed to be good at. Trouble is lithium batteries are mega money
Dan
Where can I get the 8 stage battery charger used in the presentation. Amazon would be great.
Very well presented as always.
Thanks
Alan
If a battery is required why don't they include it in the price of the caravan like they do for motorhomes
Moreover. Why isn’t the weight of a battery included in the MRO?
As I haven’t been to my caravan for over 6 months now, it’s likely that battery will be flat. Am I best removing it and then charge up using a charger, or just reconnect to the mains and continue as normal in the caravan until it’s fully charged? Cheers
Hi David - yes remove the battery, and i would recommend using a smart charger - if it can recharge the battery it will attempt to. A trickle charge wont recondition the battery back to optimum.
@@TheTrudgians brilliant thanks, I was in two minds what to do but you’ve made my mind up and I will get a smart charger and sort it out, thanks for your advice again 👍👍👍
Hi Dan, would the Yuasa smart charger you have be suitable for other branded leisure batteries?
Hi, 100% yes.
Hi Dan. Do I need a smart charger if my Caravan is always on electrical hook up? When not using my caravan it is stored at the back of my house and is always plugged into the garage. Is this a good thing? Does this damage the battery always having mains connected?
HI Alan, it certainly wouldn't hurt the battery to have it on a smart charger occasionally, but your battery is always in a state of charge so you're not damaging the battery as it is.
@@TheTrudgians Thanks Dan. Appreciate the response. Keep up the great Vids. Love watching them. Be safe!
just noticed that the only replies to the comments on this video are in reply to comments other than specific and i guess important questions
are you guys to busy to reply to the actual people who support the channel or are you only interested in rewarding the posts that make you feel good
What? Micheal, look at the channel, you will notice that NO comments have been made on any video in the last 2 weeks, no video uploads have taken place either, nor will there be in the near future. Maybe think before you comment, maybe something else, far more important, is taking part in our lives other than youtube!
Dan your advice is 100 % wrong., my continental Adria does not have a leisure battery at all. But all the fittings lights, water pump etc are all running 12v from the transformer so you can 100% run 12V without a battery, . And no issue whatsoever. I am now currently into month 4 of living in the van just about full time as a site warden.
Morning just found your channel and subscribed.
If you’re using the smart charger on your car. Do you have to disconnect any of the terminals?
Thanks Charles
You can leave the battery connected to the car so no need to disconnect it.
I hate to say it, but this channel is sounding and looking more and more commercialized. Enjoy you relationship with Yuasa and your multiple amazon redirect tokens. This feels like product placement so I will be unsubscribing.
Bye.