Not sure what your set up is and I am totally unmechanical or engine minded but we have facilities to hook up at home to charge the batteries but were advised to have a conditioner added to the van so the leisure battery also charges the engine battery at same time. Otherwise the leisure battery would not automatically charge the leisure. Also if the engine battery was just charged independently it could damage it without the conditioner and mess up the van computer.
Assume you mean your leisure battery? we plug the EHU into the socket in the house once a month for a few days, as we don't have a trickle charger or solar panel. If you mean your MH engine battery, take the MH out for a drive once a month as that also does the engine and brakes some good, I understand - but it won't be enough to charge up your leisure battery fully. (You'll get more expert replies from others in the forum.)
I think you have posted this in the wrong section it would be better in one of the technical sections further up the page. There has also been a recent thread on here on this very subject and a search might bring it up for you. We keep our motorhome in our back garden and its permanently connected to the mains although the power is usually on during the night as it also linked to outside lighting. The charger unit should prevent over charging. This of course will only apply to the leisure battery but there are devices, I have a Battery Master, which allows the vehicle battery to top up from the leisure battery.
Before laying up the van took the battery out and put it on the a shelf in the garage, that was just over 3 months ago. Van out of storage and battery now restored, showing 12.5 on dial in the van, happy days. I will hook up the van the day before we leave to get the fridge up to working temperature ant that is it. I am puzzled about OVER charging the battery, how does this happen ? A conditioner for the battery ! what is this ? do you have 2 batteries, 1 for the van and 1 for leisure ? I presume all this is to do with camper van and NOT caravans ?
I wouldn't be overly happy with the battery having a voltage of 12.5. Below 12.6 sulphation starts which damages the batteries capacity.
Over charging a battery is bad hence why smart battery chargers or conditioners keep the voltage above 12.6 but only charge in short burst to prevent over voltage and overheating of the cells.
We have just purchased a caravan, and its plugged into the house electrics. Question is, do I keep it switched on? It's a brand new leisure battery.
Also what setting do i use in the van? Its an Elddis EX300, and there are three settings, a picture of a car, which is obviously whilst the caravan is hooked up to the car.
There is OFF,
There is a picture of a caravan.
No you should only need to switch it on a few days a month.
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Topic: Hook up at home
