Battery Charging - Leisure and Starting

[fozzybear]

I am sure that this subject has been covered on numerous of occasions.

We don’t really use the California over the winter months and would like to keep both the leisure batteries topped up as well as the starter battery. I am planning to hook up through the mains to charge the leisure batteries up every three weeks and was going to look to us a CTEK type trickle charger for the main. However the California will be outside and don’t really want to starting running cables from the garage or remove the battery. I have read, if the starter battery is already topped up the hook up connection will run a small charge and keep the starter battery topped up. Has anyone any thoughts or can offer some further advice.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Loz]

As you say, the the hook-up charger will keep all batteries charged but you don't want to leave a cable connected.

I use a small 20W solar panel and charge controller sat on the dash and park facing south.
I plug this into the centre dash 12V outlet for starter battery or the sink 12V for leisure batteries.
This s safe to do as our 12V sockets are always live and connected and also 20w is less than 2amps.

This method is not recommended for regular cars as their 12v sockets are only connected when the ignition (Terminal 30) is live and you risk powering up circuits than should be off.

 

[WelshGas]

I am sure that this subject has been covered on numerous of occasions.

We don’t really use the California over the winter months and would like to keep both the leisure batteries topped up as well as the starter battery. I am planning to hook up through the mains to charge the leisure batteries up every three weeks and was going to look to us a CTEK type trickle charger for the main. However the California will be outside and don’t really want to starting running cables from the garage or remove the battery. I have read, if the starter battery is already topped up the hook up connection will run a small charge and keep the starter battery topped up. Has anyone any thoughts or can offer some further advice.

Many thanks in advance.

If your California is post 2012 model then the built in Mains Charger will charge the Leisure Batteries and trickle charge the Engine Battery. There is no harm leaving the vehicle plugged in but probably cost effective to use a timer to switch on the Mains weekly or monthly for 12+ hours at a time. Or just set a reminder on phone or PC.

 

[fozzybear]

My California is a 2012, am I able to check to see if the charger is built in?

 

[Nolan]

Is the built in charger a smart type or are we still better off using a CTEK or similar? I like the idea of keeping the leisure battery in decent condition.

 

[WelshGas]

My California is a 2012, am I able to check to see if the charger is built in?

I’m not sure what you mean “ built in “. All SEs have a built in Mains Charger, either positioned under the Fridge, check via inspection hatch in L Kitchen cupboard, or positioned above the Rear Leisure Battery at the bottom of the rear wardrobe, check via the inspection hatch in the boot.

To check if the Charger will trickle charge the Engine Battery, Plug in the Mains lead for 24 hrs to ensure the Leisure Batteries are fully charged and then check the voltage of the Engine Battery. It should be 13v+ and fall when the Mains lead is unplugged.

 

[WelshGas]

Is the built in charger a smart type or are we still better off using a CTEK or similar? I like the idea of keeping the leisure battery in decent condition.

The Charger is a Smart Type, for the Batteries fitted. The CTEK will cope with more types of Batteries.

 

[kp64zl]

Hi @Loz

What is the brand of your 20w charger pls? Sounds interesting

 

[Loz]

Its a suntec 20w commercial panel with a tiny sunsei charge controller. I put it together myself about 15 years ago, I’m sure there are similar panels available now and better mmpt type controllers, just needs wiring up and a 12v cigar plug on the end...

Not pretty but does the job;

 

[rod_vw]

Solar panels inside the windscreen don't work well on modern vehicles due to the sun reflective properties of modern screens.

Rod