LEISURE BATTERY IN WINTER..

mark maskery · Post by **mark maskery** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 12:19 am

hi,

is it best to remove leisure battery over winter if van is left out ?

cheers,

mark

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 12:31 am

I'm not planning to remove mine. But I reckon to charge it with a 240v battery charger at - say - monthly intervals as they say the car charger doesnt keep it fully topped up, which it likes.

Anyone?

Veg_Ian · Post by **Veg_Ian** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 8:34 am

I can't remove mine as it powers the internal lights and power sockets. It's worth charging on the mains periodically though as Mike suggests.

bigdaddycain · Post by **bigdaddycain** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 3:37 pm

I'll be keeping my l/b in situ... Just a trickle charge every month or so to be on the safe side.

Another forum member is gonna get back to me on a suitable "safe charger" that can be hooked up without having to remove the cables.

I'll post my findings on it, as ,and when, i have checked it out.

wrster · Post by **wrster** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 4:01 pm

I've three LB's (1 under bonnet and two in back) and they do fine over winter - mikes recommendation of an occasional charge is a good idea - worth doing the whole year round really if you're an occasional Bongo user...

dp bradford · Post by **dp bradford** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 5:01 pm

keefysher wrote:... The fridge in BessieBongo comes in handy as a beer store this time of year.

I find simply storing the beer in the garage at this time of year has the right effect

dp bradford · Post by **dp bradford** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 6:56 pm

keefysher wrote:...Nah, the little indicator on the bottle doesn't turn blue in the garage....

I assume we're talking about some sort of fizzy lager

My bitter is just right at garage temperature

wrster · Post by **wrster** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 8:08 pm

Blue Star on the back of Newcastle Brown Ale I reckon...

francophile1947 · Post by **francophile1947** » Fri Nov 23, 2007 8:41 pm

keefysher wrote:I use a Draper Battery Master, google DRAPER 63147 and you'll find it.

That looks like a lot of old PSUs that I have lying around from old printers etc. - could these be modified for the same purpose? Most seem to be a 1000mA output.

ronhud · Post by **ronhud** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 1:31 pm

I have recently fitted the 'willinton' leisure battery split charger. Freda is moy only vehicle so it gets used most days although at this time of the year the journeys are short. Should I be concerned about the condition of my lb - I live in a terrace house with onstreet parking so hooking a battery charger into the mains is not practicable.
Ron

mikeonb4c · Post by **mikeonb4c** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 4:39 pm

My leisure battery's instructions say it likes a mains charge at intervals 'if its not in use (every 3 months I think but can't remember). I'd have to dig out the instructions but I think that means if is not being charged at all. Yours is so you'd think it would be OK. However, they say that it needs a mains charge to get it really topped up so I wonder if biting the bullet and dragging it indoors every 3 months for a charge might be best. Out of interest, do you need it in the Bongo anyway in the non-camping season (wait for me to get shot down

)

ronhud · Post by **ronhud** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 5:08 pm

Thanks Mike - when I was younger I would have thought of taking it out of the van in a flash ....but now....oh dear! The lb harness that I bought hooks up the lb to lights, radio, cigar lighter etc so leaving it out for winter wouldn't be on.

If I used my multimeter to read the lb output maybe that would indicate when to bring it in. On this score is there any reason not to read directly from the battery terminals?

Ron

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Sat Nov 24, 2007 5:14 pm

Mutimeter over the battery terminals is fine ronhud.
You could make up a small jump lead to have a temporary connection between the master battery positive to the LB positive supply cable. That's what I'm doing next week and that way I can remove the LB for a long mains charge.
Just make sure the cable/terminals are well insulated