DEBATE: Can LB be charged using 240v charger working off SB

[missfixit70]

Or find an on street leccy car charging point

[alant54]

Or find an on street leccy car charging point

Something like a street light.....??.... ...It's been done before....

[mikeonb4c]

Grrr I posted this morning but it isn't here (I thought it had posted OK).

Can't be arsed to type it all out again but all I'm interested in is whether some kind of charger is able to fully top up a LB while driving, so you don't have to worry about carrying out some special charging routine at intervals. This might be helpful to flat dwelling wild campers, which I may one day be!

Any INTELLIGENT thoughts from those who might KNOW....would be welcome. Now behave you lot

[scanner]

Grrr I posted this morning but it isn't here (I thought it had posted OK).

Can't be arsed to type it all out again but all I'm interested in is whether some kind of charger is able to fully top up a LB while driving, so you don't have to worry about carrying out some special charging routine at intervals. This might be helpful to flat dwelling wild campers, which I may one day be!

Any INTELLIGENT thoughts from those who might KNOW....would be welcome. Now behave you lot

Sorry Mike but I'm not intelligent enough to know why the 14+ volts from the alternator are unable to fully charge the leisure battery, whereas the same 14+volts from the same alternator CAN charge the leisure battery when fed through an inverter and mains charger and then coming out at ..............errrrrrrrrrrrrr........... 14+ volts.

It be grateful for someone to tell me why there should be any difference..............

[mikeonb4c]

Grrr I posted this morning but it isn't here (I thought it had posted OK).

Can't be arsed to type it all out again but all I'm interested in is whether some kind of charger is able to fully top up a LB while driving, so you don't have to worry about carrying out some special charging routine at intervals. This might be helpful to flat dwelling wild campers, which I may one day be!

Any INTELLIGENT thoughts from those who might KNOW....would be welcome. Now behave you lot

Sorry Mike but I'm not intelligent enough to know why the 14+ volts from the alternator are unable to fully charge the leisure battery, whereas the same 14+volts from the same alternator CAN charge the leisure battery when fed through an inverter and mains charger and then coming out at ..............errrrrrrrrrrrrr........... 14+ volts.

It be grateful for someone to tell me why there should be any difference..............

Good - neither am I. Now get on with something else useful while we wait to see if anyone can explain it to us

[corblimey]

Yes there are "intelligent" 12v chargers available but as I said they cost £££

One approach @ > £280+
http://www.sterling-power.com/products-altbatt.htm

[francophile1947]

I think the 3 monthly charge is only meant for when the battery may be laid up over the winter, thus not receiving any charge at all. I would have thought that your Willinton kit should do the job nicely whilst you are driving.

[mikeonb4c]

I think the 3 monthly charge is only meant for when the battery may be laid up over the winter, thus not receiving any charge at all. I would have thought that your Willinton kit should do the job nicely whilst you are driving.

I think you could be right David. An old fashioned motorhome may be laid up for long periods, and that is why they tend to give out this advice. Over time it has become embedded in camping mythology. But a Bongo like mine is used as everyday travel and really, you would think the alternator charging system should keep a resting LB topped up. My real concern with this scenario is that the alternator system may chronically overcharge the LB, shortening its life. Any (INTELLIGENT!!!!! CONSTRUCTIVE!!!!! POLITE!!!!! SERIOUS!!!!! ) thoughts on that anyone?

Also, perhaps the answer to the original question I posed, is to fit a solar panel, as this should provide enough trickly to keep an LB healthy even if the vehicle is not used. The question then is, does the solar panel need something to stop it overcharging a battery?

[francophile1947]

Who's David

[scanner]

I think you could be right David.

Yes.
Who's David?

[mikeonb4c]

Sorry guys - its been a long day. I meant Frank

[dandemann8]

Sorry guys - its been a long day. I meant Frank

It's that age thing Mike

[scanner]

Sorry guys - its been a long day. I meant Frank

It's that age thing Mike

To be Frank his name is John

[Shaun_E]

My understanding is that most split charging systems do not supply 14.5ish V to the Leisure Battery - they have a voltage regulator which keeps the charging voltage at somewhere around 13.5V. Mine certainly does this - tested using a Voltmeter. This is because leisure batteries have different characteristics to starting batteries and could potentially be damaged if charged for a long period at 14.5 (I can't remember the reason given for this). The net result is that the LB cannot ever be fully charged using the split charger. I have had problems starting our Diesel heater due to the LB not being fully charged - a session on the conditioner fixed that. There are "battery to battery" chargers available which do what the OP wants but they are expensive (£300 ish). I suspect that the cobbled solution suggested will need a long period of time to charge the LB so unless they drive for many hours at a time will not be successful.

[Shaun_E]

Some information on the Elecsol website: http://www.elecsolbatteries.com/faqs/