Another Battery

A far simpler solution to storage is to fit two battery cut out switches. I fitted one under the driver seat on the negative side of the battery (the heavy duty knurled bolt type) and a boat type red detachable one on the side of the battery compartment. Park up, switch off leisure battery. With all doors closed, and sitting in drivers seat, remote lock, then unscrew vehicle battery switch. Lock drivers door with key on exit. So far 6 winters and never a problem!
 
Herbenny said:
I’m sure last year I posted about our battery had gone flat so we purchased a new one. The same thing has happened this year it was left connected all winter and the alarm has obviously drained the battery again.
I can’t find the receipt but I’m sure I got a members discout code on here.
Can anyone help please
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This is getting expensive. Surely you're far better off getting a solar panel that can trickle charge your battery in the future.
 
Herbenny said:
We do have solar panel but it just charges leisure battery .. not sure how to do other set up
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Maybe worth considering a dual mppt charge controller. This will alternate charging to both batteries. Or a b2b charger which has dual direction charging to keep both charged. The Renogy Rego DC to DC charger does this. Just to add I have both of the above and never had any problems.
 
david how said:
Maybe worth considering a dual mppt charge controller. This will alternate charging to both batteries. Or a b2b charger which has dual direction charging to keep both charged. The Renogy Rego DC to DC charger does this. Just to add I have both of the above and never had any problems.
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Thank you so much I will find out more on this and ask a our friend to take a look 👍
 
granth said:
A far simpler solution to storage is to fit two battery cut out switches. I fitted one under the driver seat on the negative side of the battery (the heavy duty knurled bolt type) and a boat type red detachable one on the side of the battery compartment. Park up, switch off leisure battery. With all doors closed, and sitting in drivers seat, remote lock, then unscrew vehicle battery switch. Lock drivers door with key on exit. So far 6 winters and never a problem!
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Agreed. Battery maintainers need plugging in and solar panels need sufficient sunlight to outweigh their standing current. Some solar controllers take very little standing current but some are rated at consuming 100ma while standing idle, if you have a hard winter with snowfall that covers the panels for days on end or overcast for long periods then the solar controller will actually discharge your battery. Simply make sure the battery is fully charged and pull a terminal off one end and it'll sit for months.
Depending on the vehicle you can usually do the same with the cab battery.
 
Herbenny said:
We do have solar panel but it just charges leisure battery .. not sure how to do other set up
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Simple, add a relay and switch.
200ah relay.png
 
Ok. Just a comment ... I am repeating myself but it doesn't seem to sink in ...

All these people with their "much simpler" solutions are totally missing the point. THEY ARE NOT SIMPLER.

To benefit from these simpler solutions proposed, you have to do one common thing.... REMEMBER TO USE THEM!
And remember to use them EACH AND EVERY TIME.

Please could someone explain how fitting something that you have to consiously remember to use EACH AND EVERY TIME - and then later reset/refit/remove/whatever EACH AND EVERY TIME is possibly simpler than something you fit the once and just let it get on with its own thing by itself?

I know I tend to complicate things sometimes, but you guys are unreal when it comes to your "do this, it's much simpler" solutions.
 
merl said:
Agreed. Battery maintainers need plugging in and solar panels need sufficient sunlight to outweigh their standing current. Some solar controllers take very little standing current but some are rated at consuming 100ma while standing idle, if you have a hard winter with snowfall that covers the panels for days on end or overcast for long periods then the solar controller will actually discharge your battery. Simply make sure the battery is fully charged and pull a terminal off one end and it'll sit for months.
Depending on the vehicle you can usually do the same with the cab battery.
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No.

The battery maintainers talked about do not need plugging in. They are DC-DC maintainers, not AC-DC maintainers. You fit them, you forget them, they do their job.

Knurled knob to disconnect the battery. Great idea unless you have an alarm and/or tracker. Well done, you might have just voided your insurance claim by disabling the vehicle security.
 
Removing an engine battery lead would disable any manufacturers alarm system. This was another thing I noticed on my insurance renewal this year (can you tell I read it a couple of times for a change lol) it had to have a working alarm. 👍
 
david how said:
Maybe worth considering a dual mppt charge controller. This will alternate charging to both batteries. Or a b2b charger which has dual direction charging to keep both charged. The Renogy Rego DC to DC charger does this. Just to add I have both of the above and never had any problems.
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The only dual MPPT Charge controller I am aware of is the Votronics Duo. That will not alternate charging to both batteries, it will put a maximum 1A to the secondary (vehicle) battery and no more. And it will only do that when it is light, and when the solar is doing anything. 1A for a few hours a day is unlikely to male up the loss from an Alarm and Tracker. Agreed it will reduce the rate of discharge but it is not a way to MAINTAIN a batteries charge.
Maybe you have a different one?

There is the Truma Dual Charger that can be programmed to divide the charge between the two connected batteries however you want in steps of 10% - so could have it 20/80, or 50/50, or whatever you like, but that unit is annoyingly PWM so you lose out on the significant benefits of having an MPPT device.
 
Still there Jaq?

Here’s what’s on our van and has kept us trouble free for about five years. Back in the mists of time I won an Amazon voucher from one of the forum comps and used it to buy a Victron Cyrix unit. Fitted at the back of the onboard charger where +ve leads from both batteries are close together and it just gets on with it.

It can be set up to allow drawing current from the leisure battery to give emergency starting if need be. I have not done that because of the need for heavy cabling so it just sits there and looks after the starter battery apparently.

Cheers

H
 
wildebus said:
No.

The battery maintainers talked about do not need plugging in. They are DC-DC maintainers, not AC-DC maintainers. You fit them, you forget them, they do their job.

Knurled knob to disconnect the battery. Great idea unless you have an alarm and/or tracker. Well done, you might have just voided your insurance claim by disabling the vehicle security.
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Horses for courses, there's no perfect solution that fits all scenarios.
Obviously if you're going to be using your MH every so often then disconnecting the batteries will be a complete pain in the ass but if you're the type of user that lays the MH up for 5 months then I can't see an issue. If the cab battery was removed then you may well technically void your insurance but really...how on earth would the insurance company know unless you told them? I've had a MH nicked and was never asked if I'd disconnected the battery. Flat battery or no battery? surely the same difference? Van probably safer and less likely to get nicked with the battery removed.
If you're not plugging into the mains to maintain the batteries then the power has to come from SOMEWHERE, you can't get energy from thin air so the DC to DC maintainers will simply remove power from the hab battery in a no sunlight scenario that I mentioned, if you have LA leisure batts they'll suffer. Nothing is cut and dry, especially when you have to take cost into consideration.
Just my opinion.
 
wildebus said:
Ok. Just a comment ... I am repeating myself but it doesn't seem to sink in ...

All these people with their "much simpler" solutions are totally missing the point. THEY ARE NOT SIMPLER.

To benefit from these simpler solutions proposed, you have to do one common thing.... REMEMBER TO USE THEM!
And remember to use them EACH AND EVERY TIME.

Please could someone explain how fitting something that you have to consiously remember to use EACH AND EVERY TIME - and then later reset/refit/remove/whatever EACH AND EVERY TIME is possibly simpler than something you fit the once and just let it get on with its own thing by itself?

I know I tend to complicate things sometimes, but you guys are unreal when it comes to your "do this, it's much simpler" solutions.
Click to expand...
I have mine this way because my van has the old thin fan belt and if loaded at start up it snaps, so i start engine then lift revs after a min to 2000 and swithc on, i could of course and may do fit a 15 sec timmer to fire the relay, but still leave the switch incase i leave lights or something on and drain the s battery, i can then use the service batts to fire the donkey.
Others could if they wish fit a delay timmer, they are about £4 on ebay.
 
merl said:
Horses for courses, there's no perfect solution that fits all scenarios.
Obviously if you're going to be using your MH every so often then disconnecting the batteries will be a complete pain in the ass but if you're the type of user that lays the MH up for 5 months then I can't see an issue. If the cab battery was removed then you may well technically void your insurance but really...how on earth would the insurance company know unless you told them? I've had a MH nicked and was never asked if I'd disconnected the battery. Flat battery or no battery? surely the same difference? Van probably safer and less likely to get nicked with the battery removed.
If you're not plugging into the mains to maintain the batteries then the power has to come from SOMEWHERE, you can't get energy from thin air so the DC to DC maintainers will simply remove power from the hab battery in a no sunlight scenario that I mentioned, if you have LA leisure batts they'll suffer. Nothing is cut and dry, especially when you have to take cost into consideration.
Just my opinion.
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You disconnected the battery and the alarm no longer works. If your insurance relies on a working alarm and you don't have one.. buggered.
You may not be asked if the starter battery is connected, but you'll be asked about the alarm for sure if if was a requirement.
 
wildebus said:
You disconnected the battery and the alarm no longer works. If your insurance relies on a working alarm and you don't have one.. buggered.
You may not be asked if the starter battery is connected, but you'll be asked about the alarm for sure if if was a requirement.
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But then again if it gets nicked, then I presume the thief would have to fit a battery, in which case it would most likely re activate the alarm
 
wildebus said:
You disconnected the battery and the alarm no longer works. If your insurance relies on a working alarm and you don't have one.. buggered.
You may not be asked if the starter battery is connected, but you'll be asked about the alarm for sure if if was a requirement.
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From memory I was asked about what alarm system my MH had when purchasing the insurance but I never got asked about my MH alarm status when mine got nicked, probably because Ford alarms are not worth having 🤭
 
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