paulamy
Guest
does any 1 know how many batteries you can charge from the altinator at the same time i charge two at the mo but wondered if 4 would over do the system and cause damage? thanx paul
Deleted member 3011
Guest
The field windings of a car alternator are sized so that even at maximum excitation, the alternator can only put out its rated current - AND it should be able to keep this up indefinitely. This is to allow for charging the battery, running heater fans, doofdoof sound systems and 6 100w driving lights that every ****** hangs off his car. Of course the alternator can't possibly keep up with all this so the extra current is supplied by the battery, the voltage gradually drops and the battery gets flatter and flatter until it reaches the point when he drops the clutch at the lights to impress the bird standing on the corner, stalls the engine and is stuck half way across the intersection looking stupid.
I won't go into the pros and cons of hooking 4 batteries up in parallel - others will tell you it is a bad idea - but nothing bad should happen if you are driving normally without all the above ******-gear running. The available current from the alternator will be shared between the engine, engine battery and leisure batteries and all will eventually get to a reasonable state of charge.
Strong recommendation would be to install a split charging system so the engine batter must first get mostly charged before switching over to allow the leisure batteries to charge, When the engine is switched off, the link relay opens to prevent flattening the engine battery.
NB ****** -- [Brit, vulgar] Insulting terms of address for people who are stupid or irritating or ridiculous
I won't go into the pros and cons of hooking 4 batteries up in parallel - others will tell you it is a bad idea - but nothing bad should happen if you are driving normally without all the above ******-gear running. The available current from the alternator will be shared between the engine, engine battery and leisure batteries and all will eventually get to a reasonable state of charge.
Strong recommendation would be to install a split charging system so the engine batter must first get mostly charged before switching over to allow the leisure batteries to charge, When the engine is switched off, the link relay opens to prevent flattening the engine battery.
NB ****** -- [Brit, vulgar] Insulting terms of address for people who are stupid or irritating or ridiculous
Last edited by a moderator:
gordon
Guest
why not fit a second altenator i have a 24v truck and have fitted a second
12v altenator to charge the 3 110amp leisure batteries.
12v altenator to charge the 3 110amp leisure batteries.
Hirohito
Guest
Gordon's second alternator..
Thanks Gordon marvellous but.......how do you do that ? Harry.
Thanks Gordon marvellous but.......how do you do that ? Harry.
bigtrev8xl
Guest
Hi.
My 85 amp alternator charges the starter battery, and 3 125 amp hr domestic batteries via a “Sterling battery to battery charger”
Cheers Big Trev
Nosha
Guest
Our Winnebago had two engine & two house batteries but you do need a good relay as it could get hot if you flatten the house batteries then it's going to have the alternator output going through it for an hour or more before they're charged up and the load starts to tail off.
Pioneer
Guest
Hi,
My Motorhome was fitted with 3 x batteries form new, engine battery and 2 x leisure(85amp/hr) batteries, all charged from the main alternator through a control unit, this determines what battery requires the charge. Apply's when running or on EHU. When wilding a Solar panel takes over the charge, never had any problems.
Happy Camping
My Motorhome was fitted with 3 x batteries form new, engine battery and 2 x leisure(85amp/hr) batteries, all charged from the main alternator through a control unit, this determines what battery requires the charge. Apply's when running or on EHU. When wilding a Solar panel takes over the charge, never had any problems.
Happy Camping
Pioneer
Guest
Hi ajs,
sorry can't answer that for you, because like I said when not running or on EHU, the solar panel does the charging bit, but we don't scrimp on lighting, and Tv is on when required. We do go away for months on end, and never a problem. If your moving every day or every other day, the batteries soon charge up.
Happy Camping
sorry can't answer that for you, because like I said when not running or on EHU, the solar panel does the charging bit, but we don't scrimp on lighting, and Tv is on when required. We do go away for months on end, and never a problem. If your moving every day or every other day, the batteries soon charge up.
Happy Camping
ajs
Guest
Hi ajs,
sorry can't answer that for you, because like I said when not running or on EHU, the solar panel does the charging bit, but we don't scrimp on lighting, and Tv is on when required. We do go away for months on end, and never a problem. If your moving every day or every other day, the batteries soon charge up.
Happy Camping
it's just that i have a suspicion that my leisure battery may be knakkered
but i don't have testing facilities... and i'm not very experienced
and my electrical technical mekkanical knowledge is less than zero
i'm getting about 1/2 an hour from it.. lights only.. having mains charged it for 24hrs and an alternator charge after a long run.
in other words it lasts as long as it takes me to get the jenny running
just need to know if this is the norm... or if i need to change it
regards
aj
Pioneer
Guest
Geoff.W
Guest
it's just that i have a suspicion that my leisure battery may be knakkered
but i don't have testing facilities... and i'm not very experienced
and my electrical technical mekkanical knowledge is less than zero
i'm getting about 1/2 an hour from it.. lights only.. having mains charged it for 24hrs and an alternator charge after a long run.
in other words it lasts as long as it takes me to get the jenny running
just need to know if this is the norm... or if i need to change it
regards
aj
I must agree it does sound like your battery is knackered, however unless you do a simple charging test its difficult to be sure.
If you can get hold of a voltmeter just connect it across your leisure battery when the engine is running, it should read 14+ volts, if it does then its a faulty battery if not then you have a charge problem.
If you ever get over Evesham way PM me and I can always have a quick look.
ajs
Guest
ajs
Guest
.. fluid...... do they still have fluid in em i havn't looked at a battery for fluid levels since £$&% years ago
oooahhh
anyhoo... its under the seat... can't get me head under there to see
regards
aj
Pioneer
Guest
Hi ajs,
it's not easy to get to a battery under a seat, but that's what you will have to do mate, to firstly make sure the plates inside the battery are covered. If not top up and re-charge, then re-test with a voltmeter. Does your van have an onboard charging unit? and is this working? Lots to check, but got to be done.
If you don't know how and travelling to North Wales anytime near future, let me know in the PM section, and maybe I can help you out. We live just outside Welshpool. Good luck.
Happy Camping
it's not easy to get to a battery under a seat, but that's what you will have to do mate, to firstly make sure the plates inside the battery are covered. If not top up and re-charge, then re-test with a voltmeter. Does your van have an onboard charging unit? and is this working? Lots to check, but got to be done.
If you don't know how and travelling to North Wales anytime near future, let me know in the PM section, and maybe I can help you out. We live just outside Welshpool. Good luck.
Happy Camping
ajs
Guest
.
tis kkknakkered...thanks woofwubbleue fer testing it
regards
aj
apologies for steeling thread
tis kkknakkered
...thanks woofwubbleue fer testing it regards
aj
apologies for steeling thread
flower3bird
Guest
If you want to majorly increase the feed from your alternator to your leisure batteries then do take a look at the Sterling Battery to Battery. see http://www.sterling-power.com/products-battbatt.htm
It boosts the feed and fast charges your leisure batteries. Not expensive to buy but it does need special wiring in, which did cost us more than the device. But so worthwhile. Whenever the engine is running the batteries are charging, even if you aren't motoring. Additionally you can get a management panel which tells you exactly how full/empty your batteries are. This is worth having. We are very heavy leccy users and this way we know what we have in the banks at any time.
We have one fitted on each of our MHs. The biggy also has solar for when we are stationary, but the little Adria relies totally on the B2B and it is perfect, as this van gets used lots.
It boosts the feed and fast charges your leisure batteries. Not expensive to buy but it does need special wiring in, which did cost us more than the device. But so worthwhile. Whenever the engine is running the batteries are charging, even if you aren't motoring. Additionally you can get a management panel which tells you exactly how full/empty your batteries are. This is worth having. We are very heavy leccy users and this way we know what we have in the banks at any time.
We have one fitted on each of our MHs. The biggy also has solar for when we are stationary, but the little Adria relies totally on the B2B and it is perfect, as this van gets used lots.