M/H Plug in while at home

kate13

Guest
Hi All
As we are new to this. His it best to plug in hookup lead into house, while its not being used. and I would imagine it does not cost alot more on the electric bill.
Regards Julie
 
kate13 said:
Hi All
As we are new to this. His it best to plug in hookup lead into house, while its not being used. and I would imagine it does not cost alot more on the electric bill.
Regards Julie
Click to expand...

Hi Kate I only use a home plug in when i need to top up the batteries or if i am useing power tools for repairs oh and the hoover of course, so i dont think thats a big lump on the leccy bill.
 
the only thing i do is run the heating once a week just to keep the damp at bay, if you are worried about your batteries then take the van for a good run once or twice a month. it is no good just charging the batteries from the mains you also have to think about your brake seasing disks rusting and also you clutch seasing up that will happen and will be expensive. a good excuse for a weekend away.
 
mandrake said:
the only thing i do is run the heating once a week just to keep the damp at bay, if you are worried about your batteries then take the van for a good run once or twice a month. it is no good just charging the batteries from the mains you also have to think about your brake seasing disks rusting and also you clutch seasing up that will happen and will be expensive. a good excuse for a weekend away.[/QUOTE

I always leave 3 bowls of salt in the van during the winter
its amazing how they sook up the damp!
if the vans stationary for two weeks,
its surprising how much water has gathered
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sundown said:
mandrake said:
the only thing i do is run the heating once a week just to keep the damp at bay, if you are worried about your batteries then take the van for a good run once or twice a month. it is no good just charging the batteries from the mains you also have to think about your brake seasing disks rusting and also you clutch seasing up that will happen and will be expensive. a good excuse for a weekend away.[/QUOTE

I always leave 3 bowls of salt in the van during the winter
its amazing how they sook up the damp!
if the vans stationary for two weeks,
its surprising how much water has gathered
Click to expand...
Sounds like a good idea mate.
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... and have the engine battery disconnect if you standstill for a month or so.
The blinker of the safety system is a hidden consumer, will draw your battery
slowly flat; and you need a lot of power to heath up a cold diesel.
More easier: install a battery cut-off switch.
 
Hook Up

Well, I plug in a couple of days before I intend to use our M/H and we use her every 2 weeks.
I also hook up when the weather is frosty as I put a oil heater or fan heater on to keep her nice and snug (as a bug in a rug):D;)
When it is really cold, I run the heater night & day (snug as a bug again);):D
We never get any battery problems:D:) Touch wood:cool:
 
Cat1 Alarm

Belgian said:
... and have the engine battery disconnect if you standstill for a month or so.
The blinker of the safety system is a hidden consumer, will draw your battery
slowly flat; and you need a lot of power to heath up a cold diesel.
More easier: install a battery cut-off switch.
Click to expand...

Hi what about security?
regards Julie
 
Hi Kate, you will find that if you put your m/h on hook up at home, there should be a built in cut off on the charger so that it will not overcharge.
If you read your handbook, it should say same.
Therefor there is no problem at all in leaving on hook:D up for longer periods.
That is what my hand book says
 
***** said:
Hi Kate, you will find that if you put your m/h on hook up at home, there should be a built in cut off on the charger so that it will not overcharge.
If you read your handbook, it should say same.
Therefor there is no problem at all in leaving on hook:D up for longer periods.
That is what my hand book says
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shouldn't overcharge as long as there is a built in device which cuts the charger off when it is fully charged, the other alternative is a charge optimiser a friend of mine has one on his bike as he leaves it in the garage all winter and has to keep the alarm activated
 
I've checked hand book and I can't see any info where it says that if you are hooked up to 240v through van that you will charge fiat battery as well as leisure battery I have a CI cipro I now some vans have this type of charging but how do you now:eek::D
 
cipro said:
I've checked hand book and I can't see any info where it says that if you are hooked up to 240v through van that you will charge fiat battery as well as leisure battery I have a CI cipro I now some vans have this type of charging but how do you now:eek::D
Click to expand...

My Hymer handbook and my previous Hymer handbook said that it charged both batteries and it would cut out before overcharging:cool:
And I have never had battery problems :eek:(touching wood again):D
 
***** said:
My Hymer handbook and my previous Hymer handbook said that it charged both batteries and it would cut out before overcharging:cool:
And I have never had battery problems :eek:(touching wood again):D
Click to expand...
my previous van(swift) charged the leisure and the engine batteries and so does this one (hymer) so i reckon kate13s should do the same as graths mine and hers are all hymers. don't know that i would want it hooked up all the while just every couple of weeks if she hasn't been out for a while otherwise the alternator should do it all
 
Batteries

Difficult to explain, but I give it a try :confused:
You have 2 batteries. The engine battery is for ignition, gives at 100 %: 12,7 V. Able to give a strong current for a short time (starting). But: if down under 12,4V it could be ready for the scrap !
Your leisure batteries are slow unloading (light inside, TV...) They could go down to 40% (12V) without damage.
When you are driving the (engine)generator fills up first the engine battery and then the leisure battery. Between them is a one-way diode (engine batt>leisure) (avoiding one battery is sucking off the other).
When you hook-up: the built-in transfo is only feeding the leisure battery
not the engine battery (wrong one-way).
So it has no sense to hook-up for weeks, you're only feeding the leisure battery. And this-one ia allready charging up after about a 20 min drive.
If you are idle for some weeks you could aply a (drip)charger to give your startbattery a better rendement.
just buy one of these cheap Volt-meters from A..I to check the voltage.
Give you the %
100%: 12,7V
90%:12,6V
80%:12,5V
70%:12,4V
60%:13,3V (here begins the alarm-level for your engine battery)
50%:12,2V
40%:12,1V
Hope this gives a little bit light in the darknes :D
Groetjes
 
Hi Kate,
Just use all of your electrical appliances with care.
Don't use more lights than you need and don't have the TV on more than you need and watch out how much if any you use an inverter and I am sure that you will have no problems.
We have found that we can weekend during a winter period and go for several days in the summer without any need to charge or run the engine.
Just be sensible and I am sure that your Hymer will not let you down.
We do carry a Honda Generator, but we have never had to use it for battery reasons and usually it has been used for other people.
Just put it on hook up every couple of weeks for a couple of days and make sure it is charged for a couple of days before wilding.
If you are going to a campsite and using electricity, there will be no need to hook up prior to your trip.
Just have a little faith in your Hymer and I am sure that she will not let you down.
 
sundown said:
mandrake said:
the only thing i do is run the heating once a week just to keep the damp at bay, if you are worried about your batteries then take the van for a good run once or twice a month. it is no good just charging the batteries from the mains you also have to think about your brake seasing disks rusting and also you clutch seasing up that will happen and will be expensive. a good excuse for a weekend away.[/QUOTE

I always leave 3 bowls of salt in the van during the winter
its amazing how they sook up the damp!
if the vans stationary for two weeks,
its surprising how much water has gathered
Click to expand...
hi there, does that salt thing really work..
Click to expand...
 
Geoff.W said:
hillwalker said:
Hi Hilly.

Most salts (including common/table salt) are HYGROSCOPIC and absorb water.

See here for some more info.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygroscopy
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Thanks geoff, you always manage to explain things in a very definate manner
I used to find in an old caravan that the salt always got damp,
so I figured that it must attract the moisture (damp)
thus the 3 bowls of salt.
I never thought about why it worked , Just knew it did!
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