Optimate Charger?

[dorset boy]

Hi Folks,
My first Thread so be gentle.

We bought our 09 Compass A100 today! Hurray! A big jump from the air cooled VW we banged around in 20 years ago...

Now a question, whats the best trickle charger to keep the C100 battery (batteries) in good charge over the winter?
I use a Optimate for my motorbike which has a heavy alarm on it which will drain the battery quickly if left off charge....
So - another optimate?
(does it have one built in?.....hmm... must read the book!)

Rgds...Mike.

 

[Telstar]

I went down the solar panel route for the van as its not kept at home. I got a dash mounted one for the engine battery from maplins of offer. Approx twice the width of the normal car ones but was the same price, about a tenner. Never had a problem since fitting it.

As for the leisure batteries, again solar power from the roof. Assuming not covered in snow, always putting a trickle charge in there.

As for optimate, I picked up a cheaper version from Lidl the other year. Just put it on the Harleys every now and then. It is powerful enough for everything, even the van.

Jon

ps welcome to the mad house....

 

[biggirafe]

Hi Folks,
My first Thread so be gentle.

We bought our 09 Compass A100 today! Hurray! A big jump from the air cooled VW we banged around in 20 years ago...

Now a question, whats the best trickle charger to keep the C100 battery (batteries) in good charge over the winter?
I use a Optimate for my motorbike which has a heavy alarm on it which will drain the battery quickly if left off charge....
So - another optimate?
(does it have one built in?.....hmm... must read the book!)

Rgds...Mike.

Hi Mike and welcome

Different vans have different chargers built in some have none.

Mine has an onboard 'smart' charger that can be set to either charge and run the habitation 12v electrics or can be switched to push the charge to the engine battery. Most will also charge the leisure battery when the engine is running, check out your manual for what yours will do

Like Telstar I have a 15w solar panel which will trickle charge even in winter but I'm not convinced it is doing much during the winter, less than a 1/4 amp last time I put a meter on it in November.

If I'm not using the van (rare) then I always run it out once a week to do the shopping. Apart from keeping the battery(s) charged I believe this keeps the breaks from rusting excessivley and will ensure oil and grease is worked around all the joints and bearings, i don't know if this is the right thing to do but it makes sense to me

Enjoy your new toy, let us know how it goes

 

[derekfaeberwick]

As Big long neck says they do differ from model to model, my van charges the leisure batteries and also gives a float charge to the engine battery at the same time.

As you said, time to do a bit of reading.

 

[dorset boy]

got it

picked up our new van today.......the little dog is well pleased...no need for an optimate as its all auto....lovely!

 

[l77 tuf]

we have smart charger on our self build mate its brill cost me £12.95 from lidl i seen them in there again last week some places charge £70 for same thing i was told about it on here also so i went and got 1