What issues, if any, of leaving starter battery & house batteries connected?

mk1

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Hi all,

I have 140Ah Exide dual starter capacity which I dip into occasionally when I need to + 200Ah deep cycle house battery, all AGM chemistry.

Blue Sea VSR manages the connect/disconnect fine & all works well usually.

But with lockdown (short trips) + cold weather I'm ending up with one or other battery bank getting low depending on where I'm drawing from (varies).

Are there any issue with switching the VSR to permanently on so that the van & house circuits have access to the full 340Ah?

I would do that when all batteries are at the same voltage.

Sadly the VSR would then gobble 175mA

I can't park right outside my house so hook-up is an issue & regular long drives are a few weeks off I guess.

The aim is to prevent any cell dropping too much in voltage.

I have a booster battery to fire the engine if the starter batteries fall too low to start the engine.

TIA!
 
it will delay the run down of the leisure battery, but in the longer term if no charging occurs, you run the risk of damaging ALL the batteries.
I would be more inclined to actually disconnect the leisure battery and potentially the starter too (unless you need it connected for alarm or whatever)
 
wildebus said:
it will delay the run down of the leisure battery, but in the longer term if no charging occurs, you run the risk of damaging ALL the batteries.
I would be more inclined to actually disconnect the leisure battery and potentially the starter too (unless you need it connected for alarm or whatever)
Click to expand...

Agreed.
 
If it’s easily accessible, what about taking the leisure battery home to keep it on a trickle charge until circumstances allow longer runs? You could keep a charge in the starter battery just by running the engine occasional.
 
If you have no solar then a wildbus says disconnect, or if sitting a longish time say 1 mth id take them home where its warmer.
Do make sure your van brain is not affected by removal or the wireless code, been there done it
 
Thanks everyone 😊

I did just take the house battery box back after charging it at home but don't fancy making a habit of it (50kg) so I'll leave them disconnected and focus on keeping the starter battery topped up, or not drained, whatever's easier! 🍻
 
I used a couple of 20Watt solar panels propped in a south facing window, crocodile clipped to hab and cab batteries. didn't fully charge them but kept them 70-80% charged. Fitted solar to roof with mppt controller to hab battery. Then connected hab to cab with victron trickle charger(£26).
As the hab battery is not being drawn on, the solar fully charges battery. So when charge going to hab battery a 3A trickle charge goes to cab battery. This way both are kept fully charged whilst left in storage.
Went up to van last week, after four weeks standing, both batteries fully charged. Took it to garage to have timing belt changed, started on the button. Will go up to check mouse traps and rotate wheels in a week or so.
 
mk1 said:
Thanks everyone 😊

I did just take the house battery box back after charging it at home but don't fancy making a habit of it (50kg) so I'll leave them disconnected and focus on keeping the starter battery topped up, or not drained, whatever's easier! 🍻
Click to expand...
You could try something like This swopping between batterys if its not under cover be ok inside the windscreen for security
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