Which charging gadget do I need?? (1 Viewer)

Jul 2, 2011
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I would like to be able to keep the engine battery charged from the solar panel and ideally also from the mains when on EHU.

Outside the house it is always connected to the mains, so it makes sense to have that option too.

Is there a single gadget, ideally that I can purchase and get fitted locally that will charge from both?

Thanks

Steve
 

Snowbird

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Apr 24, 2009
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I have 2 of the split charge relays, one charging the engine battery and one charging a second leisure bank. Item no 330747187815 from good old ebay. They work great and you can fit them yourself in half an hour. At under ÂŁ20 they are the cheapest way.
 

Wildman

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May 30, 2008
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Charging from your mains is built into the van. To charge the engine battery from solar you could use one of these
Link Removed

however if you are away then just running the engine as you drive from place to place and as already stated you have EHU at home when parked. Assuming you switch the charger on no problem.

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Encantador
Jul 2, 2011
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Funster No
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Swift Kon Tiki Tag, 2007.
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Charging from your mains is built into the van. To charge the engine battery from solar you could use one of these
Link Removed

however if you are away then just running the engine as you drive from place to place and as already stated you have EHU at home when parked. Assuming you switch the charger on no problem.

EHU at home only seems to charge the leisure batteries as far as I can tell. Over the winter when there is little sun, it would seem sensible to use the EHU to also keep the engine battery topped up.

Am I missing something?

Thanks

Steve.
 

Snowbird

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Apr 24, 2009
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Charging from your mains is built into the van. To charge the engine battery from solar you could use one of these
Link Removed

however if you are away then just running the engine as you drive from place to place and as already stated you have EHU at home when parked. Assuming you switch the charger on no problem.[/QUOTE
Thats the wrong one Roger, but it is from the same company. I also have one of those but its for charging the second battery from the engine battery whilst the engine is running.
 
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Encantador
Jul 2, 2011
953
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Funster No
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The seller of this one Link Removed (Thanks Snowbird), says that it will work with solar and/or EHU.

Am I right in thinking that it is not taking the power from the Solar panel and/or EHU, it is simply drawing a bit direct from the batteries when they are full and sending it to the engine battery? So it doesn`t matter whether it is the solar or the EHU doing the charging and so will be what I need.

Thanks

Steve

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Snowbird

LIFE MEMBER
Apr 24, 2009
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Liverpool.
Funster No
6,422
MH
Fifth wheel.
Exp
Since 11-05-2000
The seller of this one Link Removed (Thanks Snowbird), says that it will work with solar and/or EHU.

Am I right in thinking that it is not taking the power from the Solar panel and/or EHU, it is simply drawing a bit direct from the batteries when they are full and sending it to the engine battery? So it doesn`t matter whether it is the solar or the EHU doing the charging and so will be what I need.

Thanks

Steve
Thats the thing I have. What it does is detect when the leisure battery is full, then charges another battery ie, engine or second battery bank. Simple to fit as you only connect one wire to the positive on your leisure and one to the positive on your engine battery plus one wire to earth.
 

Wildman

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May 30, 2008
0
8,470
Ilfracombe, Devon
Funster No
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EHU at home only seems to charge the leisure batteries as far as I can tell. Over the winter when there is little sun, it would seem sensible to use the EHU to also keep the engine battery topped up.

Am I missing something?

Thanks

Steve.
yes Steve your Zig unit or other control panel should have a switch to select leisure or engine to charge on EHU.

Charging from your mains is built into the van. To charge the engine battery from solar you could use one of these
Link Removed

however if you are away then just running the engine as you drive from place to place and as already stated you have EHU at home when parked. Assuming you switch the charger on no problem.[/QUOTE
Thats the wrong one Roger, but it is from the same company. I also have one of those but its for charging the second battery from the engine battery whilst the engine is running.

I have one of those transferng the excess charge from one bank of batteries to the other Dave it seems to do the job ok. what do the company say the differance is? I spoke to them on the phone before doing it.
 
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Encantador
Jul 2, 2011
953
492
UK
Funster No
17,151
MH
Swift Kon Tiki Tag, 2007.
Exp
Newbie
Thanks Roger, I`m with it now, yes I can switch over to charge the engine battery from the control panel, but over the winter that would mean me remembering to do it regularly.

My understanding is that the gadget above does it all automatically.

Thanks

Steve

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