Battery Charger (1 Viewer)

nic

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Just got myself an 06 Bessacarr E445, well pleased with it but the leisure battery is shot :-( Dealer has replaced it under warranty with a Numax 113Ah so chuffed with that. The question I have is about the onboard charger.

I have heard that leaving the van permanently on EHU when at home will boil the battery and shouldn't be done. Is this correct even for the newer vehicles ?

If this is the case I was wondering whether to change the charger for one that is designed to be left permanently connected but today saw on a website selling the Numax (which is designed to be left connected all the time) that the Numax can not be used as a replacement for the onboard charger?

Can anyone help? am I missing something obvious here ?
 

Wildman

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I would suspect that the numax has a very low charge rate so using it to replace the onboard charger would result in flat batteries when the van is in use, whilst used as a a top up for natural wastage on a stored vehicle however would be fine. I hope I have made myself clear.
 
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nic

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the numax is rated at 10A if that means anything?

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hilldweller

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I have heard that leaving the van permanently on EHU when at home will boil the battery and shouldn't be done. Is this correct even for the newer vehicles ??

Certainly should NOT be.

It's voltmeter time. Leave it on charge a few days, measure the voltage whilst connected and get back to us. Though if you see anything over 14.5V shut down immediately.

Ours is on month after month, I do have to top up the battery but only every other month or when I remember and the battery is 6 years old now. German Quality !!
 
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nic

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Will be going up the van tomorrow, its been on hook up all week so will get my meter out, I never thought of that obvious solution !

Cheers.
 

pappajohn

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the cheapest way when on hookup in storage is a timer.

assuming you store the van at home then just a simple plugin household timer is fine.
set it to 15 minutes per day and forget about it.

the other option is turn the charger off and switch back on for a few hours once a fortnight. just remember to turn it off again.

the most efficient route is a 3 or 4 stage charger/power supply....they are designed to be left permenantly connected and will trickle charge when no load is applied.

i use one of these.....AMPOROR CHARGER

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scotjimland

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the most efficient route is a 3 or 4 stage charger/power supply....they are designed to be left permenantly connected and will trickle charge when no load is applied.

I agree, but the model you point to John isn't a combined charger/power supply unit ..

( been here before I think )

Sterling do a range .. Link Removed

search the ProBudget 20A model..
 

pappajohn

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I agree, but the model you point to John isn't a combined charger/power supply unit ..

..

maybe so Jim, but what difference does it really make.

the original item it replaced was only a charger, not combined, so it charges the battery as battery power is used on the 12v circuits.

ok...if you want to run 12v stuff independant of a battery you will need a power supply/ charger but how many eurovans actually run 12v from a power supply ?
 
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nic

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maybe so Jim, but what difference does it really make.

the original item it replaced was only a charger, not combined, so it charges the battery as battery power is used on the 12v circuits.

ok...if you want to run 12v stuff independant of a battery you will need a power supply/ charger but how many eurovans actually run 12v from a power supply ?

I remember reading somewhere in the manual that the 12v system was designed to allow you to run 12v on EHU without a leisure battery, so the current unit must be a PSU as well as a charger.

I will have a look at the unit when I go up to the van and see if I can identify it..

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scotjimland

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I remember reading somewhere in the manual that the 12v system was designed to allow you to run 12v on EHU without a leisure battery, so the current unit must be a PSU as well as a charger.

I will have a look at the unit when I go up to the van and see if I can identify it..

Hi Nic

it will either be a combined charger/power supply unit or just a basic power supply unit with a constant 13.8v output, commonly fitted to many American RVs and euro vans.

Pappajohn is correct, you can run with only a charger, but as you say, if you have a flat/dead battery or remove it for any reason you won't have a regulated 12v supply for the van.

jim
 
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nic

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Ok, checked the voltage today and on charge its at 13.8v.

The charger is a nordelettronica ne143-s I have googled this but can't find anything out about it, does anyone have any more info ?

on another note I am considering adding a 2nd leisure battery, how important is it to match my existing 113 Ah battery ? I need to find room for the 2nd battery under the floor somewhere but would like to make it as big as possible. Is there any drawback with having a 113 and a 225 ?

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pappajohn

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Ok, checked the voltage today and on charge its at 13.8v.

The charger is a nordelettronica ne143-s I have googled this but can't find anything out about it, does anyone have any more info ?

on another note I am considering adding a 2nd leisure battery, how important is it to match my existing 113 Ah battery ? I need to find room for the 2nd battery under the floor somewhere but would like to make it as big as possible. Is there any drawback with having a 113 and a 225 ?

a lot of people say all the batteries should be the same size and age but i've been thinking hard about this and providing they are all in good condition it shouldnt make much difference.

a poor/weak battery will quickly pull down a good one to the same charge state as the poor one but the actual amp/hr difference shouldnt really matter.

a 110ah battery will still only take 110amps regardless of what other capacity battery its connected to.
 
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nic

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Ok last question (on this subject !!)

I dont want to cut my floor and I dont want to stick the battery under the sofa as there is little enough room in there as it is due to the inboard water tank. I don't need easy access to the battery so was wondering if there is a box of some sort that I can fix under the floor that I can put the battery in? access would be from underneath and would involve some sort of door in the side of the box.

any thoughts on this ?
 

pappajohn

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only found one mention of the 143-S and its on a spainish forum.

Swift fit the 143-MH which is a multi stage 15amp charger

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pappajohn

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Ok last question (on this subject !!)

I dont want to cut my floor and I dont want to stick the battery under the sofa as there is little enough room in there as it is due to the inboard water tank. I don't need easy access to the battery so was wondering if there is a box of some sort that I can fix under the floor that I can put the battery in? access would be from underneath and would involve some sort of door in the side of the box.

any thoughts on this ?

is the original under the passengers seat or in the engine bay?
 
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nic

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Neither, battery box is cut into the floor by the sink. Doubt there is enough room under the Seat
 

pappajohn

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oh well, just a thought.

maybe something could be fabricated and bolted to the chassis near the original.

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nic

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cheers PapaJohn, will get my tape measure out when I am up again today and see what I can work out. Might be easier to relocate the water tank under the chassis and put the battery under the seat !
 

hilldweller

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Vorsprung Durch Technik. :Smile:

I'm very pleased to say that the Electoblok is real old technology. Proper circuit diagram, no microprocessors, good old fashioned moving coil meters. I know that this is repairable indefinitely with simple off the shelf components. Well, provided it does not actually catch fire which is always on the cards with very high current circuits.

We all read on here "unscrew the panel, unplug the power lead, wait, plug back in, screw panel to the wall" - how crap is that.

Progress "how to make a simple task very complicated just to make it look good for the sales guys".

Same in cars - do you want to lift this lever and slide your bum or do you want a computer that will move the seat and cost £1K if it ever goes wrong ?
 

hilldweller

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cheers PapaJohn, will get my tape measure out when I am up again today and see what I can work out. Might be easier to relocate the water tank under the chassis and put the battery under the seat !

You want iced water !!

I must say I don't go for an under chassis battery. You will not maintain it properly there. You might say "sealed battery" but one you can open and peer into is much better in my humble opinion.

Googling "battery box" produced only 29,800,000 hits.

As PJ said, under the passenger seat is a popular place.

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Bryan

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Which one of these would you suggest is best for an RV with approx. 255amp of batteries which is on charge whenever it is on hookup (this includes all the time it is on the drive)

Link Removed

Or the one PJ linked to...

AMPOROR CHARGER


The ctek is 7 amp but 8 stage including all sorts of clever features.

The Amperor is 3 stage but 25 amps...
 

hilldweller

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Which one of these would you suggest is best for an RV with approx. 255amp of batteries which is on charge whenever it is on hookup (this includes all the time it is on the drive)

The ctek is 7 amp but 8 stage including all sorts of clever features.

One looks plastic gimmick toy, one looks Proper Job.

You don't need clever features and bullshit selling for what is a very simple job.
 

gunerdoo

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Speaking of chargers has anybody used one of Link Removed and are they OK for keeping the
Battery topped up ?:Smile:

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hilldweller

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Speaking of chargers has anybody used one of Link Removed and are they OK for keeping the
Battery topped up ?:Smile:

Marginal - solar is poor in the winter ( obviously ) and it depends it you have a new fangled
van with security computers eating at your amps.

Better than nothing and at that price why not more than one angled to get what bit of winter sun we have.
 

pappajohn

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Speaking of chargers has anybody used one of Link Removed and are they OK for keeping the
Battery topped up ?:Smile:

that will give you around 1/10th of 1amp on a very sunny day so if anything is connected to the battery like an alarm or similar then it will never keep up with the current drain.

a fully charged, DISCONNECTED, battery might be kept topped up, but thats about all.
 
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nic

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You want iced water !!

I must say I don't go for an under chassis battery. You will not maintain it properly there. You might say "sealed battery" but one you can open and peer into is much better in my humble opinion.

Googling "battery box" produced only 29,800,000 hits.

As PJ said, under the passenger seat is a popular place.

There's not enough room under either cab seats for a battery so my only other option is under the sofa :-(

The google results for battery box would be suitable if I wanted to store the battery under the sofa (looking like my only option) but not the type swift have used in mine which is actually fitted into the floor and supported by the lip of the box being screwed into the floor of the van. Does this make sense ?

another alternative is to go for a chassis hung gas tank and put the battery in my gas locker !

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Sep 27, 2007
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The charger is a nordelettronica ne143-s I have googled this but can't find anything out about it, does anyone have any more info ?

on another note I am considering adding a 2nd leisure battery, how important is it to match my existing 113 Ah battery ? I need to find room for the 2nd battery under the floor somewhere but would like to make it as big as possible. Is there any drawback with having a 113 and a 225 ?

Nic,

Andy, should be able to update you on the "nordelettronica gear, as he is a Swift man to boot, and a member of this forum.

When we had an E760 the l/batt was under the garage floor, and we considered a second battery in that area. Does your model have rear storage, that you could use in a similar way?

Its an expensive route to have a fixed lpg tank fitted to vacate the lpg locker for a battery, another option, is there space in the rear chassis area for an insulated water tank, CAK type, (thats if you are not winter camping) to make space for the batteries, inside.

Just a thiught:Smile:

Nomadic
 
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nic

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Nic,

Andy, should be able to update you on the "nordelettronica gear, as he is a Swift man to boot, and a member of this forum.

When we had an E760 the l/batt was under the garage floor, and we considered a second battery in that area. Does your model have rear storage, that you could use in a similar way?

Its an expensive route to have a fixed lpg tank fitted to vacate the lpg locker for a battery, another option, is there space in the rear chassis area for an insulated water tank, CAK type, (thats if you are not winter camping) to make space for the batteries, inside.

Just a thiught:Smile:

Nomadic

thanks for heads up on Andy :thumb:

The battery compartment is in the floor of the corridor leading to the end bathroom, there is room to fit another battery compartment in that area but I would need to find/manufacture a box similar to the one Swift used but I would need ot to be bigger as I want to go 225Ah and these batteries weigh approx 60KG's ! I also don't fancy cutting throught the floor :RollEyes:

We go winter camping so if that rules out an external water tank then thats another option off the list !

External gas tank is going to be approx £400 :cry:
 

Rickboy

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Speaking of chargers has anybody used one of Link Removed and are they OK for keeping the
Battery topped up ?:Smile:

These are great- for keeping a watch battery charged but a waste of space for a camper battery.Don' t waste you money!

If your want a bargain charger check these out on eBay 360210851307 £11 incl p&p

Rick

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