Longterm EHU (1 Viewer)

[tony_g]

I have a fairly basic question, which I suspect will have an answer dependent on van type. But here goes. I am off to Oz and NZ next week for 11 weeks. The van is already drained down, upholstery and mattress indoors, crystal thingies sitting in large plastic bowls etc. etc.
Can I safely leave it on EHU for the whole time, as the alarm is likely to completely drain the battery before I return? Not only a pain but invalidates the insurance.

My Burstner is on a Transit base and the manual seems to suggest that the Electroblok transformer/rectifier is able to 'sense' the state of the battery but is not exactly clear; and I guess this is not dissimilar to parking up at Zahora for a prolonged stay. But am I missing something? :Confused::Confused::Confused:

 

[slobadoberbob]

I leave mine on for 6 months

I leave mine on for 6 months over the winter.. no problems.

Bob

 

[Craig Rogers]

Do you mean the Cab alarm? It's possible that EHU won't charge your cab battery but will have a connection to monitor the state of it for displaying on your control panel.

11 weeks shouldn't really drain a good cab battery.

Although it's winter, have you thought about a small solar panel that plugs into the Ciggy lighter. That will help try and put back in what the alarm/immobiliser is taking out.

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[hilldweller]

11 weeks shouldn't really drain a good cab battery.t.

The load imposed by some modern electronics and drain a better in under a month.

 

[tony_g]

The load imposed by some modern electronics and drain a better in under a month.

Yes, mine shows a noticeable drop after two weeks.

 

[sedge]

Could you stick the house end of the EHU on a timer. to come on for X hours a day/night or something?

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[Craig Rogers]

That's only good if the charger gives power to the Cab battery

 

[tony_g]

Do you mean the Cab alarm? It's possible that EHU won't charge your cab battery but will have a connection to monitor the state of it for displaying on your control panel.

11 weeks shouldn't really drain a good cab battery.

Although it's winter, have you thought about a small solar panel that plugs into the Ciggy lighter. That will help try and put back in what the alarm/immobiliser is taking out.

In my case the EHU does do both batteries and I have used a small Maplins solar panel on the dash but wouldn't want to rely on it. I don't really know how long the starter battery would last but would prefer not to find out the hard way!

 

[tony_g]

Could you stick the house end of the EHU on a timer. to come on for X hours a day/night or something?

Good thought. Ideally I'd like a timer programme something like 20 hours every 14 days!

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[welsh winger]

Good thought. Ideally I'd like a timer programme something like 20 hours every 14 days!

In that case plug a charger in motor home to charge the cab battery and jobs a good un.

Nick

 

[Craig Rogers]

Good thought. Ideally I'd like a timer programme something like 20 hours every 14 days!

Yeah it is a good thought...... Although, it would probably have to be every 7 days, not come across a 14 day timer before, but 7 day timers are widely available.

Sunday could be the new charging day! I have a Commando EHU stepped down to 13amps via fused spur, thinking getting one of these now to replace the fused spur.

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[hilldweller]

Could you stick the house end of the EHU on a timer. to come on for X hours a day/night or something?

That would cause problems with our "intelligent" charger. Every 5 ( or something ) connections it performs a high voltage boost charge. Probably harmless but I just leave it on all the time.

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[pappajohn]

Why 20 hrs every 14 days ?

just program the timer for 1/2hr or 1hr per day......even a cheap mechanical 24hr timer would suffice then

 

[Craig Rogers]

That would cause problems with our "intelligent" charger. Every 5 ( or something ) connections it performs a high voltage boost charge. Probably harmless but I just leave it on all the time.

That's another intersting point, our Chausson is fitted with a CBE 4 Stage charger and referring to the manual;

The charging system is carried out in 4 stages:
1) battery charging with maximum current until the end-charge voltage is reached:
Note: the end-charge voltage is reached only if the battery is efficient.
2) when the end-charge threshold is reached the charger continues to operate for 90 minutes (lead
batteries) or 8 hours (gel batteries) with constant voltage.
3) Constant voltage holding 13.8V (gel batteries) or 13.5V (lead batteries)
4) After 10 hours, the battery charger reaches the standby mode and begins to operate again only
when the battery voltage is lower than 13V​

Which would make a timer pointless, therefore, it seems fine to just leave on EHU constantly.

 

[pappajohn]

That's another intersting point, our Chausson is fitted with a CBE 4 Stage charger and referring to the manual;

The charging system is carried out in 4 stages:
2) when the threshold is reached the charger continues to operate for 90 minutes (lead batteries) or 8 hours (gel batteries) with constant voltage.
3) voltage holding 13.8V (gel batteries) or 13.5V (lead batteries)
4) After 10 hours, the battery charger reaches the mode and begins to operate again only when the battery voltage is lower than 13V.

Which would make a timer pointless, therefore, it seems fine to just leave on EHU constantly.

Agreed, if you have a multi stage charger, but not all vans do :thumb:

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[Craig Rogers]

It makes sense as to why sometimes, the control panel (of course if it's that acurate) is not always showing a fully charged leisure battery, sometimes, the very top led on the scale isn't lit. Use some lights for a while and it actually goes up

Probably because the charger has kicked back in. Clever sh!t

 

[dave newell]

Leaving your van on hookup for 11 weeks will do no harm as the Schaudt Elektrblock is an "intelligent" charger and yes it will maintain the engine battery too.

D.

 

[tony_g]

Leaving your van on hookup for 11 weeks will do no harm as the Schaudt Elektrblock is an "intelligent" charger and yes it will maintain the engine battery too.

D.

Bingo! Sounds like the definitive answer to me. Many thanks.
:thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb::thumb:

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[motorhomelover]

lucky b****rd 11 weeks away i feel sick now

 

[ronboyracer]

EHU

Ronboyracer, I agree with one idea put forward, put a timer between the hook up and the main supply, a couple of hours a day should do it.

 

[dazzer]

Get one of these

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for £20 you can keep it on 24/7. My mate uses one on his race car which doesnt get used much but does have an alarm on it. Battery is always 100% charged and ready to go and he leaves it on for months with no problems.

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[Terry]

Do you mean the Cab alarm? It's possible that EHU won't charge your cab battery but will have a connection to monitor the state of it for displaying on your control panel.

11 weeks shouldn't really drain a good cab battery.

Although it's winter, have you thought about a small solar panel that plugs into the Ciggy lighter. That will help try and put back in what the alarm/immobiliser is taking out.

My alarm kills the battery in about 3 weeks-

In that case plug a charger in motor home to charge the cab battery and jobs a good un.

Nick

Thats what I do simply leave it all charging-the van charges l/batt and a small Aldi £12 3 stage looks after the cab battery :thumb: never got around to fitting a battery master type thing.

Get one of these

Link Removed

for £20 you can keep it on 24/7. My mate uses one on his race car which doesnt get used much but does have an alarm on it. Battery is always 100% charged and ready to go and he leaves it on for months with no problems.

Dazzer it states only up to 30 amps most batts are at least 85 amps :Sad: tell your mate to buy a Aldi / lidl charger for £12 saving 8 quid and they charge up to 120 amp batterys and go into maintain mode
terry

 

[dazzer]

My alarm kills the battery in about 3 weeks-

Thats what I do simply leave it all charging-the van charges l/batt and a small Aldi £12 3 stage looks after the cab battery :thumb: never got around to fitting a battery master type thing.

Dazzer it states only up to 30 amps most batts are at least 85 amps :Sad: tell your mate to buy a Aldi / lidl charger for £12 saving 8 quid and they charge up to 120 amp batterys and go into maintain mode
terry

Ive got 4 of the Aldi charger for the jetskis, they work great!! :thumb::thumb:

Hes been using the same charger now for about 4 years and never had a problem with it so I cant see him changing it any time soon