Should the EHU charge the engine battery? (1 Viewer)

[Encantador]

Just went out to MH which had not been started since Tuesday and engine battery was flat, chugged a bit but didn`t start engine, panel showed it as 11.8v.
Started strait away with jump leads and having ran it a bit seems OK, now showing 13.5.

I seem to remember going into MH one day since Tuesday (probably Wednesday) and finding cab radio still on, I didn`t realise it didn`t go off with ignition, so that may have been the cause.

It has been connected to electric all the time, so i asumed that this kept engine as well as hab battery charged, also have solar panel.

I now assume that this is not the case as if the radio was the cause, it has had since last Wednesday to today to re-charge.

Any advice welcome.

Steve

 

[WillH]

Not familiar with your van but the control panel will only charge one battery at a time, not both together. There will be some means of switching the charge/habitation supply to the chassis battery. Check the manual.

Rgds
Bill

 

[GJH]

Many cab radios go into a standby mode if switched off with the ignition or a single press of the off button. They need to be totally switched off by keeping the button pressed long enough. Alarms can also drain batteries when the van is left standing.

Some van electrics trickle charge the starter battery when on EHU but others don't. Our current van does but our previous one didn't. I fitted a Battery Charge Manager from CAK Tanks to over come the problem. A similar product is the Vanbitz Battery Master. There have been a few threads about those products recently so a search should find them.

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[Encantador]

Not familiar with your van but the control panel will only charge one battery at a time, not both together. There will be some means of switching the charge/habitation supply to the chassis battery. Check the manual.

Rgds
Bill

Thanks Bill, tried the manual not a lot of use with pictures of a generic panel, most of the buttons on mine don`t seem to do anything at all.

I assumed that once hab battery was full it would switch over automatically.

Steve

 

[ramsthom]

Usually Swift motorhomes can charge the cab battery on EHU. Switch on the control panel above the habitatition door and select vehical battery. If you have a multimeter check the battery voltage it should be 13,5 to 14.4 volts if its charging.

 

[dennismartin]

ive run a switched trickle charge lead off hab batteries. just switch on if cab battery is getting low and let the solar panels keep them topped up

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[slobadoberbob]

the battery master does what it says on the tin

Many cab radios go into a standby mode if switched off with the ignition or a single press of the off button. They need to be totally switched off by keeping the button pressed long enough. Alarms can also drain batteries when the van is left standing.

Some van electrics trickle charge the starter battery when on EHU but others don't. Our current van does but our previous one didn't. I fitted a Battery Charge Manager from CAK Tanks to over come the problem. A similar product is the Vanbitz Battery Master. There have been a few threads about those products recently so a search should find them.

We have a battery master fitted on our RV and it works.. we had a flat battery before it was fitted.. but it did blow the fuse once and went flat, but since then OK.


Bob