charging lea sure battery advice on short journeys (1 Viewer)

welshcowboy

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Jul 6, 2012
58
59
flint
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21,832
MH
van conversion
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1 year
hi everyone. I was just curious as to charging the leisure battery on short journeys as I use my camper for commuting to work which is only a ten min drive I've always just left the charger on so it charges everytine I use the van. am I doing damage to the life of the battery by giving it short charges like this????? it also get long charges on weekends overnight mainly. cheers. colin.
 
May 23, 2008
2,480
3,481
Near Durham City
Funster No
2,787
MH
Carthago
Exp
Since 1984
Short journeys will never put much charge into your batteries. The manufacturers always advise a journey of about 2 hours or 75 - 120 miles to show any charge that can be useful. Your short travel is probably not doing anything to put power into your leisure batteries. Is it possiible to hook up at night whilst it is parked at home? This would be the best solution to keeping them topped up.
 

pappajohn

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Aug 26, 2007
43,207
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Dark side of the moon
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Since 2005
hi everyone. I was just curious as to charging the leisure battery on short journeys as I use my camper for commuting to work which is only a ten min drive I've always just left the charger on so it charges everytine I use the van. am I doing damage to the life of the battery by giving it short charges like this????? it also get long charges on weekends overnight mainly. cheers. colin.

I assume you mean every time you drive the van ?

if so the onboard charger is doing nothing as it needs 230vac to work.

you will get a little charge from the engine alternator via the split charge relay but that will be negligible over such a short distance.

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Teepee

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Oct 14, 2012
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I use my van every day, the alternater charges the leisure battery as well. I travel about fifteen miles a day. This weekend we're at Swaffham decided to buy a smart battery charger within about half an hour it showed leisure battery fully charged, it seems that the journeys I do keep the leisure battery reasonably well charged. Hope this helps.
 

pappajohn

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Aug 26, 2007
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Since 2005
I use my van every day, the alternater charges the leisure battery as well. I travel about fifteen miles a day. This weekend we're at Swaffham decided to buy a smart battery charger within about half an hour it showed leisure battery fully charged, it seems that the journeys I do keep the leisure battery reasonably well charged. Hope this helps.

once your battery is charged, driving 15 miles everyday will keep it topped up as its already charged and needs very little current to maintain the charge.

try driving 15 miles every 3 or 4 weeks and see if it is still fully charged then.
 
Jan 27, 2013
1,334
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Stamford
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24,452
MH
Benimar Mileo 282
Exp
Seven plus years
once your battery is charged, driving 15 miles everyday will keep it topped up as its already charged and needs very little current to maintain the charge.

try driving 15 miles every 3 or 4 weeks and see if it is still fully charged then.

Are you suggesting Colin gets the bus to work just to test a theory? :winky:

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Teepee

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Oct 14, 2012
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Why would I do that means I'd have to walk to work,If that's the only amount of use you drive your MH for, perhaps a caravan would suit your needs better.
 

Teepee

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Oct 14, 2012
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Fit a solar panel.....I did, wish I had done it sooner !!:Cool::Cool::Cool:
Thanks for advice but no real need for solar panel for the way I use the van.

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welshcowboy

Free Member
Jul 6, 2012
58
59
flint
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21,832
MH
van conversion
Exp
1 year
thanks for the advice I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to shorten the battery's life as I know some batteries such as mobiles the batteries life runs out quicker if you only give em short charges. i use the van every weekend for going away so no problem about long times of charging.
 

peter125

Free Member
Nov 26, 2012
33
9
cardiff south wales
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23,808
MH
a class
Exp
since 1982
solar panel

hello, just read your reply, as a matter of interest what size solar panel did you fit, do you just run 1x 110 amp lesure battery,as im thinking about going this route. regards peter:Smile: this question was for SALOPIAN about his reply to your post sorry
 
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