Second leisure battery (1 Viewer)

Chris

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Apologies if this is a stupid question but here goes -

I was thinking of having a second LB.

When both are fully charged , does the van drain one battery first and then the other and if so does it start on the second battery automatically or is there a switch?

Told you it was stupid::bigsmile:
 

ponyboy

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Apologies if this is a stupid question but here goes -

I was thinking of having a second LB.

When both are fully charged , does the van drain one battery first and then the other and if so does it start on the second battery automatically or is there a switch?

Told you it was stupid::bigsmile:

i don't think it's a stupid question - i'd love to know the answer too
 

icantremember

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Hi Chris, normally the leisure batteries are joined in parallel and in effect become one ... so they all drain at the same rate.

It is of course important that the batteries are are identical in age, and capacity.

Hope this helps, Brian

Not a stupid question at all.

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Terry

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Hi Chris, while it is ideal that both batteries are the same it is not necessary, you can simply add another. :winky: think of them like a bucket of water :thumb: you are simply swapping a small one for a bigger one ::bigsmile: you could fit a isolator switch at about 10 quid if you want to seperate them and let one become a emergency back up but then you have to remember to switch on to keep charged when running/on hook up, bit pointless really:winky:
Terry
 
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Chris

Chris

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Thanks Brian and Terry.

Even I can follow what you both say.

It's when amps or volts are mentioned that my head goes a bit bleary::bigsmile:
 

beachcaster

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Worth considering a solar panel to top both batteries up.......and the clever box from
van blitz that automatically switches and tops up your vehicle or leisure batteries whichever is lowest.

barry

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Terry

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Worth considering a solar panel to top both batteries up.......and the clever box from
van blitz that automatically switches and tops up your vehicle or leisure batteries whichever is lowest.

barry
While I understand what you are saying that would cost 400 quid ish:Eeek: Chris may well manage with just the extra battery thus prob doubling his wild time which may well be more than enough capacity for his needs
I have never needed more than the one 110 amphr battery :thumb::winky: if I run out of power all it means is no telly for a night ::bigsmile:
Terry
 
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What a bloody stupid question:winky:

One battery holds the Volts and the other holds the Amps:RollEyes:

The wires join them together so they can march hand in hand to the control box where they get married and become Mr. & Mrs. Watts.

OK?

:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
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Chris

Chris

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Worth considering a solar panel to top both batteries up.......and the clever box from
van blitz that automatically switches and tops up your vehicle or leisure batteries whichever is lowest.

barry

Our van came with a solar panel but I don't know how efficient it is.

In full sun last weekend with nothing in particular switched on it looked as if we were using more than we were generating.

Truth is though the Autotrail control panel is all Greek to me.:Doh:

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thehutchies

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We have 2x80W solar panels.
Five mismatched batteries from three different manufacturers. :Smile:

Nintendo Wii.
Xbox.
Xbox 360.
Two Playstation Portables.
Flat screen TV.
Two laptops and a desktop PC.
Various tablets and smartphones.
Washing machine and spindrier.
Macerator to empty 350 litres of waste every ten days or so.

We've been off hook-up, with only two driving days, since the 3rd of May! ::bigsmile:
 
Apr 18, 2009
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Not long enough!
We have 2x80W solar panels.
Five mismatched batteries from three different manufacturers. :Smile:

Nintendo Wii.
Xbox.
Xbox 360.
Two Playstation Portables.
Flat screen TV.
Two laptops and a desktop PC.
Various tablets and smartphones.
Washing machine and spindrier.
Macerator to empty 350 litres of waste every ten days or so.

We've been off hook-up, with only two driving days, since the 3rd of May! ::bigsmile:



My god do you ever get out??????:winky:
 
Apr 18, 2009
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Not long enough!
Ohms calculations
The resistance R in ohms (Ω) is equal to the voltage V in volts (V) divided by the current I in amps (A):

The resistance R in ohms (Ω) is equal to the squared voltage V in volts (V) divided by the power P in watts (W):

The resistance R in ohms (Ω) is equal to the power P in watts (W) divided by the squared current I in amps (A):

Amps calculations
The current I in amps (A) is equal to the voltage V in volts (V) divided by the resistance R in ohms (Ω):

The current I in amps (A) is equal to the power P in watts (W) divided by the voltage V in volts (V):

The current I in amps (A) is equal to the square root of the power P in watts (W) divided by the resistance R in ohms (Ω):

Volts calculations
The the voltage V in volts (V) is equal to the current I in amps (A) times the resistance R in ohms (Ω):

The the voltage V in volts (V) is equal to the power P in watts (W) divided by the current I in amps (A):

The the voltage V in volts (V) is equal to the square root of the power P in watts (W) times the resistance R in ohms (Ω):

Watts calculation
The the power P in watts (W) is equal to the voltage V in volts (V) times the current I in amps (A):

The the power P in watts (W) is equal to the squared voltage V in volts (V) divided by the resistance R in ohms (Ω):

The the power P in watts (W) is equal to the squared current I in amps (A) times the resistance R in ohms (Ω):



There you go::bigsmile:::bigsmile:::bigsmile:::bigsmile:::bigsmile:

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Terry

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I wouldn't worry Chris, I never look at my voltage gauge, simply turn tv on if pics on all ok if no pic but sound :Eeek:::bigsmile:
Terry
 

DuxDeluxe

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Truth is though the Autotrail control panel is all Greek to me.:Doh:

The Duxdeluxe translation services can put it into English for a very reasonable fee - we do charge by the minute, though! :winky:

might be worth getting someone to have a look at the solar panel sometime - ours pushes all those electricons into the battery quite nicely. Cheers.
 

Bohenny

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It seems to be the Telly that is the deciding factor?
Didn't get round to hooking up on return last time.
Two weeks on the drive just using the lights now and again , and the power needed for the retracting step and then tried the telly just to check all OK before setting off again, and the picture lasted 2 minutes. ( Avtex plugged into the 12V supply )
Maybe I need a second battery too!

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Terry

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It seems to be the Telly that is the deciding factor?
Didn't get round to hooking up on return last time.
Two weeks on the drive just using the lights now and again , and the power needed for the retracting step and then tried the telly just to check all OK before setting off again, and the picture lasted 2 minutes. ( Avtex plugged into the 12V supply )
Maybe I need a second battery too!

you should have had it on hook up on the drive :winky:::bigsmile:
terry
 
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Chris

Chris

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The Duxdeluxe translation services can put it into English for a very reasonable fee - we do charge by the minute, though! :winky:

might be worth getting someone to have a look at the solar panel sometime - ours pushes all those electricons into the battery quite nicely. Cheers.

I think the TV aerial casts a shadow over the panel.

Not sure I can do much about that.
 

DuxDeluxe

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Curses! You got there before me.............:winky: must be an aerial the size of Jodrell Bank.

Apart from tactical parking, why not simply rip out the TV aerial? This will help in two ways:

1) no shadow over the panel to slow down charging
2) no telly so you don't have to worry about power consumption either


As a bonus - increased payload.


Did I miss the point somewhere?:Blush:
 
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Chris

Chris

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Curses! You got there before me.............:winky: must be an aerial the size of Jodrell Bank.

Apart from tactical parking, why not simply rip out the TV aerial? This will help in two ways:

1) no shadow over the panel to slow down charging
2) no telly so you don't have to worry about power consumption either


As a bonus - increased payload.


Did I miss the point somewhere?:Blush:

I was thinking of doing that.

In respect of the aerial Dave Newell posted something that he had noticed about the shadow on the panel on a British make. He didn't actually name Autotrail but I got up on a ladder last weekend and sure enough it was casting a shadow for a lot of the day.

I have got a dome fitted anyway.
 

DuxDeluxe

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Hi Chris, I got a dome fitted and only have one of those pathetic omni-directional aerials. There isn't a lot of spare real estate on the roof so the panel would only fit in one place - we decided to leave it anyway as the panel and dome will go on the next van.

Still worth getting the system checked - surely the aerial can't cover that much of the panel?

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movan

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Our van came with a solar panel but I don't know how efficient it is.

Truth is though the Autotrail control panel is all Greek to me.:Doh:


Thank goodness. Somene after my own heart!!!!:Sad:
 

rapido9048

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Hi Chris, while it is ideal that both batteries are the same it is not necessary, you can simply add another. :winky: think of them like a bucket of water :thumb: you are simply swapping a small one for a bigger one ::bigsmile: you could fit a isolator switch at about 10 quid if you want to seperate them and let one become a emergency back up but then you have to remember to switch on to keep charged when running/on hook up, bit pointless really:winky:
Terry

I can't agree with this advice. Two batteries should be of the same capacity i.e. 100Ah, as the charger will only charge them up to the capacity of the smaller one, and the additional capacity of the larger one is wasted. Within reason, they should also be of a similar age. Connect +ve terminals together and -ve together. The voltage 12v stays the same, but the total current available is doubled.
 

Terry

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I can't agree with this advice. Two batteries should be of the same capacity i.e. 100Ah, as the charger will only charge them up to the capacity of the smaller one, and the additional capacity of the larger one is wasted. Within reason, they should also be of a similar age. Connect +ve terminals together and -ve together. The voltage 12v stays the same, but the total current available is doubled.

Hi and welcome:thumb: Sorry you are talking nonsence -yes idealy same size and age but if not the charger will keep topping up until both battery's are full -the charger only sees one battery :thumb: it cannot tell if one battery is full and the other not :Smile:You can for instance put a 80 amphr with a 120 amphr and the charger sees 200 amphrs NOT 160 AMP HRS :Doh::winky:--ONCE THE 80 IS CHARGED THE 120 ONE WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE A CHARGE hence looking at it like a bucket of water ---All youhave to do is make sure both batteries are in good condition
terry

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Chris

Chris

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Hi Chris, I got a dome fitted and only have one of those pathetic omni-directional aerials. There isn't a lot of spare real estate on the roof so the panel would only fit in one place - we decided to leave it anyway as the panel and dome will go on the next van.

Still worth getting the system checked - surely the aerial can't cover that much of the panel?

I will get it checked next time it goes in. :thumb:
 
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Chris

Chris

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Yes Terry - just replied:thumb:

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Jan 24, 2010
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What a bloody stupid question:winky:

One battery holds the Volts and the other holds the Amps:RollEyes:

The wires join them together so they can march hand in hand to the control box where they get married and become Mr. & Mrs. Watts.

OK?

:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
phils back:thumb:

holiday worn off now has it:roflmto:
 

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