Capacity of van charging system? (1 Viewer)

[Touchwood]

So, I need a new habitation battery. The old one is a 120 AH battery, and I was planning to replace it with the same, but it occurs to me I ought to check if the van charging system has the capacity to cope with this?

When I bought a battery charger recently to charge my boat leisure battery I had to pay more for one that had the capacity to charge a 100 AH battery - presumably the van system will have a limit - how do I find out what it is?

Van is a Compass Avantgarde 400 RL, '02 plate. I'm not sure if the battery I'm replacing was the original or not.

All advice welcomed, as usual.

Mike

 

[scotjimland]

Within reason, the size of your battery bank won't be a problem..if you increase the battery ah it will just take longer to reach full charge ..

For example...

if it takes a 20A charger 5 hrs to charge a 100ah battery, it will take 10 hrs to charge a 200ah battery.

 

[Touchwood]

Thanks ScotJim.

Not doubting you, but maybe I've been misinformed then? I understood that if the charger wasn't "man enough" it wouldn't charge at all.

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[Gromett]

A lower capacity charger will just take longer.

 

[pappajohn]

the original analogue power supply/charger in my RV was rated at 45amps to provide 12v power on hookup, but only 2 to 5amps were diverted to battery charging.......the battery bank is 440ah.

to charge from 50% capacity would take around 44hrs but it worked.

now replaced with a modern 45amp electronic 4 stage charger/power supply which will charge at up to 45amps on flat batteries.

 

[GJH]

Our Autoquest came with a 85Ah battery and I replaced it with a 110Ah. No problems with either of them.

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[Reallyretired]

As previously mentioned, regardless of the size of your battery bank it is still a nominal 12v. As long as the charger produces a higher voltage than the batteries it will charge them. A charger with a higher output (amps) will charge them faster but however titchy your charger it will get there eventually.:thumb:

 

[Touchwood]

Many thanks all.

New 105 AH leisure battery bought from Autoplus in Norton - £69.00

Really helpful staff and good prices, would recommend to anyone in this area.

 

[pappajohn]

Many thanks all.

New 105 AH leisure battery bought from Autoplus in Norton - £69.00

Really helpful staff and good prices, would recommend to anyone in this area.

good price but crap website. :Sad:

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[Touchwood]

Hmm - never looked at the website Pappajohn. If I had, and it is as bad as you say, maybe I would have been put off - which goes to show something, I guess, not sure what!

Edit: Had a look and you're right - absolutely useless website. I wonder if they know that the links don't work?