I have been trying to understand the battery charging systems on my 2011 Rapido, perhaps some nice folk can shed more light on what type of system is fitted.
We have twin 100ah Banner leisure batteries, a 200w solar panel and the mains charger fitted by Rapido is a CBE CB516.
Last winter while away in Spain we were on continuous hook up for close to three months, during this time the vehicle battery was slowly discharging and seemed to be getting little or no charge. I resorted to trickle charging it from a separate mains run battery charger.
The main drain on the vehicle battery is the alarm system, we do not use the radio or media equipment.
Recently back in the UK we have been away for several nights and with no hook up the leisure batteries are are showing voltages of 14v or slightly higher and the vehicle battery has been charged well up to 13v, it also now remains the same while parked up on the drive.
The Rapido fitted mains charger limits the charge voltage to a maximum of 13.5V.
My theory is that within the Rapido system there is a split charge facility which is effective only in excess of 13.5 volts and that in the winter in Benidorm there was little input to the system from the solar panel to raise the voltage past the split charge threshold.
Now at home with significant input from the Solar Panel the split charge system is operating, charging leisure batteries to a voltage of 14v or more, and subsequently the vehicle battery is reaching 13v.
Does this make sense, and if so is there another device other than the mains trickle charger that I can use to maintain the vehicle battery charge in the winter.
Cheers
We have twin 100ah Banner leisure batteries, a 200w solar panel and the mains charger fitted by Rapido is a CBE CB516.
Last winter while away in Spain we were on continuous hook up for close to three months, during this time the vehicle battery was slowly discharging and seemed to be getting little or no charge. I resorted to trickle charging it from a separate mains run battery charger.
The main drain on the vehicle battery is the alarm system, we do not use the radio or media equipment.
Recently back in the UK we have been away for several nights and with no hook up the leisure batteries are are showing voltages of 14v or slightly higher and the vehicle battery has been charged well up to 13v, it also now remains the same while parked up on the drive.
The Rapido fitted mains charger limits the charge voltage to a maximum of 13.5V.
My theory is that within the Rapido system there is a split charge facility which is effective only in excess of 13.5 volts and that in the winter in Benidorm there was little input to the system from the solar panel to raise the voltage past the split charge threshold.
Now at home with significant input from the Solar Panel the split charge system is operating, charging leisure batteries to a voltage of 14v or more, and subsequently the vehicle battery is reaching 13v.
Does this make sense, and if so is there another device other than the mains trickle charger that I can use to maintain the vehicle battery charge in the winter.
Cheers