What size battery charger and what’s recommended?

[RPG340]

Hello and thanks for having me ?
My battery charger has died, not sure it even worked when I bought the Motorhome, but finding issues as I go ?.
I have 2x 110 amp hour leisure batteries, will use hook ups when we’re allowed out but when were at classic scrambles will be using the batteries a lot (wife and 2 kids ?).

I have no clue about most things, especially not electrics or plumbing ?

Any help in layman’s terms would be very much appreciate.

 

[Ivory55]

Someone like O’Leary’s sell replacement stuff for older vans. Power needs get a generator, you won’t hear it over the scramble bikes.haha

 

[Lenny HB]

The charger's output should be 10 % of the battery capacity and you should also take into account the starter battery. However it is rare that both the starter & leisure batteries will all be totally flat so 10% of the leisure battery in normally OK.
You need a 25- 30 amp multistage charger like the this Victron unit.

12V solar panels charging kits for caravans, motorhomes, boats, yachts, marine

12V solar panel solar charging kits for motorhome caravan boat campervan yacht marine off-grid

www.photonicuniverse.com

 

[tacr2man]

No charger will work to give you more power availability at a scrambles with no EHU , the only thing that will do that is a bigger battery bank , or possibly lot of solar , or as mentioned a gennie .
A b2b charger will help to ensure your batteries are full when you arrive at scamble depending on how long the drive there .

 

[autorouter]

The charger's output should be 10 % of the battery capacity and you should also take into account the starter battery. However it is rare that both the starter & leisure batteries will all be totally flat so 10% of the leisure battery in normally OK.
You need a 25- 30 amp multistage charger like the this Victron unit.

10% of battery capacity is a good option, if for example you are charging up overnight for a weekend away.

If you really want to cut down the charging time, for example running a charger off a genny, you can go to 20% of capacity, which for you would be 20% of 220Ah = 44 amps. It won't charge any better, just faster. Charging faster than 20% starts to affect the battery life.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[RPG340]

Thank you, some helpful info. So yes I want to make sure the batteries charge efficiently before leaving, and whilst driving. I have gennie, but it’s too weighty so until I can afford a suitcase one, I’ve sold the monster one and will have to make do.it was ok when I had just the trailer and car. So a 10 amp is too small? Will have to re-think and speak to the minister of finances, again ?

 

[autorouter]

So a 10 amp is too small?

10 amp will work fine, just a bit slow. For example if 220Ah batteries are at 50%, you need 110Ah to fill them up. 10 amps for 11 hours = 110 amp-hours. In reality it will take a bit longer than that, so maybe 13 or 14 hours. No problem if you have 24 hours to charge it up.

I have a CTEK MXS5.0, a 5 amp smart charger. It has a bike battery setting, useful for the scooter we carry. On a couple of occasions I've lent it to fellow campers with a failed battery charger and it copes well.

 

[RPG340]

You need a 25- 30 amp multistage charger like the this Victron unit.

Had a quick look at the Victron. There are 2x 30 amp ones, one has a single output, the other has 3. As I said earlier I’m not the most clued up individual, what are the different outputs as I don’t see that explained? Is the different amp sizes?

 

[autorouter]

Victron make stuff for very diverse markets. Superyachts, ambulances, motorhomes etc. This 3-output charger is for if you have three batteries to take care of. Three bikes in storage, three motorhomes on a forecourt. Or for the butler to take care of one's classic car collection.?

 

[PhilandMena]

the charger recommenced by Lenny HB is the dogs ! CTEK also produce top of the range chargers.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[RPG340]

Again, excuse my ignorance but would charge the leisure batteries whilst driving, is this just from the alternator, or does the battery charger help with this too, or is that a b2b charger? I confuse myself sometimes, but what do i need? Thanks again. ?

 

[Lenny HB]

Again, excuse my ignorance but would charge the leisure batteries whilst driving, is this just from the alternator, or does the battery charger help with this too, or is that a b2b charger? I confuse myself sometimes, but what do i need? Thanks again. ?

Normally a split charge relay, this is a relay that closes when the engine is running connecting the starter battery to the habitation battery so the habitation battery gets charged at the same time as the starter battery. Sometimes the split charge relay is built into the charger/distribution system, like on Elektroblocks & CBE systems.

A B2B replaces the split charge relay and is more efficent a gives a much higher charge to the leisure battery.

 

[Les Carden]

10% of battery capacity is a good option, if for example you are charging up overnight for a weekend away.

If you really want to cut down the charging time, for example running a charger off a genny, you can go to 20% of capacity, which for you would be 20% of 220Ah = 44 amps. It won't charge any better, just faster. Charging faster than 20% starts to affect the battery life.

Hi, I'm a bit of a "Newbie" so to speak and I was wondering if you or anyone else could be of any help to me.?
I purchased a new MOHO in May 2019. With the present lockdown in force, I was concerned about the drainage of my starter battery for the engine! I have a 2019 Elldis Majestic 155.
I was wondering if my type of vehicle has the facility to charge the main engine battery at the same time when the leisure battery is being charged from the orange cable plugged into my home 240v socket?
I have tried to get in touch with the company I bought the MOHO from but of course, there is no one there to ask because of the lockdown. If not is there a switch to change between charging or does the mains from my home only charge the leisure battery? Very grateful for any help. Thank you, Les.

 

[autorouter]

With the present lockdown in force, I was concerned about the drainage of my starter battery for the engine! I have a 2019 Elldis Majestic 155.

I don't know the answer for your specific motorhome - some motorhomes keep the starter battery charged from the charger automatically, some you have to manually switch and some don't charge the starter battery at all.

No doubt others on here have an Eldis MH, and can advise you better, but in the meantime you could look at the battery voltages. Any old cheap multimeter will do this. Set it to the 20V DC range, and push the test probes firmly onto the battery terminals. It should read between 10 and 15 volts.

If the starter battery voltage is 13.0V or higher, then it is being charged. If it is 12.6 or lower, it probably is not being charged. The same applies to the leisure battery voltage, so you can check if the charger is working properly.

A charger to keep a battery topped up while in storage can be very much less powerful than one to charge up a flat battery or supply habitation loads while you are on a camping pitch. A trickle charger of one amp or less will be quite sufficient.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Hi, I'm a bit of a "Newbie" so to speak and I was wondering if you or anyone else could be of any help to me.?
I purchased a new MOHO in May 2019. With the present lockdown in force, I was concerned about the drainage of my starter battery for the engine! I have a 2019 Elldis Majestic 155.
I was wondering if my type of vehicle has the facility to charge the main engine battery at the same time when the leisure battery is being charged from the orange cable plugged into my home 240v socket?
I have tried to get in touch with the company I bought the MOHO from but of course, there is no one there to ask because of the lockdown. If not is there a switch to change between charging or does the mains from my home only charge the leisure battery? Very grateful for any help. Thank you, Les.

Our Elddis doesn't charge the engine battery from hook up. I always put an optimate charger on it.