Motorhome batteries over winter

777
777 Forum Participant Posts: 76
edited August 2021 in Motorhomes #1

As I understand it, the majority of motorhomes only have the domestic batteries charged by the solar panel. What do members do to keep their engine battery charged over winter when the van is stored in a site with no 240v available?  I presume it’s necessary to remove the battery and bring it home and place it on a trickle charger, (a real pain) or run the engine every three weeks or so for a considerable time to use the vehicles alternator.  Any tricks I am missing (switching from caravan to motorhome)?  Thanks.

Comments

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
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    edited August 2021 #2

    Split controller on solar panel will do the job. During winter about 40% to leisure battery and 60% to engine battery or thereabouts will do the job. Maybe change that to 60:40 when van is in use. A trickle charge from a solar panel will extend the life of your battery, rather than subjecting to regular charge & discharge cycles which isn’t good practice.

  • mickysf
    mickysf Forum Participant Posts: 6,474 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2021 #3

    Not sure what a domestic battery is. Most LVs have specific leisure batteries but some have the lithium ones. Batteries used in many house (domestic settings) solar setups are different and very expensive.

  • SeasideBill
    SeasideBill Forum Participant Posts: 2,112
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    edited August 2021 #4

    To add to my earlier post, if you want something easier to set up, you could temporarily place a solar panel behind your windscreen at an angle of about 60 degrees in winter and 40 degrees in summer..  Position the van facing due south as much as possible. Solar panels are less efficient behind glass so go for about 25 watts output or more, with feed directly to battery terminals via 20 amp fuse and solar controller to avoid over charging. That should keep the starter battery fully charged.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited August 2021 #5

    I see it as just a slip of the tongue on nicho777's part ..... he/she obviously meant leisure battery & not domestic battery .... nothing to do with houses

  • 777
    777 Forum Participant Posts: 76
    edited August 2021 #6

    Indeed, misspelt as the politicians would say!

  • peedee
    peedee Club Member Posts: 9,383
    1000 Comments Name Dropper
    edited August 2021 #7

    The problem is easily solved if a prospective motorhome is not equipped to keep both batteries charged. Just fit a Battery Master like the one sold by Vanbitz.

    peedee

     
  • BlueVanMan
    BlueVanMan Forum Participant Posts: 382
    100 Comments
    edited August 2021 #8

    We have used a Van Bitz battery master in the past with great success however keeping the vehicle battery topped up depends among other things on the ambient draw on the vehicle battery (for example by an an alarm system) and factors like how long the van is left without being run, how cold it is and how sunny it is. It is possible to fit a type of solar controller to trickle charge the vehicle battery (some "basic" solar installations do't do this) . The VBBM uses a little current itself in monitoring the vehicle battery systems. Being unable to access our van literally for several months over the winter due to Covid restrictions we feared the worst but the upgraded system on our latest (2017) van with two solars and a sophisticated solar charge controller meant both batteries were in good condition. 

    In the first instance I would have a chat with a specialist company such as Van Bitz or Dave Newell (other suppliers are available) 

  • 777
    777 Forum Participant Posts: 76
    edited August 2021 #9

    Thanks, looks interesting. With the unit being so cheap, why on Earth don’t caravan manufacturers, who now fit solar panels on many motorhomes, fit such a thing? (or do they?)

  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
    1000 Comments
    edited August 2021 #10

    I guess it depends what motorhome you have. For example, all Autosleepers with solar panels are set to charge both batteries. I have never had a problem in the winter with an 80 Watt panel keeping both batteries fully charged. Apart from that, it is good practice to take the motorhome for a run every 4 to 6 weeks to get the engine oil hot, moving parts not rusting, air conditioning seals lubricated etc.  This will also top up both batteries.

  • 777
    777 Forum Participant Posts: 76
    edited August 2021 #11

    Thank you, most helpful.