Charging battery when towing

Geggsie
Geggsie Forum Participant Posts: 15
edited August 2018 in Towcars & Towing #1

Which of the three settings do I choose car van or in the middle. I have an older car 2013 Sports so no euro 6 engine. Also do I need to have the battery charger switched on. If it's relevant my caravan is a 2007 Sterling Eccles Jewel. I sometimes need to use the moved on sites and can get around the dead battery by connecting to the EHU but when returning to our limited space storage no such option is available. Any help greatly appreciated

Thanks

Comments

  • johnathome
    johnathome Forum Participant Posts: 101
    edited August 2018 #2

    Firstly you should not be using mover on EHU at all.

    The car should be charging your battery on the car setting,providing the cars towing socket is wired correctly.

    The Van setting is when pitched and on EHU to allow charging and lighting etc to work via various fuses.

    the middle is usually all circuits off.

    A new battery would be a start.

  • johndailey
    johndailey Forum Participant Posts: 520
    100 Comments
    edited August 2018 #3

    Johnathome. I have often wondered about using the motor mover whilst on hook up but wondered if it could cause problems. Could you explain why it should not be done please?

  • johnathome
    johnathome Forum Participant Posts: 101
    edited August 2018 #4

    Also from a re read of your post, do you have a separate switch for charging, if so this needs to be on when connected to EHU.

  • johnathome
    johnathome Forum Participant Posts: 101
    edited August 2018 #5

    J D if you like to overload circuit boards and invalidating any warranty apart from the danger of a 240v lead trailing around also.

    the EHU plug is supposed to be fitted so that the mover cannot be operated without unpluging it.

    although reading other posts in the past, there seems to be some exceptions.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited August 2018 #6

    the EHU plug is supposed to be fitted so that the mover cannot be operated without unpluging it.

    Not strictly true. My caravan has telly & 12 volt sockets under the 240 mains plug, so the on/off switch for the mover can't be fitted there.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited August 2018 #7

    I think the car/off/caravan switch you're referring too is the switch used to determine where the power is supplied from when you're parked up in a lay-by. If you're car is wired correctly, you just plug it in to the caravan ... that's it, nothing to switch over as far as charging is concerned. My last caravan had the above switch however my 2013 caravan doesn't.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
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    edited August 2018 #8

    I agree, just leave the 3 position switch permanently on VAN unless you particularly  need to use the other settings.

    Your handbook should explain when to use these settings, if you have no handbook, they are available on the Swift website.

    Whatever setting you use, the battery should still be charged when towing, assuming the car is correctly wired.  If this is not happening then checking the plugs on the car would be my first step.

    The charging is direct from the car, not via the caravan charger.

  • johndailey
    johndailey Forum Participant Posts: 520
    100 Comments
    edited August 2018 #9

    Thank you Johnathome.

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