Caravan battery charge

Mollieperkins
Mollieperkins Forum Participant Posts: 14
edited August 2019 in Caravans #1

Hi

Does anyone who has a van in storage bring the battery home and use a trickle charger to keep it topped up? 

If so which is the best one to use please? 

Comments

  • commeyras
    commeyras Club Member Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited August 2019 #2

    Yes, I do.  I use a middle of the range charger from Halfords.  Don't leave it attached all the time just top it up when needed.

  • Merve
    Merve Forum Participant Posts: 2,333
    1000 Comments
    edited August 2019 #3

    Have you thought of a Solar panel? No more running backwards and forwards with batteries? The day I fitted one it kept my lead Acid charged at all times and kept the alarm and tracker alive. 

  • Phishing
    Phishing Forum Participant Posts: 597
    500 Comments
    edited August 2019 #4

    Best charger is C-Tek, but a small solar panel in the front window will do the job with a decent controller for less money and less hassle.

  • hitchglitch
    hitchglitch Forum Participant Posts: 3,007
    1000 Comments
    edited August 2019 #5

    Assuming you don’t have an alarm then, yes, keep it at home and give it a top-up charge once per month. Many trickle chargers are not suitable for permanent connection.

    I had a spare battery and swapped it from time to time in order to keep the alarm active.

  • Mollieperkins
    Mollieperkins Forum Participant Posts: 14
    edited August 2019 #6

    Thank you for your replies.

    We like the idea of a solar panel, how does this connect to a battery please? 

    We also don’t have an alarm at the moment as just bought the van, but think we should get one? 

    thank you 

  • Wellys and Mac
    Wellys and Mac Forum Participant Posts: 447
    100 Comments
    edited August 2019 #7

    When my previous caravan was in storage I never brought the battery home.

    Motor mover never failed once.