Battery charging - or not - when in storage
I’ve been fortunate enough in the 8 years we’ve been caravanning to be able to store our van in a private barn, with mains electric on hand to keep the battery charged.
However, in a year or so, the owner’s lease runs out on this barn, so it seems I may have to find a more conventional storage location. Having never needed this previously, I’m wondering what to do in future re maintaining battery charge.
I assume not many storage sites provide mains hook-up?
Does a roof-mounted solar panel keep the battery charged? In winter?
Or will I need to remove the battery (and charge at home) for the longer inactive periods? What duration is that likely to be for?
thanks
Ian
Comments
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The only reason for keeping a battery fully charged in storage is for any security devices you may have fitted.
If you do have to move storage sites then if you have trackers,alarms etc you will have to use solar panel route for charging.
One other way around it is to have two batteries and swop them around say every 4 to 6 weeks and recharge batttery back at home.
If you have no security devices,just bring battery home.
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My 120w panel does the job all year round, even on a cloudy day there is some charge current. Its not only the leisure battery you need to be concerned about, the engine starter battery can go flat as well becasuse most modern vehicles consume some battery power even when idle. I use a Battery Master to ensure both my engine and leisure battery are kept charged from the solar panel.
peedee
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150w panel fitted with split charge controller. Split ratio can be varied according to circumstances but 50:50 will will keep both batteries fully charged in winter storage or vary if you’ve got some hungry security devices. I change to 80:20 in summer when leisure battery is more frequently used. Powering security devices is not the only reason to maintain a charge, a fully charged battery will outlast a battery subject to frequent discharge by quite a margin.
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As it’s a caravan and not a motorhome you only have one battery so no need for split charge relays and large solar panels. Solar panel is the best solution but a bit elaborate if it’s just to maintain battery over the winter. Some people manage to put a panel in the van window and connect through a controller and fuse direct to the battery but that depends how much light you can get with an angled panel. My motorhome panel is 80 watts and more than enough and you my be able to get away with half that.
Simplest solution is to have a spare battery which is what I used to do but a bit tedious to swap every six weeks or so.
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Solar panel on the roof of my Swift caravan kept the battery charged from Last November until we got to use the van again in July after lockdown. We have to have the battery on and charged for the Alarm and tracker.
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For the cost of a secon battery you can probably get a solar panel and controller sufficient to keep a caravan battery charged. while in store. It would be better for the battery as well because charge and discharge cycles are what eventually leads to failure.
peedee
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It's not just cost PD. I used to swap over our 110 AH caravan batteries in storage, but was finding it increasingly difficult. As you know they are no light weight and carrying them in the tight confines of a storage compound was doubly difficult. If we hadn't switched to a MH with solar panels, I would have had to install one on the caravan.
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Agree Steve and I see a >30w charger panel and controller kit< for a caravan costs about £70. A good second battery will cost more than that?
peedee
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Being an old fogey I find it difficult to remove the battery when in storage, the new one i have bought seems twice as heavy. I take it home and charge it every three weeks. When we are using the caravan we always bring the caravan back from the site to our house to load it up or at the end of the trip unload it . Is it possible to tow the caravan without the battery fitted? If so, I could minimise the effort by removing the battery at my house,rather that at the storage, thus not having to struggle to load it in my car.
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... Is it possible to tow the caravan without the battery fitted?
You can, just ensure that the battery connections are tied up & secure and no chance of being able to touch each other ... assuming your leisure battery is usually being charged when towing.
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A solar panel is the neat solution but bear in mind that if you want it fitted on the roof then the fitting and wiring may cost more than the panel and controller unless DIY.
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