Leisure battery regular charging at home

[janeandstef]

Hello, does anyone know how often and how long we should hook up our 2014 California Beach whilst at home to charge up the leisure battery? Many thanks

 

[Max-Felix]

One day per month.

 

[janeandstef]

Great, how long for? Thanks

 

[Max-Felix]

Sorry, just to be clear (presuming you are using the EHU) then all (one) day.

 

[janeandstef]

Yes, EHU from house to Cali socket, thanks.

 

[Bellcrew]

Yes, EHU from house to Cali socket, thanks.

Put a note on the dashboard when connected, many on here have driven off whilst hooked up!

 

[Sad]

12 to 24 hours once a month...

 

[Kmann]

I charge mine 24 hours once a month … putting the cable thru the door handle so I not accidentally drive away with the cable attached ;-)

 

[Pete_Hampton]

putting the cable thru the door handle

Good tip.

We get a useful warning message and a 'ping ping' from the camper console in our MY18 if you fire up the ignition with the EHU cable still connected.

 

[jts46]

Good tip.

We get a useful warning message and a 'ping ping' from the camper console in our MY18 if you fire up the ignition with the EHU cable still connected.

So do we!
What does MY18 mean?

 

[WelshGas]

So do we!
What does MY18 mean?

Model Year 2018

 

[jts46]

So i can use MY56 ?

 

[WelshGas]

So i can use MY56 ?

No, MY 06.
The new model normally goes into production 6 months before year end. So your model would have gone into production 1st July 2005 and finished 30th June 2006.
So if your vehicle was 1st registered AFTER 1st July 2006 it could be a MY 06 or MY 07

 

[MattBW]

Put a note on the dashboard when connected, many on here have driven off whilst hooked up!

Or I just put the hookup bag over the wheel.

 

[Moose]

Oops never knew that better get them charged, need to read the manual more!! Thought they would be charged enough whilst driving around ?

 

[MattBW]

Oops never knew that better get them charged, need to read the manual more!! Thought they would be charged enough whilst driving around ?

Will get them to about 80 percent but for a full battery charger is the way


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[Jubilado Tim]

Will get them to about 80 percent but for a full battery charger is the way


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I use my 2014 Cali every day and have never charged the leisure batteries on hook up since I bought it in Jan 2016. Have been on two 5 week trips to Europe and even parked up camping for up to 5 days without driving and have never had a problem with batteries running out of juice. I understand that you can only get the charge above 80% if you hook up but 80% seems to have been quite adequate for me. Am I missing something or is there another reason I should charge up to 100% or am I ok carrying on as I am?

 

[kave]

I use the heater almost every day so I charge my batteries several times a week.
Feels like I am driving an electric vehicle, I might try to utilise EV parkings as well

 

[T6 CFO]

I use my 2014 Cali every day and have never charged the leisure batteries on hook up since I bought it in Jan 2016. Have been on two 5 week trips to Europe and even parked up camping for up to 5 days without driving and have never had a problem with batteries running out of juice. I understand that you can only get the charge above 80% if you hook up but 80% seems to have been quite adequate for me. Am I missing something or is there another reason I should charge up to 100% or am I ok carrying on as I am?

Everything I’ve read on the issue says that to preserve the life of the batteries you should stick them on charge once a month.

My policy is that If I use the van that month somewhere where there is hookup that’s it done. If not then I stick mine on overnight. Not that easy for me as I live in flats but I’ve found a communal socket within range.


Mike

 

[burnercan]

What about connecting a Genius 3500 (or similar) type smart charger to the leisure battery and power it by an inverter from the car's normal 12V system? This would continually charge whenever you're running, but would it confuse/conflict with the standard and very clever charging system which stops at 80%? That wouldn't cost much and you'd never have to worry about it again.

 

[AlanC]

A small note:
The 'ping pong' only sounds if power is supplied to the external socket while on hook up.
If the power is switched off at the supply but the blue plug is still the socket, there will be no 'ping pong'.

Ahh so!

Alan

 

[Waldo]

Does it make sense to use a CTEK charger or just connect a 220V cable to the outside mains socket?

 

[WelshGas]

Does it make sense to use a CTEK charger or just connect a 220V cable to the outside mains socket?

Just use the Built in Charger. It will fully Charge the Leisure Batteries and trickle charge the Engine Battery. It is an intelligent charger.
So just plug the California into the household mains supply.

 

[burnercan]

Just use the Built in Charger. It will fully Charge the Leisure Batteries and trickle charge the Engine Battery. It is an intelligent charger.
So just plug the California into the household mains supply.

The snag I will have, like others, is that I’ll need to string out several hundred feet of extension lead over public land to do that. Not really ideal, or convenient. A ‘while driving’ solution is what I am after.


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[AlanC]

The snag I will have, like others, is that I’ll need to string out several hundred feet of extension lead over public land to do that. Not really ideal, or convenient. A ‘while driving’ solution is what I am after.


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That is not a problem as both the SE/Ocean and now the Beach have a built-in split charge system that will charge both sets of batteries (engine and leisure) while driving as standard equipment.

Alan