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Running the engine for 45mins everyday, should give enough charge for the next day. It helps if you either use the max charge feature if it's a later van, or put seat heater on lowest setting in older vans which don't have the max charge feature. This makes the alternator charge harder for the 45 mins you have the van on.
Top tip, thanks. We're having the same quandary.
Great tip. We’re in the same boat in August. Can’t abide warm beer!
Barely noticeable if you do it at a busy period middle of the day, especially at a noisy music festival.
Many will probably be doing the same.
It’s not noisy up in the campervan fields. That said, many people do run engines, especially the motor home hirers.
Would it be ok to buy a spare leasure battery and plug it in the 12 volt socket when needed? Might get a top-up for a day or so.
You might get away with it if you plug it in when all batteries are fully charged, but if you wait until the main ones are discharged then plug it in, it will definitely blow the 12V socket fuse. Not a recommended way of extending battery capacity, direct connection to a battery would be better with suitable fuse and fat wiring.
As @Steve1 said ALL leisure batteries when wired together should be at the same level of charge and also of the same capacity and type or you might get a significant transfer of charge and possible wiring damage if it is not upto the job.
The T6.1 now has a Max Charge switch which does the same.
I have found it useful to hang a light throw or air the duvet by tucking into the roof mech if the fridge side is towards the sun.
I concur, as a Glasto regular everybody is "squeezed" for space - the person behind you is not going to take kindly to diesel fumes unless there's a safe way to extend the exhaust above the top of the van. I usually buy small bottles of milk and freeze them all, I take some small drinking water and freeze these along with some freezer blocks and a backup freezer box in the awning or under the van have done us proud for the last 15+ years. But I also agree you're only going to have a limited supply of "cold" beer but that's what the cider bus is for and there are also many bars across the site serving everything from corporate lager to cask conditioned real ales
I done a wee 3 day festival a few weeks ago and used only 30% of the batteries in my 2022 coast…heading to Kendal Calling festival at the end of July Thursday till Monday and I’m very confident I’ll have nothing to worry about….these wee vans are bullit proof, go and enjoy
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