Leisure battery care

[Padraic]

Hi and a happy new year to everyone. I'm planning on investing in a new leisure battery at some stage in the future and I've been thinking about ways to prolong its life and take care of it.
As I use my Cali as a daily driver, I'm wondering if short journeys are not doing the leisure battery any favours.
it would be great to get peoples thoughts on this.

I have drawn up a schematic of the split charge system on my cali and I'm proposing to add a switch to inhibit the split charge relay from switching on.
My plan is to inhibit the split charge relay and avoid the charging of the leisure battery when I'm using the cali as a daily driver, such as short journeys to work and the shops.
I think that giving the leisure battery a good charge on mains charger once a month or so my suit it better, when its not being used for camping.
Any thought or feed back would be greatly appreciated.
Regards Padraic.

 

[ArcticMatt]

Interesting. I was always focussed on not letting drain. Ive never heard of constant use damaging a battery but id be interested to hear more. Its always best to give the battery a good top up from a charger anyway. We do it all the time up here because of the cold. Nice diagram by the way.

On my Syncro I fitted a big red isolator key switch which does the same in a more crude fashion. Maybe wouldn't look as nice on a cali.

 

[Padraic]

Hi, yes I believe that letting it run too low is not good for it, and in my case I worried that while I’m using it daily, I’m not doing the leisure battery any favours by constantly charging it on short journeys.
My plan is to inhibit the charging via the alternator when I’m just using the Cali on a daily basis, then plug it in to the mains once a month to keep it topped up.
Then when I’m away camping and touring I can switch back on the charging via the alternator.
Cheers, sometimes a good diagram makes it easier to explain what I’m trying to do.
Does the isolator on yours disconnect the leisure battery?
I’m hoping to fit a switch on the panel behind the drivers seat.

Interesting. I was always focussed on not letting drain. Ive never heard of constant use damaging a battery but id be interested to hear more. Its always best to give the battery a good top up from a charger anyway. We do it all the time up here because of the cold. Nice diagram by the way.

On my Syncro I fitted a big red isolator key switch which does the same in a more crude fashion. Maybe wouldn't look as nice on a cali.

 

[ArcticMatt]

I cant seem to find any warnings on over charging leisure batteries. I know older rechargeable suffered from memory affect but I dont think that affects these. What made you worry about over charging?

Aye this switch was just for the leisure battery. I took it from a diagram someone made. You can disconnect the lot whilst you are away from the van. It saved the van from fire when I was in Norway. It had an old 12v socket that shorted that wasn't fuses properly (previous owner) and almost went up in smoke! This allowed my to quickly pull the plug and save the van!

 

[Trebor]

Hi, yes I believe that letting it run too low is not good for it, and in my case I worried that while I’m using it daily, I’m not doing the leisure battery any favours by constantly charging it on short journeys.
My plan is to inhibit the charging via the alternator when I’m just using the Cali on a daily basis, then plug it in to the mains once a month to keep it topped up.
Then when I’m away camping and touring I can switch back on the charging via the alternator.
Cheers, sometimes a good diagram makes it easier to explain what I’m trying to do.
Does the isolator on yours disconnect the leisure battery?
I’m hoping to fit a switch on the panel behind the drivers seat.

Hi Padraic . I think modern chargers are very smart and work it all out . They don’t over charge . I’ve got the Victron solar charger on the van and just fitted Victron 50 amp mains charger on boat . It’s very clever . I don’t know but think the Cali charger is similar .

 

[sidepod]

I think perhaps you’re over thinking it? Just crack on and don’t worry. Maybe plug it in whilst it’s parked up over night?

 

[ArcticMatt]

Hi Padraic . I think modern chargers are very smart and work it all out . They don’t over charge . I’ve got the Victron solar charger on the van and just fitted Victron 50 amp mains charger on boat . It’s very clever . I don’t know but think the Cali charger is similar .

I think he's more worried about the split charge over charging. That's not smart at all. Just a relay. If you left it plugged in each night it would help but also a pain in ze buttocks

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