I have only used the C. Tech charger on a single battery.
Do I have to plug into and charge each individual battery, or can I just connect to one battery and the unit will then charge both batteries???
Jay&Dee
dabbler said
01:29 PM Aug 2, 2019
What are you trying to achieve ?
Peter_n_Margaret said
04:20 PM Aug 2, 2019
How are the batteries connected to each other?
Cheers,
Peter
Rod Mac said
04:22 PM Aug 2, 2019
Just to clarify your battery system, do you mean you have 2 batteries in your cvan or do you mean you have 2 batteries in your tow vehicle, one for engine starting and a deep cycle one for a fridge etc.
The Travelling Dillberries said
04:50 PM Aug 2, 2019
JayDee wrote:
I have a dual battery system.
I have only used the C. Tech charger on a single battery.
Do I have to plug into and charge each individual battery, or can I just connect to one battery and the unit will then charge both batteries???
Jay&Dee
I have 2 batteries in parallel in my van, normally charged by solar panels and car when traveling.
When home I charge each one separately to ensure both get fully charged. I have a fuse in the circuit to disconnect one battery from the other. Best to charge separately if you can when using a stand alone 240v
charger.
Reason to do it this way is because one battery may have more charge than the other ,or be older or just have different characteristics, the charger sees the voltage of this battery only and cuts back the charge rate on both. So one may never get fully charged.
Cheers. Chris.
JayDee said
06:35 AM Aug 3, 2019
Rod Mac wrote:
Just to clarify your battery system, do you mean you have 2 batteries in your cvan or do you mean you have 2 batteries in your tow vehicle, one for engine starting and a deep cycle one for a fridge etc.
Apologies for not being a little more explicit in my opening remarks.
The 2 batteries in Question are connected together in the special front boot of the Coromal Princeston Van.
Both batteries were installed and connected brand new about 3 years AGO.
Sooooo.....I am getting the view that I should disconnect all wires / cables from both batteries and C.Tech charge each individually.
Current reading on the charger indication panel at 7.0pm last night was 12.8 Volts.
The charge goes up to 13.3 when the solar is in action during the day.
I was thinking of giving the batteries a charge boost before we leave on a 3 month trip to S.Aust later this month.
Any clues would be appreciated.
Jay&Dee
P.S. The Cruiser has a dual battery system.
Peter_n_Margaret said
09:42 AM Aug 3, 2019
No need to disconnect them, just connect the charger to a +ve and a -ve from either battery that is convenient and let it do its job.
Cheers,
Peter
The Travelling Dillberries said
06:22 PM Aug 3, 2019
To check each battery before your trip, charge them both together (dont disconnect) with your charger until it indicates fully charged. Disconnect the positive wires from both batteries and leave them sit for about 12 hours.
Check and compare the voltage of each battery with a voltmeter (one that reads to 2 decimal places). The voltages should be about the same. If they differ by say 0.2 of a Volt or more, charge the lower voltage battery again, let it settle o/night and do another voltage reading. If this reading is higher than the first reading it indicates the batteries are not getting fully charged when charged in the parallel connected state.
What AmpereHour rating are your batteries?
blaze said
07:11 PM Aug 3, 2019
The Travelling Dillberries wrote:
To check each battery before your trip, charge them both together (dont disconnect) with your charger until it indicates fully charged. Disconnect the positive wires from both batteries and leave them sit for about 12 hours.
Check and compare the voltage of each battery with a voltmeter (one that reads to 2 decimal places). The voltages should be about the same. If they differ by say 0.2 of a Volt or more, charge the lower voltage battery again, let it settle o/night and do another voltage reading. If this reading is higher than the first reading it indicates the batteries are not getting fully charged when charged in the parallel connected state.
What AmpereHour rating are your batteries?
should never ever disconnect the positive lead first on a neg earthed battery, can make lots of sparks and explode a battery
cheers
blaze
The Travelling Dillberries said
07:45 PM Aug 3, 2019
blaze wrote:
The Travelling Dillberries wrote:
To check each battery before your trip, charge them both together (dont disconnect) with your charger until it indicates fully charged. Disconnect the positive wires from both batteries and leave them sit for about 12 hours.
Check and compare the voltage of each battery with a voltmeter (one that reads to 2 decimal places). The voltages should be about the same. If they differ by say 0.2 of a Volt or more, charge the lower voltage battery again, let it settle o/night and do another voltage reading. If this reading is higher than the first reading it indicates the batteries are not getting fully charged when charged in the parallel connected state.
What AmpereHour rating are your batteries?
should never ever disconnect the positive lead first on a neg earthed battery, can make lots of sparks and explode a battery
cheers
blaze
Caravan battery Negatives should not be Earthed Blaze. Good point though.......
Frame will still be earthed from the Car Battery though (for van tail lights,blinkers etc) so yes it is still possible when the van is plugged into the car to get sparking between the van battery Positive and earth....
So when disconnecting the Positives wrap them up in electrical tape.
Eaglemax said
09:22 PM Aug 3, 2019
If battery nehative terminal agm in van doesnt go to frame (earth) where would it go?
blaze said
10:04 PM Aug 3, 2019
Eaglemax wrote:
If battery nehative terminal agm in van doesnt go to frame (earth) where would it go?
any van or camper I have owned has an earth to the chassis somewhere, although you could build a system with all earths returning to the neg terminal through some sort of buzz bar. not my cuppa though
cheers
blaze
The Travelling Dillberries said
07:00 AM Aug 4, 2019
Eaglemax wrote:
If battery nehative terminal agm in van doesnt go to frame (earth) where would it go?
Circuit negatives should go to the negative tabs on the power supply or at least a negative terminal post directly connected to the battery negative.
Battery negative connects to the main neg' terminal on the power supply or to a separate post (as above).
-- Edited by The Travelling Dillberries on Sunday 4th of August 2019 07:05:20 AM
swamp said
07:35 AM Aug 4, 2019
hi
Technically better to go to chassis but more reliable to have a wired earth .
By comparison
A car has can chassis earth in specified areas for low priority circuits .mostly easy to get to .
Some van chassis earths I can imagine are very difficult to access.
Wired earths always preffered.
Aus-Kiwi said
04:27 PM Aug 4, 2019
In my motorhome., it has a bolt through steel section . Part of battery box . It has all the earths attached. Then cable to - on battery . Ive always charged as said + on one battery - on the other side . On 12v system
Batteries in parallel. Series with >correct< voltage setting !!
I have a dual battery system.
I have only used the C. Tech charger on a single battery.
Do I have to plug into and charge each individual battery, or can I just connect to one battery and the unit will then charge both batteries???
Jay&Dee
Cheers,
Peter
Just to clarify your battery system, do you mean you have 2 batteries in your cvan or do you mean you have 2 batteries in your tow vehicle, one for engine starting and a deep cycle one for a fridge etc.
I have 2 batteries in parallel in my van, normally charged by solar panels and car when traveling.
When home I charge each one separately to ensure both get fully charged. I have a fuse in the circuit to disconnect one battery from the other. Best to charge separately if you can when using a stand alone 240v
charger.
Reason to do it this way is because one battery may have more charge than the other ,or be older or just have different characteristics, the charger sees the voltage of this battery only and cuts back the charge rate on both. So one may never get fully charged.
Cheers. Chris.
Apologies for not being a little more explicit in my opening remarks.
The 2 batteries in Question are connected together in the special front boot of the Coromal Princeston Van.
Both batteries were installed and connected brand new about 3 years AGO.
Sooooo.....I am getting the view that I should disconnect all wires / cables from both batteries and C.Tech charge each individually.
Current reading on the charger indication panel at 7.0pm last night was 12.8 Volts.
The charge goes up to 13.3 when the solar is in action during the day.
I was thinking of giving the batteries a charge boost before we leave on a 3 month trip to S.Aust later this month.
Any clues would be appreciated.
Jay&Dee
P.S. The Cruiser has a dual battery system.
Cheers,
Peter
To check each battery before your trip, charge them both together (dont disconnect) with your charger until it indicates fully charged. Disconnect the positive wires from both batteries and leave them sit for about 12 hours.
Check and compare the voltage of each battery with a voltmeter (one that reads to 2 decimal places). The voltages should be about the same. If they differ by say 0.2 of a Volt or more, charge the lower voltage battery again, let it settle o/night and do another voltage reading. If this reading is higher than the first reading it indicates the batteries are not getting fully charged when charged in the parallel connected state.
What AmpereHour rating are your batteries?
should never ever disconnect the positive lead first on a neg earthed battery, can make lots of sparks and explode a battery
cheers
blaze
Caravan battery Negatives should not be Earthed Blaze. Good point though.......
Frame will still be earthed from the Car Battery though (for van tail lights,blinkers etc) so yes it is still possible when the van is plugged into the car to get sparking between the van battery Positive and earth....
So when disconnecting the Positives wrap them up in electrical tape.
any van or camper I have owned has an earth to the chassis somewhere, although you could build a system with all earths returning to the neg terminal through some sort of buzz bar. not my cuppa though
cheers
blaze
Circuit negatives should go to the negative tabs on the power supply or at least a negative terminal post directly connected to the battery negative.
Battery negative connects to the main neg' terminal on the power supply or to a separate post (as above).
-- Edited by The Travelling Dillberries on Sunday 4th of August 2019 07:05:20 AM
Technically better to go to chassis but more reliable to have a wired earth .
By comparison
A car has can chassis earth in specified areas for low priority circuits .mostly easy to get to .
Some van chassis earths I can imagine are very difficult to access.
Wired earths always preffered.
Batteries in parallel. Series with >correct< voltage setting !!