Whilst our van is in storage - in a shed at U Store It - what do I need to do to ensure the battery is protected - I.e. the charge cannot be maintained by the solar panel. Do I need to disconnect the battery for example? Thanks Terry
Can you take them out ? Assume no 240v available ? For 6 weeks or so ? I would disconnect leave them
There . Longer ?? I would take em out and charge every two weeks at home ??
Agree with Aus-Kiwi, lead acid batteries need to be topped up every 6 weeks or so. The AGM batteries were designed for the military that they could sit for 12 mths disconnected and still start an engine. That doesn't mean they were not seriously damaged while they sat for that 12 mths, the military don't pay for their batteries the way we have to, they just wanted the vehicle to start after sitting for 12 mths, in most cases the vehicle went in for a scheduled service and had the battery replaced if it failed the load test.
T1 Terry
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the battery is deep cycle, I have been told to disconnect it providing it is fully charged. QUESTION: when I left it yesterday it would have been fully charged, now that may have dropped a little is this a problem? If not I can disconnect the battery later today. Thanks
Lead acid cells have a pretty low self discharge rate -around 5% / month and don't much like being discharged to below around 12.4V.
Before storage make sure that the battery is fully charged and disconnected from any possible load (including even a few mA leakage via cabling) and check it every month or so. If required top it up to a fully charged state. Doing that it'll last for ages and be ready to go when you start using it again.
Any battery type, if used, charged and stored correctly will outlast even the most optimistic claims.
HI
Discharging on a concrete floor is when the casings were made outa different materials . Its good practice to store on nothing conductive typically wood .
Wet flooded will eventually need charging at least mthly .
An AGM battery will go 2-3 mths .
If u cannot charge your battery fit an ON/OFF isolator. Fit it in your neg cable to battery.
WHY ..power leaching loads typically small eg clock /water display/ chargers 240v and solar and anything that's electric and also stand-by mode items .
HI Discharging on a concrete floor is when the casings were made outa different materials . Its good practice to store on nothing conductive typically wood .
Wet flooded will eventually need charging at least mthly . An AGM battery will go 2-3 mths .
If u cannot charge your battery fit an ON/OFF isolator. Fit it in your neg cable to battery.
WHY ..power leaching loads typically small eg clock /water display/ chargers 240v and solar and anything that's electric and also stand-by mode items .
If the storage shed is open and lets light in your solar panels should give enough input to keep batteries charged. My van sits in a pitched roof shed with a full wall one side and a 3/4 high one on the other there is just enough height and width to get the van in, on both ends there is a roll down shade. With this set up I get no sun but enough light on my two 80 watt panels to keep the battery fully charged.
HI Always had good luck [longevity] with fitting to neg cable . Just have a ""power post "" [insulated terminal] run all the return earths to this then cable to isolator then neg batt post. Keeps it simples and organised . The pos batt post might be busy with multiple cables /master fuse/ power feeds / fuse boxes /Low volt disconnects . Works for me .
-- Edited by swamp on Monday 10th of June 2019 04:09:31 PM
HI Discharging on a concrete floor is when the casings were made outa different materials . Its good practice to store on nothing conductive typically wood .
Wet flooded will eventually need charging at least mthly . An AGM battery will go 2-3 mths .
If u cannot charge your battery fit an ON/OFF isolator. Fit it in your neg cable to battery.
WHY ..power leaching loads typically small eg clock /water display/ chargers 240v and solar and anything that's electric and also stand-by mode items .
Hi Swamp, why in the negative cable may I ask?
neg is always the first disconnect from a battery in a neg earth system
HI Discharging on a concrete floor is when the casings were made outa different materials . Its good practice to store on nothing conductive typically wood .
Wet flooded will eventually need charging at least mthly . An AGM battery will go 2-3 mths .
If u cannot charge your battery fit an ON/OFF isolator. Fit it in your neg cable to battery.
WHY ..power leaching loads typically small eg clock /water display/ chargers 240v and solar and anything that's electric and also stand-by mode items .
Hi Swamp, why in the negative cable may I ask?
neg is always the first disconnect from a battery in a neg earth system
cheers
blaze
I understand that when removing leads from a car battery. It's because if you accidentally touched the chassis or engine while removing the positive first, you'd short out the battery. But here we're talking about an isolator switch, so can't see the difference if it's in positive or negative? Happy to be educated if there is a good reason for putting it in negative....
HI Always had good luck [longevity] with fitting to neg cable . Just have a ""power post "" [insulated terminal] run all the return earths to this then cable to isolator then neg batt post. Keeps it simples and organised . The pos batt post might be busy with multiple cables /master fuse/ power feeds / fuse boxes /Low volt disconnects . Works for me .
-- Edited by swamp on Monday 10th of June 2019 04:09:31 PM
Hi Swamp, no problem if it is more convenient for you, just thought there might be a safety reason to do it that way that I was missing, as I've got my isolator switch in the positive. My understanding is it doesn't make a difference, so as you say, whichever is most convenient for your particular case.
HI Always had good luck [longevity] with fitting to neg cable . Just have a ""power post "" [insulated terminal] run all the return earths to this then cable to isolator then neg batt post. Keeps it simples and organised . The pos batt post might be busy with multiple cables /master fuse/ power feeds / fuse boxes /Low volt disconnects . Works for me .
-- Edited by swamp on Monday 10th of June 2019 04:09:31 PM
Hi Swamp, no problem if it is more convenient for you, just thought there might be a safety reason to do it that way that I was missing, as I've got my isolator switch in the positive. My understanding is it doesn't make a difference, so as you say, whichever is most convenient for your particular case.
when you isolate the positive, the wire between the bat and isolator is still live (will short out to any metal connected to the neg side of your battery. When you isolate the neg side the whole earth body (all metal connected to the neg lead) is now isolated from the positive, so the whole system is safer to work on.
HI Always had good luck [longevity] with fitting to neg cable . Just have a ""power post "" [insulated terminal] run all the return earths to this then cable to isolator then neg batt post. Keeps it simples and organised . The pos batt post might be busy with multiple cables /master fuse/ power feeds / fuse boxes /Low volt disconnects . Works for me .
-- Edited by swamp on Monday 10th of June 2019 04:09:31 PM
Hi Swamp, no problem if it is more convenient for you, just thought there might be a safety reason to do it that way that I was missing, as I've got my isolator switch in the positive. My understanding is it doesn't make a difference, so as you say, whichever is most convenient for your particular case.
when you isolate the positive, the wire between the bat and isolator is still live (will short out to any metal connected to the neg side of your battery. When you isolate the neg side the whole earth body (all metal connected to the neg lead) is now isolated from the positive, so the whole system is safer to work on.
cheers
blaze
Hi Blaze, my understanding is that most modern caravans are not negative earth return through the chassis, and in fact don't have a connection from the battery negative to the chassis at all - mine certainly doesn't. So hopefully the scenario you suggest won't be an issue.
-- Edited by Mamil on Tuesday 11th of June 2019 11:06:50 PM
HI Always had good luck [longevity] with fitting to neg cable . Just have a ""power post "" [insulated terminal] run all the return earths to this then cable to isolator then neg batt post. Keeps it simples and organised . The pos batt post might be busy with multiple cables /master fuse/ power feeds / fuse boxes /Low volt disconnects . Works for me .
-- Edited by swamp on Monday 10th of June 2019 04:09:31 PM
Hi Swamp, no problem if it is more convenient for you, just thought there might be a safety reason to do it that way that I was missing, as I've got my isolator switch in the positive. My understanding is it doesn't make a difference, so as you say, whichever is most convenient for your particular case.
when you isolate the positive, the wire between the bat and isolator is still live (will short out to any metal connected to the neg side of your battery. When you isolate the neg side the whole earth body (all metal connected to the neg lead) is now isolated from the positive, so the whole system is safer to work on.
cheers
blaze
Hi Blaze, my understanding is that most modern caravans are not negative earth return through the chassis, and in fact don't have a connection from the battery negative to the chassis at all - mine certainly doesn't. So hopefully the scenario you suggest won't be an issue.
-- Edited by Mamil on Tuesday 11th of June 2019 11:06:50 PM
True Mamil. Always best practice in caravans , boats etc that if you have one Isolator it is installed in the Positive lead as close to battery as possible.
2558, do as you said. Charge and disconnect. Top up charge every 6-8 weeks as Aus-Kiwi said. If the battery is getting on (like us) you may need to top up more regularly.
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Chris & Sharyn.
Tea Gardens. NSW.
2015 VW Touareg V6 Air suspension, 2012 Jayco Sterling 21.
hi
Also always found some isolators toast- cooked pos contacts etc
As mentioned there is still a live side in pos install.
There never seems enough room near pos terminal .
Benefits to neg install opposite to above .
In a lengthy cable install no chance of an issue of a powered cable earthing out .
My personal van install is a Jayco camper .
ON/OFF isolator in front boot
Batts under seats
Use a batt power post in batt enclosure under seats . All earths are wired to this.
Isolator is cabled in 13mm2,, 2runs of cable to and from isolator and batt and power post . [power post is insulated stud that canbe screwed down ]
Neg earth describes system not how its wired . Chassis or wired earth return to battery is your choice
VS
Positive earth systems
Some auto sytems wire to chassis and body and also have a wired return also
As others suggest, it's best to remove the battery. In such a situation I connect a fully automatic battery charger, which monitors the battery state of charge and charges, trickles or does nothing, as necessary. It will keep a battery charged without overcharging. Surprisingly, such chargers start at a mere $25 or so these days. These kinds of charges was once the domain of professional users only, such as garages and battery shops, but modern electronics makes such things very affordable.
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