Advice - charging battery when not in use.

[revdecal]

Looking at buying a 2nd vehicle so my T6 will not necessarily be my daily driver. I will probably keep it at work but it won't be near a power supply to keep the battery topped up.
Any ideas on the best way to keep it charged or isolate the battery so it won't de charge when not in use?
cheers

 

[Bargy62]

@revdecal portable folding solar panal on the dash mines a 50w and it keeps the battery topped up all year never had a problem

 

[revdecal]

@revdecal portable folding solar panal on the dash mines a 50w and it keeps the battery topped up all year never had a problem

What a great idea. Do you have a link at all to the one you have

 

[revdecal]

@revdecal portable folding solar panal on the dash mines a 50w and it keeps the battery topped up all year never had a problem

Not to worry. Found them easily enough

 

[roadtripper]

Get a reasonable quality/wattage one the small ones are mostly decorative.

Also make sure you plug it in to a 12 socket connected to your starter (if you have factory fit second battery) if you are using that method.

How long is the van not moving? You should be fine with 1-2 weeks so long as it gets a decent drive around about that frequency, unless you have things like trackers?

 

[cgtmiles]

Did you find one that comes with a 12v cig plug? Looks to me like most of these come with just jump leads

 

[Salty Spuds]

Here you go

JK Solar Charging Screen 120W Portable

Size and weight:• Measurements when packed away: 300 mm, by 370 mm, by 60 mm,• Measurements when unfolded for use: 1582 mm, by 890 mm by 5mm,• Suction clamp measurements: 70 mm, by 70 mm, by 78 mm,• Power cable with 12v DC charger connection: 2 metres long,• Power cable with crocodile clips: 3...

www.justkampers.com

 

[cgtmiles]

Oh, I’ve been looking at little 50w dash mount jobbies, just to maintain the starter battery. That would almost double my current solar capacity (although that’s currently only feeding the LB)

 

[whodat]

Make sure no more than about 5 amps goes into the 12v socket though.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Oh, I’ve been looking at little 50w dash mount jobbies, just to maintain the starter battery. That would almost double my current solar capacity (although that’s currently only feeding the LB)

you will only average 1/2 - 2/3rds of the rated output. So don't assume that you're going to get 50W from a 50W panel. More like 25-30 on a good day, especially if it's behind a windscreen.

 

[Dellmassive]

More info over here....

[Guide] Mobile Solar Panels ? . . . - How I Did It -

Mobile Solar Panels ? . . . - How I Did It - There is loads of background to this . . . . . but for now here is a vid for you all. =] Just remember W = V*A and as a general rule a good 100W panel will give you up to 6A charge with good sun. 25w = 1.5A 50W = 3A 100w = 6A 200w = 12A 300w = 18A...

www.t6forum.com

.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Looking at buying a 2nd vehicle so my T6 will not necessarily be my daily driver. I will probably keep it at work but it won't be near a power supply to keep the battery topped up.
Any ideas on the best way to keep it charged or isolate the battery so it won't de charge when not in use?
cheers

Do you already have solar on the t6 for the leisure battery?

 

[revdecal]

Do you already have solar on the t6 for the leisure battery?

no mate. on my list

Get a reasonable quality/wattage one the small ones are mostly decorative.

Also make sure you plug it in to a 12 socket connected to your starter (if you have factory fit second battery) if you are using that method.

How long is the van not moving? You should be fine with 1-2 weeks so long as it gets a decent drive around about that frequency, unless you have things like trackers?

Have dash cam and tracker. Just came back from a week away and it wouldn't start at the airport. Luckily I keep a power pack in the van which always jumps it easily enough.

 

[Salty Spuds]

no mate. on my list

Eventually, the way to go is solar on the roof & a maintainer feeding from the leisure battery to the starter battery.

 

[DXX]

Any ideas on the best way to keep it charged or isolate the battery so it won't de charge when not in use?

I wouldn’t advise disconnecting the battery as you won’t have an active alarm and this will almost certainly invalidate any insurance claim for theft.

 

[Salty Spuds]

I wouldn’t advise disconnecting the battery as you won’t have an active alarm and this will almost certainly invalidate any insurance claim for theft.

I'm inclined to agree, notwithstanding that a disconnected battery is a pretty efficient immobiliser, it could cause all sorts of gremlins further down the line when the battery is re-connected. There's a setting in VCDS for "transport mode" or something similar, that activates a relay, not sure what this does, but it might disconnect all the non-essential consumers.

 

[Bargy62]

Did you find one that comes with a 12v cig plug? Looks to me like most of these come with just jump leads

cut em off and fit cig lighter plug

 

[roadtripper]

no mate. on my list


Have dash cam and tracker. Just came back from a week away and it wouldn't start at the airport. Luckily I keep a power pack in the van which always jumps it easily enough.

If you've regularly got the starter to the level you need a jump start you'll be damaging the plates in it, especially damaging in a starter type battery as it needs a large set of tightly packed plates to generate the Cold Cranking Amps.

A tracker and dash cam even in parking mode is probably drawing about 0.5 amp so will use 12Ah of capacity every day. With a minimal 75Ah starter you'll be at the 50% recharge needed level in about 3 days.

If you need to replace that with solar assuming 8 hours of good light you'll need 1.5 to 2 amps of charging current, so average 25-30 watts for those 8 hours.

 

[Salty Spuds]

A tracker and dash cam even in parking mode is probably drawing about an amp so will use 12Ah of capacity every day.

 

[roadtripper]

Actually you're right, @Salty Spuds it's using 24Ah a day at an amp average draw. I originally ran the figures at 0.5amp but then noticed a tracker and a dash cam - so it's likely more.