OK to leave leisure battery on permanent trickle charge between trips?

[JasonW]

Both 12V sockets are powered by the starter battery in mine.. one is permanent 12V, the other only 12V with ignition on.

Others charge through the the cigarette lighter, So that should work fine...

https://www.t6forum.com/threads/battery-charging-main-battery-earth-point.10185/#post-150420

 

[EdH]

On my van t6.1 (70 plate) lower one is permanently live. I haven't used upper one at all, so I can't confirm if this one is permanently live or not.

 

[CAB]

My understanding is that the cigarette lighter plug next to the gear stick (lower dash one) is powered from/by starter battery. This is what I ascertained via this forum. While upper one is powered by a leisure battery if one fitted from factory. I am sure that someone will correct me if I am wrong as well. (Thinking about it now, I am positive that the lower one is definitely powered by starter battery as my cigarette lighter usb plug was indicating higher voltage when I was going downhill (regenerative charging was kicking in).

@Ricardo T this is what I have purchased recently for my charger (Ctek 3.8)

Ctek Cigarette Lighter Connector Adaptor 56-263: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike

Ctek Cigarette Lighter Connector Adaptor 56-263: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike

www.amazon.co.uk

That's the one.

 

[CAB]

Very useful info @CAB...so just to get this right in my head....I connect up my MHU to charge my 105ah Lifpo4 lithium leisure battery...and in turn plug in my CTEK MXS 7.0 into the 240v socket in the van and connect that somehow into my cig lighter socket which will in turn charge my van starter battery?....is there a specific connector to connect up the CTEK to the cig adapter or I guess I could make up a plug in connector of some sort? Im not really sure what type of a starter battery I have but I think its fairly standard original.
Thanks for the info.

That’s what I've been doing since lockdown /Tier 3 came in

If you have some way of measuring the voltage on either / both batteries it will give you some more peace of mind, but the Ctek will show what stage the starter is at, and as others have said it is designed for maintenance, so you can just plug in and forget it.

 

[EdH]

That’s what I've been doing since lockdown /Tier 3 came in

If you have some way of measuring the voltage on either / both batteries it will give you some more peace of mind, but the Ctek will show what stage the starter is at, and as others have said it is designed for maintenance, so you can just plug in and forget it.

Just got my self one of those battery monitors as suggested by @Dellmassive and connected it to my starter battery to check it out. Shock as you can see it from the photo. I am surprised by te such a low level of charge bearing in mind that the van has been plugged via ehu and then internally I plugged the ctek charger via cigarette lighter to charge the starter battery (cigarette lighter plug next to the gearstick).

To add to the confusion I just plugged the usb charger with voltagemonitor display (after unplugging the ctek 3.8 charger) into the lower dash socket and that's indicating 12.8v while the app and volt meter indicate 12.1. What is going on?

Ctek charger has been plugged in this way (internally via cig socket for the last 10 days or so). On a float/storage mode all that time. Surely it would charge the starter battery more than this?

 

[EdH]

When I stated the van voltage went up to 14.8v as indicated by usb cig plug (lower dash) which matched the app dongle.

So, maybe the starter battery doesn't accept a charge via cig plug? If this is the case why the ctek charger indicated fully charged battery?

 

[JasonW]

Are you sure that 12V socket is live with ignition off.... Some people its the one on top of the dash they need to plug it into....

I find going straight on the battery using a quick dis-connect like the one below gives me the best charging results....

 

[EdH]

Are you sure that 12V socket is live with ignition off.... Some people its the one on top of the dash they need to plug it into....

I find going straight on the battery using a quick dis-connect like the one below gives me the best charging results....

View attachment 98044

Hmmm, I really think so, as before all this I left that usb voltage meter plugged and it was always showing me voltages. Hence I presume that its live? I got one of these as well so I might install it tomorrow, but mine doesn't have inline fuse, it came with ctek 3.8a charger tho.

 

[JasonW]

I found i wasn't always getting a good earth with the crocodile clips or through the cigarette socket, so use the eyelet rings now screwed to the positive terminal and screwed down to an earthing point... Much better contact and subsequently much better charging....

The CTEK charging connector with ring terminals should work fine and worth a go.... you may find it works better for you...

 

[CAB]

Hmmm, I really think so, as before all this I left that usb voltage meter plugged and it was always showing me voltages. Hence I presume that its live? I got one of these as well so I might install it tomorrow, but mine doesn't have inline fuse, it came with ctek 3.8a charger tho.

Have you got a factory install leisure battery?

 

[EdH]

Will try that as well. To be honest I thought I had a duff van, especially when the charger indicated float mode, me thinking it completed the charge for the last few days, and then the app showed low battery. Shame if this internal charging method is not working properly. Very strange and I am well puzzled?

 

[EdH]

Have you got a factory install leisure battery?

Yes, under the passenger captain seat.

 

[CAB]

That's your issue. Your leisure battery is fully charged

Not certain myself, but have read on here that one socket runs off the Leisure, and one off the starter, if you have factory install.

Plug the Ctek in the other one!

 

[EdH]

That's your issue. Your leisure battery is fully charged

Not certain myself, but have read on here that one socket runs off the Leisure, and one off the starter, if you have factory install.

Plug the Ctek in the other one!

So I could be charging the wrong battery with the two separate chargers at the same time (installed Victron via Ehu and my little ctek one from the internal socket)?

 

[CAB]

So I could be charging the wrong battery with the two separate chargers at the same time (installed Victron via Ehu and my little ctek one from the internal socket)?

Possibly?

Best stick the USB voltmeter in the other socket, if it matches your monitor to within 0.2v or so then that's the one you need to plug the charger into

 

[JasonW]

I just have the one quick connect on my starter battery and once that's above a certain voltage my 2 leisure batteries automatically start to charge as well...

 

[moomin-j]

I just have the one quick connect on my starter battery and once that's above a certain voltage my 2 leisure batteries automatically start to charge as well...

@JasonW - is that just through the standard AJC wiring set up or did you ask Andy / Brandon for something bespoke?

 

[JasonW]

I think its their standard wiring method @moomin-j with the Ablemail smart DC-DC charging system they use.... yours is probably the same...?

However i added the Noco quick disconnect cable myself to the starter battery just to make it quick and easy to connect the charger, just plugs straight in... rather than trying to clip onto a ground somewhere where its hit and miss if you get a good contact...

 

[EdH]

I think its their standard wiring method @moomin-j with the Ablemail smart DC-DC charging system they use.... yours is probably the same...?

However i added the Noco quick disconnect cable myself to the starter battery just to make it quick and easy to connect the charger, just plugs straight in... rather than trying to clip onto a ground somewhere where its hit and miss if you get a good contact...

Which negative/ground point did you choose/are using? Any chance of a photo of your connection, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[moomin-j]

I think its their standard wiring method @moomin-j with the Ablemail smart DC-DC charging system they use.... yours is probably the same...?

However i added the Noco quick disconnect cable myself to the starter battery just to make it quick and easy to connect the charger, just plugs straight in... rather than trying to clip onto a ground somewhere where its hit and miss if you get a good contact...

Mmmmm that's interesting to know.

At the mo, I am on 240v EHU from the garage to the bonnet, then I plug into a live 240v socket inside the cab to feed a CTEK MXS 7.0 charger, which is then plugged into the lower 12v cigarette socket at the side of the gear lever to feed the starter battery.
This keeps both leisure batteries charged (as solar is pretty dire at the mo and the fridge is pulling power 24/7) and then the CTEK keeps the starter battery in good order.
Reading from the BM2, the leisure batteries are around 12.5v and the main starter battery at approx 13.1v

But, your way seems easier?