Seldom use of the van during lockdown..

[JasonW]

@Bish - It depends on how your power management system has been wired up... but generally...

If you have a DC DC Charger fitted (usually close the the leisure battery) then driving the van will charge the leisure batteries once the starter battery is charged...

You'll need to have a root around and see what you've got to work with.... maybe some pictures would help....

 

[t6blo]

I have done less miles in my van
Been ‘working from home‘ since March 23rd 2020 so my van is being blasted up the dual carriageway once a week to the supermarket - not much else unfortunately but at least it will keep things moving and prevent rust/seizing up.

 

[Bish]

@Bish - It depends on how your power management system has been wired up... but generally...

If you have a DC DC Charger fitted (usually close the the leisure battery) then driving the van will charge the leisure batteries once the starter battery is charged...

You'll need to have a root around and see what you've got to work with.... maybe some pictures would help....

Thanks for that. I'll have a furtle tomorrow, cheers!

 

[EdH]

We haven't used ours for 4 weeks now. Sitting on the drive with trickle charger plugged in onto starter battery which is also charging the leisure battery at the same time. So the van hasn't moved for 4 weeks at all. No motorways near, just A roads, and Welsh police are sharp and stopping people if you are out and about. Is there a long term harm to the van if not used for a while, bear in mind that I am maintaining the batteries.

 

[DaveD]

We haven't used ours for 4 weeks now. Sitting on the drive with trickle charger plugged in onto starter battery which is also charging the leisure battery at the same time. So the van hasn't moved for 4 weeks at all. No motorways near, just A roads, and Welsh police are sharp and stopping people if you are out and about. Is there a long term harm to the van if not used for a while, bear in mind that I am maintaining the batteries.

If you want to drive it I'd have thought a trip to a supermarket to buy food is an essential journey. Assuming you either use another vehicle to go to buy food or you have it delivered you are simply displacing that journey by using the van.
It's not good for the tyres to sit for months on the same spot.

 

[t6blo]

We haven't used ours for 4 weeks now. Sitting on the drive with trickle charger plugged in onto starter battery which is also charging the leisure battery at the same time. So the van hasn't moved for 4 weeks at all. No motorways near, just A roads, and Welsh police are sharp and stopping people if you are out and about. Is there a long term harm to the van if not used for a while, bear in mind that I am maintaining the batteries.

Might be worth leaving the handbrake off and in gear perhaps?

 

[alter]

Might be worth leaving the handbrake off and in gear perhaps?

yes....

 

[EdH]

If you want to drive it I'd have thought a trip to a supermarket to buy food is an essential journey. Assuming you either use another vehicle to go to buy food or you have it delivered you are simply displacing that journey by using the van.
It's not good for the tyres to sit for months on the same spot.

Yes I have another car which we use occasionally for bigger shopping otherwise walk/cycle, shop is only 2 miles from us. Even if I go different way around it would be only 5-6 miles round trip, and reading from others this short journeys can do more damage to DPF.

 

[Jasper]

Have taken my vehicle out the first time for nine weeks due to lockdown, I've have a trickle charger on the vehicle battery and mains hookup for the leisure battery and also running a small oil filled radiator to keep any damp out of the van. However over this time my discs have rusted badly so I did the run to clean these up this week and will make sure to run it out at least once a month from now on.