Battery to battery charger

[Den]

I'll probably only average 10 miles per day. Would it be a waste of time bothering with a split charge relay or battery to battery charger?

I only do low mileage as well so didn’t bother a a split relay with this van I charge up every night via mains, ain’t really worth the bother when you have to charge up each night anyway.

 

[Pit Creature]

I only do low mileage as well so didn’t bother a a split relay with this van I charge up every night via mains, ain’t really worth the bother when you have to charge up each night anyway.

Does it really need charging every night? I've been using a backpack for my work over the last couple of years and I only charge that every 2 weeks. The battery in that is tiny compared to leisure batteries.

 

[Deleted member 257]

Does it really need charging every night? I've been using a backpack for my work over the last couple of years and I only charge that every 2 weeks. The battery in that is tiny compared to leisure batteries.

best practice to keep them topped up, if you regularly let them run low it shortens their life. 

 

[spruce]

I'll probably only average 10 miles per day. Would it be a waste of time bothering with a split charge relay or battery to battery charger?

There is nothing wrong with you asking yourself this question. Many operate this way, just completely charging their leisure batteries every night.

We are in a similar situation and when you look at having a split charge relay fitted, clinically it's a waste of money. We average around 10 miles a day most working days as well.

I originally fitted a split charge relay as I had no idea what current a Shurfo pump drew and there were no answers coming from a Google search.

We had a big commercial job to do a good distance from home. The leisure battery 'failed' halfway through the job. We were able to run the van's engine which gave us enough power to run both pumps and were able to finish the job. Had I not had the SCR I would have had to come home, order a new battery and return a few days later to finish the job. Or I could have driven a further 15 miles where I knew a caravan and camping outlet would have had a replacement battery for me.

Either way, that SCR paid for itself that day. I always used to charge the leisure battery every night in winter and every second night in summer anyway. As a matter of course I have always fitted a SCR.

With my current van I decided to invest in a Sterling B2B charger to try them out. Many years previously I had dealings with George Sterling with regard to charging ambulance batteries on NHS vehicles and my experience using them was excellent. Like most, I was getting a bit sick of plugging my charger in at night and was looking for the ideal solution.

I must admit I was a bit taken in with one of his linked videos charging his caravan battery through his tow hitch power connection and then via a B2B charger.



On my van the only benefit of the Sterling unit is that its boosts the voltage output from 13.9v to 14.2v to charge my leisure battery. This means I get a fractionally quicker charge with a B2B charger, but it isn't a game changer.

As with most things, technology never stands still. I've noticed that Victron have brought out the Orion 30 amp B2B charger which doesn't require the trigger wire from the ignition on some vans the Sterling unit I have does. But it's much more expensive. I'd be pretty sure that if Sterling needed to complete with this feature (if they haven't already) it would be a simple software upgrade.

These days I run a diesel heater and two pumps. I have seen first hand how much power is consumed a day and how little is replenished back into the battery on our way home. Nowadays, we will have to plug the van in every night, even during the summer.

At the tail end of the day, a lead acid leisure battery will only accept a certain charge rate. Increasing the output amperage of the alternator doesn't charge the battery any quicker. My old leisure battery charges at the same rate as my current leisure battery does with a CCA rating. Increasing the charge voltage will drive more current (amps) into the battery but will reduce battery longevity and may even destroy it very quickly. This is why they use Calcium batteries for vans with regenerative braking as they will allow a higher charge voltage ie., 18 volts.

I have always believed that we need to recharge a lead acid battery as soon as we can after use. My son also uses a Gardiner backpack. I also recharge that every night after use.

 

[Den]

We  have two pumps and two electric reels, so yes we charge every night, just good practice ? after every work day in the winter I fill the van roll out extension lead for immersion and battery smart charger. 

In the summer I charge after work and fill the van in the morning just routine all part of my working day.