Battery charger

[gary]

The OP said Aldi or similar, Steve replied that this would be bad....... well not if it was Aldi but possibly yes if it was similar.
Someone's also said Aldi's cheap copy of the Ctek, also incorrect as almost without doubt the Medion badged charger Aldi sell and the Ctek both come from the same factory in China!
Further Paul of Apuljack answered this question, (very cautiously IMO), on another more directly linked forum.
..................................................
From your reply though Steve, what I fail to understand about that boat fire, is why compliance allowed a shed load of 'other electronic stuff' in the battery locker?
After all, it was not the cheap charger that actually caused the fire, no, it was the batteries not being correctly vented outside and being enclose with multiple source of ignition?!!!

 

[JTQ]

Someone's also said Aldi's cheap copy of the Ctek, also incorrect as almost without doubt the Medion badged charger Aldi sell and the Ctek both come from the same factory in China!

Having got two CTEK [3.6 & 5 Amp] and two Aldi chargers I can't see any evidence from their construction, shape or functionality that they are from the same factory; have you anything to support your assertion?

 

[Parksy]

Colin
I'm sorry but you don't seem to read things properly!!
I never said I had ever fitted these to a caravan, read my statement again.
I said they were fitted to the boat, and that I have fitted dozens of these,
They were fitted to horseboxes, and boats.
It clearly states on the link, that these are traction type batteries,and lead acid, and ARE suitable for use on boats,
You only have to look on any boat forum to see how widely used and popular these batteries are, so it also surprises me that you don't know of these batteries as a "long term boat user" I see them all the time, so I'm afraid that your comment to try to undermine me are completely incorrect, and your statement about these batteries is also incorrect, which leads me to believe you don't know what you are talking about, or you are just digging yourself out of a hole?
The scenario was aimed at the lead acid leisure battery fitted to caravans, which would act in the same way as the lead acid traction batteries, as far as gassing is concerned.
But you took it upon yourself to misinterpret the information, by assuming I meant traction batteries, which I did not say at all, I don't know where you are going with these remarks, but I suggest that in future you get your fact right before commenting in the way that you do!

Parts of this discussion appear to be getting a little bit heated.
It's ok to disagree with each other but the forum runs much better without personal jibes and ill tempered exchanges.
And.............. Breathe! inch:

 

[stevesnrs]

Hi gary,
yes you are perfectly right. I didn't go into the battery/electronics locker construction, as it didn't have any bearing on the point I was trying to make at the time, but you are correct.
The locker was the original spec fitted by the boat manufacturer, which was of plastic/fiberglass moulded construction with two rubber sealed doors, with a sealed moulded partition in the middle, the batteries on one side and the electronics on the other, above the batteries was a shelf, on which the owner had placed his charger, he then made a hole in the wall big enough to pass the plug through to the other side, where there was the consumer unit and a socket to plug it in, there were vents in the locker on both sides but the battery side also vented through a skin fitting to the outside. As the charger was plugged into the socket permanently, the charger was always on when hooked up to shore power.
no one will really know how the gas was ignited, it could have been the electronics, or even the charger itself, but when it did explode, it was in a confined space which made matters worse, it blew open both doors, and part of the wall, where it had split around the hole that had been made, this piece of plastic wall material damaged the mastervolt 5kw inverter, which mastervolt repaired for £1500, and damaged other bits and pieces, the £3000, was for these repairs and the replacement of few other bits, the labour, the replacement of the locker itself, and of course a new battery charger.
The explosion didn't cause a fire, but the wrong charger caused the batteries to gas excessively,

 

[DerekBrad]

Oh Dear! What a lot of arguments! I wish I hadn't bothered now!

 

[Dustydog]

Oh Dear! What a lot of arguments! I wish I hadn't bothered now!

Hi Derek

Did your son manage with the Aldi charger?

Have you had the original failed unit fixed?

 

[Gafferbill]

Oh Dear! What a lot of arguments! I wish I hadn't bothered now!

.........but you received some first class advice.

]http://www.amperorassociates.co.uk/Category/c-battery_chargers.html

http://www.amperorassociates.co.uk/Category/c-battery_chargers.html[/quote
IMO the best caravan replacement chargers available and possibly the cheapest........your daughter and son in law should get one and bin the failed unit.

 

[DerekBrad]

After the first SOS call from France I asked s.i.l. to monitor voltage and let me know of the state. In the meantime I sent my Aldi chgr to them as a back up if needed. Towards the middle of the first week (7 days into hol) they phoned to tell me that the mains icon had come on and that they had experienced no problems with either 12v or mains supply. (voltage was at that point 14 ).At the last call they had still not had any problems with the 12volt system and have not needed to use the Aldi chgr. (Icon was off again at this point)

Whilst being pleased that their hol has not been spoilt, I do feel a bit baffled by it all. I shall see if I can find a reason when they return on Sunday and then will be able to monitor it the following week when I use the van.

I can't really see that it would be the charger as it is a Nord unit which has been modified and has been ok for a couple of years.

Having said all this, I do really appreciate the time and interest that my fellow caravanners have invested in my problem and if and when I get to the bottom of it I shall certainly post on the forum.

So, thanks again everyone

Regards

Derek