charging van battery while towing

[g1]

On my previous Bailey pageant de ville there was a rocker switch marked CHARGING. There were 3 positions

TOWING-OFF-ON SITE. Simple.

On my later Elddis Huricane there is no switch marked charging. Just a switch CAR BATT-OFF-CARAVAN BATT.

Or am I looking in the wrong place?

How do I set up to ensure charging while towing?

Thanks, Wes

 

[RobRoy]

Hi Wes,

On my Hurricane I switched to "car" when towing and switched the fridge to "battery".

Rob S.

 

[Tankie]

On Swift Charisma models, the three position switch shoul be in the middle position to ensure that both the fridge runs and the van battery is charged while driving.

Tankie

 

[Lucylou]

The switch should be in the centre position (off), If it is on caravan batt it means that all 12v circuits, ie, lighting will come direct from the batt only. If it is on car batt all 12volt circuits will come directly from the car batt. In the centre position there will be a very small trickle charge to your 'van batt, similar to trickle charge when on site on hook up. Neither is as good as taking your battry home and charging it with a proper maintenance facility charger every 4 weeks or so. A leisure battery shoulld never be allowed to discharge very much below half of its power before putting it on charge again.

 

[Essexeddie]

We have an elddis Odyssey, its simple, four settings

O off

Mains [hook up]

Battery [including connected to car]

Gas

You are looking too deep.

 

[Catherine_4990484]

I'm currently wanting to know the same answer as well.

We have a 2007 Bailey Paegent and are unsure as to how to get the battery to charge whilst the car is towing.

Also the Dometic fridge only has 3 settings, mains, gas or battery. Which do we choose tomake the fridge operate whilst towing.

 

[ColinA]

Catherine I think your caravan has the same set up as my 2006 senator. If it has you dont need to do anything to charge the battery when towing. The fridge goes on battery when towing. you can check if the fridge is working if the light comes on when the car engine is running.

Colin

 

[KeithJ]

Catherine - I have a Bailey Pageant Series 6 also. The fridge should be on "Battery" whilst towing, and works perpectly provided your 12S socket has the correct, and sufficiently thick guage wiring.

I too would like to know if the battery is automatically charged by the car when towing, as there is no switch for this. I know the charging is automatic when connected to the mains.

Regards Keith

 

[Catherine_4990484]

Well I think I have the definative answer now.

1. The car does charge the battery whilst towing - no switching required.

2. The fridge should be switched to battery and the car will automatically pick it up, but it will operate like a cool box not a fridge whilst on battery.

 

[rob_jax]

Hi Catherine,

A couple of amendments:

1. The fridge has a 110 watt mains powered heater (for use on hook-up) and a 110 watt 12 volt heater for use when towing. Both mains and 12 volt operation give identical cooling performance.

Incorrect placement of the fridge vents may cause the fridge to perform less well when towing than when on-site - but this has nothing to do with the power source.

A correctly designed installation will cool as well under tow as stationary.

2. Whilst towing, the fridge is powered by the car alternator not the battery - the fridge needs a current of almost 10 amps to drive the heater - and this would soon flatten any battery. And so power to the fridge is only maintained whilst the engine is running.

Robert

 

[KeithJ]

Hi Catherine - Rob-Jax is absolutely right. My fridge works perfectly on battery (actually alternator as Rob says) when the engine is running, but this is because the man who did the wiring on the 12S socket fitted heavy duty cable. Some fitters skimp on this, resulting in voltage drop, and this is why the fridge only works like a cool box. Hope this is useful. Keith

 

[g1]

Now we're getting there ! It looks then as though my Zig 7 unit is charging anyway while I'm towing and to run the fridge while towing I put the 12v supply switch to caravan battery and the fridge to 12v. Right?!

A technical advisor from Zig Electronics as going to ring me. I'll let you know what he says.

Wes

 

[GrahamSouthBrum]

I was always told if possible run your fridge on mains before towing especally on short journeys as the 12 volt will not drop the temperature as efficiently.

If you think you have problems my 07 Burstner's fridge runs off the caravan battery, it relies on the car to charge it as you drive, it takes about 30 mins to charge back up. Needless to say it is going to be modified in a couple of weeks to run straight from the car.

Graham W.

 

[g1]

I sspoke to someone from the tech. dept at Zig Electronics. He said put the 12v source switch to car battery ! He also said see if there's a "split charging relay".

I rang Elddis but the factory is on holiday until Monday.

The owners' handbook only says what the Zig does but nothing about charging while towing or on site.

Wes

 

[GrahamSouthBrum]

The split charge relay will be on your car.

All that means is that it will power the fridge on 12volt & charge the van battery at the same time. As soon as you turn the engine off the feed to the van is stoped.

Graham w.

 

[g1]

Graham - I think I understand what you're saying. Am I right in thinking that once the car alternator has charged the car battery its charge is diverted to the caravan battery or does it do them both together?

Either way, I need the fridge set to battery but what about what I call the 12v source switch. Does that go to car batt, off , or caravan batt when towing?

And what about when I'm on mains at a site? How do I set this switch then?

This is all very confusing!!

Wes

 

[GrahamSouthBrum]

To the best of my knowlage it powers the fridge and charges the battery at the same time (I am sure Lutz will know this).

When I had a van with car/van switch I was told to leave it in the off possition when towing as the fridge/battery will bypass this switch. When you get on site turn it to van for internal battery, or car for car battery to power lights etc.

The knob on your fridge changes the settings for your fridge. If you run it on gas set the knob to gas. 230 mains turn the knob to mains, & for towing turn it to 12volt/battery.

Graham W.