Leisure batteries and charging

[Netti_374307085]

Hi all,

Wondering if you can help out a newbie. First of all, is a leisure battery a neccessity if you're always going to be staying on a site with an electric hook up? I don't plan to go rallying or anything til I'm confident with my towing ability and comfortable setting up the caravan on my own.

Secondly, how are these charged? Will they charge from the mains hook up when parked on site? Do they charge from the car's battery/alternator? I was only planning on getting single electrics on my car 1. to keep costs down and 2. as my car is my pride and joy and it sounds like alot of mucking about with the electrical system to fit the 2nd lot of electrics.

Thanks for any advice,

Netti

 

[JTQ]

Where any battery is necessary depends on the "12 volt Controller" actually fitted to the van. My present van has to have one, my 1991 van did not.

Whilst I would always choose a leisure battery, if indeed you intend very rarely to go without a hook-up then a car starter battery is a bit cheaper option but not ideal.

The battery should be charged by the "Controller" whilst on a hook-up but its unlikely ever to be fully charged.

Without the second socket to the vehicle it will not be charged by the car; the second socket does this together with running the fridge and I recall the fog or reversing light. On this last point if that light is a feature of the van it's possibly a legal requirement that it works, but that needs checking as I am no legal expert.

 

[JTQ]

Where any battery is necessary depends on the "12 volt Controller" actually fitted to the van. My present van has to have one, my 1991 van did not.

Whilst I would always choose a leisure battery, if indeed you intend very rarely to go without a hook-up then a car starter battery is a bit cheaper option but not ideal.

The battery should be charged by the "Controller" whilst on a hook-up but its unlikely ever to be fully charged.

Without the second socket to the vehicle it will not be charged by the car; the second socket does this together with running the fridge and I recall the fog or reversing light. On this last point if that light is a feature of the van it's possibly a legal requirement that it works, but that needs checking as I am no legal expert.

I have checked on which light is via the second socket and it is the Reverse light. As that is more a convenience device that a warning I doubt it anybody will be worried if its not there.[Personal opinion only]

 

[David_from_Ashby]

Hi Netti

I used to have cars that were my pride and joy. Then the kids came along and I found 2 things, 1) I had no time to consider the car as my pride and joy, and 2) The kids expend every effort possible to make sure the car looks like a mobile skip, hence cars are no longer considered to be my pride and joy.

Then I got into carvanning, and the car simply becomes a workhorse, usually covered in mud, boot full of junk, oops, sorry that should have read essential caravanning accessories amd kids toys, bikes, scooters, kites etc. We seem to be going away frequently enough for it to almost not be worth emptying everything out of the car.

I used to enjoy washing a polishing the car on a warm sunny Sunday morning, now it gets a quick bucket of soapy water every couple of months...(well at least once a year when it gets serviced).

Seriously, I would suggest having a battery fitted. At least then if you accidentally trip the mains hookup (ior there is a site electrics failure or something) you still have lights, water pump, heater fan (blown air from gas heater) etc to keep you going until mains is restored.

Also, do you plan on keeping stuff cold in the fridge when you are travelling? If so, then the 12S socket will keep the fridge powered up during your journey. OK, that is not much of an advantage today (its B cold outside) but in the height of summer when the temp is up in the 30's (just dreaming) your beers will stay cold.

Cheers

David