Swift Alpine 2 Leisure battery

[bernardsullivan]

Hi

I am new to the forum and have a 2011 Swift alpine 2. Could someone please let me know if it is possible to charge the leisure battery through the towing connection while driving? Thanks for any help you can offer.

 

[otherclive]

Yes, that’s the norm. Do you have a problem with your battery”s charge level when towing?

 

[bernardsullivan]

No, I don't have a problem which the car battery charge level when towing, but I suspect that in order to charge the leisure battery while driving, I would also need to press the small black isolator under the seat, which I have never done in that situation. The reason I asked the question is that since getting the caravan last year, I have only visited sites with electric hook up. However, I recently visited a site where I had to run on the leisure battery, and we've booked a similar site next week. As the van also has a motor mover which is needed to get it into its usual farm storage location where there is no power, I am just wondering that I might get caught out with a flat leisure battery.

 

[Jon Morgan]

Hi

I am new to the forum and have a 2011 Swift alpine 2. Could someone please let me know if it is possible to charge the leisure battery through the towing connection while driving? Thanks for any help you can offer.

Hello, everyone was new once and I regard myself as quite new as we only went back to Caravanning last year.
When your Towing the Leisure Battery will automatically Charge and if you set the Fridge to the Battery symbol will work the Fridge.

Your best bet is to Google Tips for: Hitching Up / Towing / Setting Up / Unhitching etc etc. You can probably find an online setting up for your Caravan.
One Tip if you have a Motor Mover. APPLY the Break when your positioned so when you release the Motor Mover it doesn't ROLL BACKWARDS as ours did!! Thank God I took the Wife who was literally standing there and acted immediately.
Caravan and Learn.
Hope this helps
Jon

 

[Mr Grumpy]

As you're going to be off-grid consider getting a portable/suitcase style solar panel to keep your battery topped up whilst on site.
Recommend at least 100 watts, preferably more as we're going into autumn.
Who knows, you may really get the off-grid bug 🤔

 

[bernardsullivan]

Hello, everyone was new once and I regard myself as quite new as we only went back to Caravanning last year.
When your Towing the Leisure Battery will automatically Charge and if you set the Fridge to the Battery symbol will work the Fridge.

Your best bet is to Google Tips for: Hitching Up / Towing / Setting Up / Unhitching etc etc. You can probably find an online setting up for your Caravan.
One Tip if you have a Motor Mover. APPLY the Break when your positioned so when you release the Motor Mover it doesn't ROLL BACKWARDS as ours did!! Thank God I took the Wife who was literally standing there and acted immediately.
Caravan and Learn.
Hope this helps
Jon

Gosh! Thanks for the tips Jon. I thought for a moment that your wife was behind the caravan and got squashed! I think I will do a test hitch up before I go away just to check that it is actually charging.

 

[bernardsullivan]

As you're going to be off-grid consider getting a portable/suitcase style solar panel to keep your battery topped up whilst on site.
Recommend at least 100 watts, preferably more as we're going into autumn.
Who knows, you may really get the off-grid bug 🤔

That's a good thought. I will check out the cost.

 

[Mel]

Also have a Swift Alpine 2 and it is my understanding that you need to press the black button under the near side seat for the battery to charge and for the fridge to work while driving. Many people do travel with the black button depressed. It has to be said that the handbook and other info is very vague on this and there are differing views. Remember to turn the black button off before hooking up to ehu. No idea what would happen if you forgot, but I think this is good practice.
Mel

 

[bernardsullivan]

Also have a Swift Alpine 2 and it is my understanding that you need to press the black button under the near side seat for the battery to charge and for the fridge to work while driving. Many people do travel with the black button depressed. It has to be said that the handbook and other info is very vague on this and there are differing views. Remember to turn the black button off before hooking up to ehu. No idea what would happen if you forgot, but I think this is good practice.
Mel

Thank you for the info Mel. It would all be so much easier if there was a comprehensive circuit diagram available instead of the very poor assortment in the handbook.

 

[trevormonty]

If you want to check charging, monitor battery voltage with multimeter. Should increase when car is connected and running.

 

[otherclive]

No, I don't have a problem which the car battery charge level when towing, but I suspect that in order to charge the leisure battery while driving, I would also need to press the small black isolator under the seat, which I have never done in that situation. The reason I asked the question is that since getting the caravan last year, I have only visited sites with electric hook up. However, I recently visited a site where I had to run on the leisure battery, and we've booked a similar site next week. As the van also has a motor mover which is needed to get it into its usual farm storage location where there is no power, I am just wondering that I might get caught out with a flat leisure battery.

I wasn’t referring to the cars battery as your question was about the leisure battery and I answered “ yes” as it should charge when towing. I assumed that since you asked the question you had been having charging problems with your leisure battery when towing.

I had a 2013 Sprite Musketeer with similar electrics to yours and the owners manual instructed that the black switch should pressed to ON for towing as it sets up the caravan electrics for the towing.

 

[Gafferbill]

.....according to Swift the black button on the control unit is a master on/off control for the leisure battery.
They call it a shut down switch used to disconnect the battery and prevent it discharging when the caravan is not in use.
When using the caravan whilst towing or on site this button should be pushed in (turned on).
I am quoting my Swift hand book and I have always followed their instructions.
I have also just spent 10 days off grid with no problems.

 

[bernardsullivan]

Gosh! Thanks for the tips Jon. I thought for a moment that your wife was behind the caravan and got squashed! I think I will do a test hitch up before I go away just to check that it is actually charging.

It seems that the leisure battery on the Swift Alpine 2 2011 does NOT receive a charge while towing. It's not terribly clear from my 2011 Swift Alpine 2 handbook but that's certainly the implication. If the car is connected and the black power isolator button under the bench seat is pushed in to activate it, it is then also necessary to press the right hand button to select the tow vehicle battery on the controls panel above the door. If you don't do this, the leisure battery takes precedence. The vehicle battery then powers the 12v circuits including the fridge, while disconnecting the leisure battery. In this situation, the leisure battery does not get charged. Can anyone confirm if my interpretation is correct?

 

[otherclive]

It seems that the leisure battery on the Swift Alpine 2 2011 does NOT receive a charge while towing. It's not terribly clear from my 2011 Swift Alpine 2 handbook but that's certainly the implication. If the car is connected and the black power isolator button under the bench seat is pushed in to activate it, it is then also necessary to press the right hand button to select the tow vehicle battery on the controls panel above the door. If you don't do this, the leisure battery takes precedence. The vehicle battery then powers the 12v circuits including the fridge, while disconnecting the leisure battery. In this situation, the leisure battery does not get charged. Can anyone confirm if my interpretation is correct?

I had a December 2011 manufactured Swift that charged the battery whilst towing. I had to press the black button switch to on.