# Is it ok to leave the 240v cable plugged in while at home?



## chalkstorm (Feb 25, 2010)

Hi all

I park my MH behind the house (as I did my caravan before) - and am leaving the 240v cable plugged in.

Am I correct in thinking that the charger is smart enough not to try and cook the battery?

Thanks in advance

Simon

:?:


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Hope so Simon - I've been doing it for years! :wink: 

No problem, but you may have to switch manually if you want to charge the vehicle battery. Some do both, but most need telling!

Dave


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## chalkstorm (Feb 25, 2010)

Thanks Dave...

Mine doesn't charge the vehicle battery.... although am considering one of those devices vanbitz sell - to do it for me....

Having said that, I've used it 5 weekends out of 6 so little chance of needing it... but that might still me the novelty factor!


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## tincan (Jul 31, 2006)

Like both of you I too leave mine on hookup year round but have been told not to start the engine in this state as it can cause a surge which can blow a 50amp (i think) fuse which controls the habitation area.

noel


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

tincan said:


> Like both of you I too leave mine on hookup year round but have been told not to start the engine in this state as it can cause a surge which can blow a 50amp (i think) fuse which controls the habitation area.
> 
> noel


Hi.

Blow a 50 amp fuse?. Him speak with forked tongue.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

tincan said:


> . . . told not to start the engine in this state as it can cause a surge which can blow a 50amp (i think) fuse which controls the habitation area. noel


Hadn't heard that one Noel. Did it come from a reliable source?

*Chalky *- I've got a Battery Master from VanBitz.

Fit and forget, which I like - and very easy to fit I believe although VB did mine. Only three connections so it shouldn't be a problem.

I just shove the hookup cable in the slot and forget about it.

Dave


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## Jennifer (Mar 24, 2009)

I too have left my MH on hookup whilst at home, and no problems. However, I was queried why I was doing this by a couple of people, as unless there is something drawing off the battery, ie, alarm, light in ward drobe etc, then why should the battery run down - now there is a good question for the experts!

Jenny


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## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Jennifer said:


> , However, I was queried why I was doing this by a couple of people, as unless there is something drawing off the battery, ie, alarm, light in ward drobe etc, then why should the battery run down - now there is a good question for the experts!
> 
> Jenny


Not an expert but even Fiat reckon you should disconnect the battery if you are leaving the van for any length of time. Can't remember which page exactly but it is in the X250 manual. They even make it easy to do this.

The CANBUS ( CAmbus ?) system takes a small current as do things like the radio and the alarm. Our dealer fitted a 12v isolator switch so that is turned off to the hab area.

Ours used to drain in less than 2 weeks at the farm where we leave it and, being unwilling to disconnect and so lose the alarm, we pay for a hook up. We leave it charging the hab battery except, occasionally we go over and switch it to the engine battery.

There are at least two threads on the subject somewhere in the archive.

G


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Jennifer said:


> I too have left my MH on hookup whilst at home, and no problems. However, I was queried why I was doing this by a couple of people, as unless there is something drawing off the battery, ie, alarm, light in ward drobe etc, then why should the battery run down - now there is a good question for the experts!
> 
> Jenny


Hi the alarm system is drawing power all the time on my van, but is not a problem now as we have an 120 watt solar panel on the roof which charges all the battery's including the engine battery.

So no need for electrical hook up which is a good job as the Silver Storage where we store our van hasn't any power...


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## teensvan (May 9, 2005)

Hi.

When we lived at our home we always left the van plugged in. What i did was to run it through a 7 day timer and it switched on for just 3 hours a week. This kept everything in order. We are still on the original leisure batteries after six & half years.

steve & ann. ------- teensvan


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## teal (Feb 23, 2009)

Like most of you mine is on all year round when not using it , however last year found the badgers had a feast in three places right down to the bare wires. Now have hosepipe with lead inside.]


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## Blizzard (Sep 21, 2009)

Ours is also left plugged in 24/7, as much to keep the alarm and Tracker powered.

I had not heard anything about not starting the engine while connected and I have on several occasions fired the engine up whilst connected.

I've either been very lucky, or it does no harm :? 


Ken.


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## Rayo (Jan 3, 2010)

Zebedee said:


> tincan said:
> 
> 
> > . . . told not to start the engine in this state as it can cause a surge which can blow a 50amp (i think) fuse which controls the habitation area. noel
> ...


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Thanks Noel.

Don't think I'll do it again then. 8O 

I have done when moving the van forward a few feet so I can put the bikes on the rack, without disconnecting the hook up.

Got away with it so far, but for the sake of a few seconds it's not worth taking the risk. :roll: 

Dave


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## tincan (Jul 31, 2006)

Dave, sorry for the delay in responding. it was the dealer who sold us Tincan advised on this. A very early electrical problem we had was caused by starting while on hook up, hard to believe that that was 4 years ago.

Noel


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## CaGreg (Mar 28, 2007)

Off Topic I know, but just to say it is nice to see you Noel.. Your name came up the other night so here you are now.

Ca


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## tincan (Jul 31, 2006)

CaGreg said:


> Off Topic I know, but just to say it is nice to see you Noel.. Your name came up the other night so here you are now.
> 
> Ca


Ca

Now I'm curious  Might I ask who where why ?

Noel


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## Bubblehead (Mar 5, 2007)

Hi

Ours is kept on EHU at home all the time. We do however have the fridge running all the time so we can do a quick getaway most weekends (all year round). The charger in the van is fitted with a battery master (by Vanbitz) so it keeps the hab and engine bats topped up.

Ive also started the engine whilst on EHU quite a few times :? 

We have found that the display in the van shows that the batt % to be low even whilst on EHU as there hasn't been a large enough draw from the system to register. If I start it and drive for a couple of hundred yards then it resets to 100%.

We've also had a NASA box fitted by Vanbitz which provided much better information about the state of the batts.

Andy


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## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

I would always run it through an RCD for safety


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## b2tus (Sep 7, 2009)

What Jezport said x 2 !!


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## SueandRoger (Apr 14, 2008)

teensvan said:


> We are still on the original leisure batteries after six & half years.
> 
> steve & ann. ------- teensvan


Sorry to 'Black Cat' you but with our camper hooked up 24/7 we are also still on our original batteries after seven & half years. They are Exide Gel 80 ah and I will certainly replace them with the same, even at £210 each!


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## CaGreg (Mar 28, 2007)

tincan said:


> CaGreg said:
> 
> 
> > Off Topic I know, but just to say it is nice to see you Noel.. Your name came up the other night so here you are now.
> ...


Oh nothing mysterious, just a train of discussion, Tincan as a description of a motorhome, then your Username and then me saying ' I haven't seen Tincan on MHF for a long time.' Wish it was something more interesting than that.

Ca


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## tincan (Jul 31, 2006)

CaGreg said:


> tincan said:
> 
> 
> > CaGreg said:
> ...


Phew, thought my rep was under scrutiny yet again. Mind you it's that long since I did anything to sully it I would have been surprised 

The name Tincan comes from my schooldays when I had a piece of finest stainless steel inserted in my chest to prop my ribs out from my poor little lungs which were being squashed.

The name was used in school but not since and when I needed a forum name I thought it would be appropriate for a motorhome scene.

I've been busy on the domestic scene and with the dreaded 4 letter word "work", along with my other interest , my classic car. Still use the MH though and will be heading to La Belle France next week for 3 weeks so cant wait.

Noel


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