# Keeping vehicle battery charged



## maz49 (May 11, 2011)

We have a new Bailey Approach SE. The battery charger only charges the leisure battery and not the vehicle battery.

We keep our motorhome at home so can have it plugged into the electric and do not really need the expense of having a solar panel fitted. However we do want a solution that does not involve us having to start the motorhome every week to keep the battery topped up or something similar.

We are looking for a solution that will automatically keep both leisure and vehicle batteries fully charged and that gets round the 'do not keep your Bailey motorhome plugged in at all times' directive.

Any solutions please, preferably not too expensive!!

Thank you


----------



## tonka (Apr 24, 2006)

Battery master or B2B charger.... Do a search here or on the web...

Ref solar.... Is £120 to much for an 80w solar system ?? Look on ebay and you can get one for that price.. DIY install or get someone to fit. My van sits on the drive and I never have to plug into electric, the panel keeps everything topped up.. Luckily my van has a smart charger and does both.. Surprised that the Bailey does not!!

http://www.sp-shop.co.uk/Battery-to-Battery-Chargers/


----------



## maz49 (May 11, 2011)

Hi Steve

Thanks for the info. We were trying to avoid solar panels simply because of potential warranty issues or a large bill from having the dealer fit one!


----------



## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

Or just get a CTEK intelligent charger and be left on battery permanently.


----------



## 747 (Oct 2, 2009)

Connect a wire between leisure battery positive and van battery positive. Fit an inline fuse holder with a 10 amp fuse. Both batteries will be charged.

IMPORTANT. Remove the fuse before switching on the ignition. If you forget, the 10 amp fuse will blow (so carry spares).

Total cost ...... about £5.


----------



## Camdoon (Sep 21, 2012)

Where does the 'do not keep your Bailey motorhome plugged in at all times' instruction come from?


----------



## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

I keep my Bailey in storage and after two months in the depth of winter it still started, why do you think you need something to charge the vehicle battery.
Unless you have had an alarm fitted of course.


----------



## richardjames (Feb 1, 2006)

I use a ctek plugged into the power socket (has to be live all the time!)


----------



## richardjames (Feb 1, 2006)

I use a ctek plugged into the power socket (power socket has to be live all the time!)


----------



## maz49 (May 11, 2011)

Page 6-11 of the Bailey Owners Manual states 'Do not continuously charge the battery when the motorhome is not in use' and as I do not know how to turn off the battery charger I believe this is more or less the same as 'do not keep your Bailey motorhome plugged in at all times' . 

And yes as the motorhome is kept at home it is alarmed.


----------



## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

We have a Battery Master which I fitted and it is magic - works superbly and was very easy to fit.....

If the manual says not to leave it switched on via EHU continuously why not plug it into a time clock and run it for say 6 hours per day? That should keep it charged but is not continuous......

But the BM is the way I solved the problem of only the leisure battery being charged as once it is full the power is fed to the vehicle battery.

Cost - about £70, fit and then forget, no switching needed so forgetting it is not a problem.

Dave


----------



## TheFlups (Nov 9, 2012)

We fitted a Cetek 250S Dual unit in our Approach 740 to work in conjunction with a single 120w Solar Panel. The whole lot was dealer fitted to avoid possible confrontations later and was negotiated in the drive away price.
The system has worked superbly from the off and so far we have not had any worries being self sufficient off EHU on any of the trips we have done. Mind you, it has been a cracking summer eh?


----------



## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

As that Clever Clogs 747 said a bit of wire and a fuse is all you need, link to diagram


----------



## lgbzone (Oct 8, 2008)

I'd use a CBE CSB2, they can be bought for about £20 new and will charge the engine battery from the leisure, fit and forget

Lee


----------



## arh (Dec 8, 2007)

as has been said, get a "battery master" from Eddie Vanbits , (easily fitted, comes with diagram. forget all about it. arh.


----------



## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

Another vote for the Vanbitz Battery Master - fitted to our current and previous 'vans, simple fit and forget job.

Regarding not keeping the MH plugged in all the time, if the manufacturer fitted a decent charger this should automatically reduce to trickle or no charge as the voltage rises to prevent battery harm . . .


----------



## prog54 (Nov 22, 2010)

I fitted a Battery Master last year after experiencing the same problem of van battery dying even when mains plugged in.
Since then I have had no problem in starting van even when idle for months.
All it does is direct a charge to the vehicle battery after the leisure battery is fully charged
Best thing I've bought for the motorhome.
Terry


----------



## prog54 (Nov 22, 2010)

I fitted a Battery Master last year after experiencing the same problem of van battery dying even when mains plugged in.
Since then I have had no problem in starting van even when idle for months.
All it does is direct a charge to the vehicle battery after the leisure battery is fully charged
Best thing I've bought for the motorhome.
Terry


----------



## bubble63 (Sep 30, 2009)

lgbzone said:


> I'd use a CBE CSB2, they can be bought for about £20 new and will charge the engine battery from the leisure, fit and forget
> 
> Lee


ditto best £20 spent

recommended

DIY job

Neill


----------



## GMLS (Dec 2, 2010)

We use Battery Master with solar panel and have left the van for upto 8 weeks and returned to find both fully charged ready to go. If you are planning on keepig your van for a while, the solar panel would be a good investment especially if you are using an alarm and or tracker


----------

