# How to stop Cobra Alarm flattening battery in storage?



## riverboat2001 (Apr 2, 2009)

Hi all,

On our old van we fitted a battery cut out switch for use when in storage.

Our new van has a Cobra Alarm, which should give us a discount on our insurance, but I think it will also flatten the batteries!

We will have 2x110 batteries and a solar panel relay fitted to top up engine battery when the others are fully charged, but in the winter, thats not really going to help.

Is the a way to have the best of both worlds? A working Alarm, and a working cab battery?


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Batteries*

Hello,

Ours Cobra stays charged even in winter. Even when we had 150w of Solar, now have 230w.

Was 2 x 190ah batteries. Now 1 x 180ah.

No worries.

TM

(now have Phantom Tracker too).


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

If your solar panel is of a size suitable to sustain you in the summer then it should be quite capable of keeping up with the alarm system when the van is laid up for winter.

You could fit a bridging fuse when the van is laid up to ensure that all batteries are maintained to the same level of charge.

C.
http://www.motts.org/BRIDGING FUSE.htm


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Using the alarm does require power, there have been several threads on here which suggest that most people only get about 2 - 3 weeks before their batteries are dead.....

Realistically you need to have a dependable power source to charge the batteries throughout the winter, solar panels MIGHT give enough - depending on where the van is stored (indoors or outdoors) and where in the UK it is - the South gets more sun in theory than the North of Scotland and of course which way the panels and the van are facing relative to any possible sun.

If those things cannot be guaranteed can you plug into an EHU regularly so that you could switch the power on say for an hour or two per day so that the charger can keep the batteries topped up? That could be controlled by a time switch if you rig one into the circuit at the source end.

If that is not possible then the only other thing is to start up the vehicle about once a week or so and run it for a while until, the batteries are full.

Other possibilities might be to disconnect one battery and remove it from the pair every few days and charge at home indoors, swapping around to maintain a charged set up - but that is probably not brilliant for the batteries which generally work better as a "matched pair" charging and discharging at the same time.

If none of those are possible and you decide not to use the alarm make sure the insurance company are notified and are happy - which is unlikely as if they have given you a discount for having it, they will want you to use it - or else.......

That would be the way my thought patterns go, but I am sure others have faced the same problem and may have better ideas. Our solar panel gives us enough over-winter but we are a long way south of the UK and the panel is angled to face the sun.....

Dave


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## riverboat2001 (Apr 2, 2009)

We are having two new batteries fitted in the new year, going for 110 amp as that seems to be the norm, why are yours so much bigger?


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*storage*

Providing the van is not under cover BTW!


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## riverboat2001 (Apr 2, 2009)

We are NW of London, in a secure yard, no possibility of hookup, can't be running in and out with batteries, it's a bonded warehouse, so very secure. Insurance company are aware of the location, and new van, but I haven't told them about the Alarm, because I didn't know about it!
Just would have been nice to get a discount.

So a battery disconnect method seems the only logical conclusion.


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## riverboat2001 (Apr 2, 2009)

also when not on ehu and with the vans 12v switched off the fridge seems to be still working which will further deplete the batteries!!!!!! :?: :?: :? :? :? :? :? :?:


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

Your fridge should have three ways of power - gas, EHU and 12v - the 12v should be protected by a relay so that it only runs on 12v when the engine is running as it draws about 8amps.

If the fridge is on and the gas is off and there is no EHU then there has to be a fault which the dealer needs to check out as left with the fridge running the 2 new batteries (220 amp hours) will only run for a theoretical maximum of 27.5 hours and in fact much less than that as once the battery drops voltage it will never give that amount so you might get about 12 hours running only......... and even worse the batteries may well be damaged irreversibly.

So that needs checking out urgently. Many fridges are now auto switch over - is yours or do you have a switch to change depending on the power source?

If your is auto is the gas turned off? Check that as if the gas is on it will run on that for preference once the engine stops.

I hope that makes sense, the fridge nees checking as to whether it is running still....

Dave


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## sideways (Jun 2, 2008)

On our last van the fridge had to be selected to off or it drew power, the fridge itself didnt work but the control panel drew power, i had a battery master and a cobra alarm and didnt have any issues with flat batteries.


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## riverboat2001 (Apr 2, 2009)

Sorted the fridge....us being a bit thick!
Didn't spot the off position,only excuse was that it was the end of a long day in a new van....(looks very sheepish)


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