Not authoritive, but mine is plugged in at home whenever its there. I've done this more or less since I had it, 3 years ago

And I have never had a problem, so hopefully, the answer, when it comes, will be "no problem" :?

 

All the motorhomes/caravans that we've had handbooks for have advised that they should be left 'hooked up'. Accordingly we always have done this, mostly with no trouble at all. I have had to replace one leisure battery, but that was because I got sloppy and didn't check the electrolyte level. The battery electrolyte level got too low, and after that the battery wouldn't hold charge.

 

I know it's only September, but winter is on the way. We keep the MH hooked up to the mains with a small electric heater set to maintain a minimum of 1°C. No frozen tanks or pipes and no damp or mould.

 

Not authoritive, but mine is plugged in at home whenever its there.

Mine too for the last 9 years! I also leave a heater on in it during the winter months but I do drain it down as well. No mold, no damp, no peoblems.

peedee

 

Since having a caravan and now a MH stored at home for over 20 years, I always attach the mains (This does not mean charging the battery), we can then use the unit as a spare fridge / freezer, I also keep the heating on low.

On a regular basis I leave a light or several lights on and allow the battery to drain, and then re-charge it, and just before Christmas, I allow it to go flat , but instead of using the MH Charger, I use a proper charger and fully charge it.

 

On a regular basis I leave a light or several lights on and allow the battery to drain, and then re-charge it, and just before Christmas, I allow it to go flat , but instead of using the MH Charger, I use a proper charger and fully charge it.

I wouldn't have thought it's a good idea to let a battery go flat (except for NiCads) it must surely shorten its life?

JohnW

 

On a regular basis I leave a light or several lights on and allow the battery to drain, and then re-charge it, and just before Christmas, I allow it to go flat , but instead of using the MH Charger, I use a proper charger and fully charge it.

I wouldn't have thought it's a good idea to let a battery go flat (except for NiCads) it must surely shorten its life?

JohnW

Same here - battery life is quoted in "cycles" and that is most definitely a "cycle" and so one less life.

 

Interesting comments so far. I agree with the idea of leaving a heater on froststat/low settings during the cold months. You can do this without charging the batteries by disconnecting the Electroblock from the mains by pulling the mains plug out of the unit which means the 12v is shut down and I presume the battery charging as well.

Setting the battery cut-off switch on the unit to off does not prevent the battery being charged though – it simply isolates all of the 12v stuff (including the boiler safety valve so expect the water to empty out of this).

I wouldn’t have thought it a good idea to drain either the leisure or engine batteries completely – in fact the book says that ‘total discharge damages the battery’.

It also says the leisure/living area battery should only be charged using the onboard transformer/rectifier (presumably the Electroblock).

So far, I haven’t found any authoritative guidance on whether to leave the Electroblock connected to the mains at all times (when possible) or whether a regular partial drain*/re-charge is preferable. The weight of opinion so far seems to suggest it is left on – which would be easier!

*the book states that a 80Ah battery will discharge in 1.5 months if the boiler safety/drainage van is left on. If you push it off, the battery will take approx 9 months to expire.

 

I also came across this when searching the internet

http://www.schaudt-gmbh.de/uploads/media/NL20060804_-_OVP_01_EN.pdf

It's a spike protector/over voltage device made by the Electroblock people and apparently recommended if the van is exposed to these.

I'm wondering if not having one of these might've caused the problem I had as we our mains is fed by overhead cables and I've had spike problems on the PC previously.

Has any one used/fitted one - or know who supplies them?

 

Hooked up all the time. Dehumidifier on in winter months

Never had a problem with batteries.


Dave p

 

I find that the main battery goes flat if not left on charge. The leisure battery does not seem to be a problem.

 

I find that the main battery goes flat if not left on charge. The leisure battery does not seem to be a problem.

That is why I bought a Battery Master, I have had less problems with my engine battery ever since.

peedee

 

Interesting comments so far. I agree with the idea of leaving a heater on froststat/low settings during the cold months. You can do this without charging the batteries by disconnecting the Electroblock from the mains by pulling the mains plug out of the unit which means the 12v is shut down and I presume the battery charging as well.

Setting the battery cut-off switch on the unit to off does not prevent the battery being charged though - it simply isolates all of the 12v stuff (including the boiler safety valve so expect the water to empty out of this).

I wouldn't have thought it a good idea to drain either the leisure or engine batteries completely - in fact the book says that 'total discharge damages the battery'.

It also says the leisure/living area battery should only be charged using the onboard transformer/rectifier (presumably the Electroblock).

So far, I haven't found any authoritative guidance on whether to leave the Electroblock connected to the mains at all times (when possible) or whether a regular partial drain*/re-charge is preferable. The weight of opinion so far seems to suggest it is left on - which would be easier!

*the book states that a 80Ah battery will discharge in 1.5 months if the boiler safety/drainage van is left on. If you push it off, the battery will take approx 9 months to expire.

So let me display my ignorance then. On our RV, I've got an on-board unit with several mains circuit breakers and a load of 12v fuses. When I hook up, I have the option of switching on what I always understood was a 12v transformer via a trip switch (the 12v lighting becomes much brighter when it's switched on). When that's on, it hums loudly, and a cooling fan comes on usually after 5 minutes. (We switch that off at night as it annoys me.) The RV is now in storage; if I hook up but leave (what I think is) the transformer switched off, will it still charge the batteries? Is this what you refer to as the Electroblock?

I know that the main battery is charged along with the leisure batteries when they're charging, so if I could leave the van hooked up - but without the "transformer" chugging away - it would seem an ideal solution.

Dougie.

 

I have the option of switching on what I always understood was a 12v transformer via a trip switch (the 12v lighting becomes much brighter when it's switched on). When that's on, it hums loudly, and a cooling fan comes on usually after 5 minutes.

Hi Dougie

I would guess that the "12V transformer" is the charger. I have the same when I put the van on hookup - the lights get brighter as the nominal 12V battery terminal voltage (probably nearer 12.5 V) gets bumped up to 13.7V or something like, and the battery starts charging.

In the winter, I leave van on hookup (to power an oil-filled rad) and the charger on all the time. I can ensure that both batteries will be fully charged when I next come to start the van. This winter, I may turn the charger off as we now have a solar panel, and there should be enough light hitting the panel to keep the batteries topped up.

If you do leave the charger on, it would be prudent to check the electrolyte level in the batteries (if possible) to make sure it's not evaporating away, but if the charger does its job properly, they should be OK.

Gerald

 

asprn -could it be that your (USA) RV has a big 120V to 240V transformer?

It could be that which is buzzing.

 

I never knew that so many people left their vans on hookup. I never have since we got it in May last year. I have only once had to jump start the engine battery but the Leisure battery always seems ok. Mind its used in the winter but may sit there for as long as a month. What do people do who put their MH into storage then?

 

With our previous vans there was no problem. Unfortunately modern designs take a load of about 150-200mA from the engine battery even when off. This will flatten the battery in about 2-3 weeks and in any event leaving a partly discharged battery for any length of time will cause it to "sulphate" and it will not be long before a new one is required.
Our storage site has mains available but if not I would use a solar panel.
The other point to watch is that your charger will stop charging when the battery reaches about 13.8V and not cause electrolyte to decompose. Modern vans seem to be OK but the manufacturer will be able to tell you.
The fact that you have required a jump start indicates that in the long term all is not well in the long term.
The alternative is to disconnect the battery but this can affect security systems etc. (see you instruction book for the cab part)

 

I would guess that the "12V transformer" is the charger. I have the same when I put the van on hookup - the lights get brighter as the nominal 12V battery terminal voltage (probably nearer 12.5 V) gets bumped up to 13.7V or something like, and the battery starts charging.

In the winter, I leave van on hookup (to power an oil-filled rad) and the charger on all the time. I can ensure that both batteries will be fully charged when I next come to start the van. This winter, I may turn the charger off as we now have a solar panel, and there should be enough light hitting the panel to keep the batteries topped up.

If you do leave the charger on, it would be prudent to check the electrolyte level in the batteries (if possible) to make sure it's not evaporating away, but if the charger does its job properly, they should be OK

Hi Gerald,

Thanks very much for that. I agree that it's likely it's the charger, in which case, I'll leave it on (although with a little trepidation as it gets quite warm, hence the cooling fan). I also have a solar panel and have never had any problem with either battery(ies) as a result. However, the van is now laid up in a very large farm shed which although airy and dry, is very dark, so the panel will be as useful as a chocolate fireguard.

asprn -could it be that your (USA) RV has a big 120V to 240V transformer? It could be that which is buzzing

My RV quite unusually was manufactured in the US with 240v on board including UK sockets and appliances, before it was exported here. It's therefore not that, but it was a reasonable question.

Dougie.

 

I have a hymer b class 2002, I keep it connected all the time. except for one year when I forgot! both the leisure and motor batteries were flat.I still have the original batteries working ok- 7 years old.

John

 

MHv2, I have a Hymer with an Electroblok EBL99G fitted.

The mains hookup is left connected whenever the unit is parked up at home. This has been done for the last two and a half years, without any problems.

 

MHv2, I have a Hymer with an Electroblok EBL99G fitted

Does it have a cooling fan which cuts in, and is it relatively noisy?

Dougie.

 

What do people do who put their MH into storage then?

That's what prompted my question too.

My take of everything I've read so far is that if mains is available, then keep it plugged in.

I do turn the 12v off on the display above the habitation door if only to stop the water tank low alarm flashing! Doing this doesn't stop the batteries from being charged though.

I think if Mains wasn't available I'd use a solar panel. I've no idea what I'd do if the van was stored in the dark!

By the way, there's a chance that my Electroblock failure was caused by a power surge and the device I mentioned earlier in this thread is available for around £120 including taxes, p&p - further information in another thread on the issue here http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopicp-705711.html#705711
if the link didn't work, it's a topic titled 'Electrobloc Surge Protector' in the Electrical forum.

pricey but a lot cheaper than a new Electroblock!

 

Hi.
Those of us with big solar panels are hooked up all the time with no battery problems. (hope fully)

 

MHv2, I have a Hymer with an Electroblok EBL99G fitted

Does it have a cooling fan which cuts in, and is it relatively noisy?

Dougie.

No fan noise from mine. Just checked the wiring block-diagram, no fan.

 

MHv2, I have a Hymer with an Electroblok EBL99G fitted.

Silver - mine is an Electroblock EBL 101 and it doesn't have a fan either.

Thankfully , it's also completely silent - which is good as anything that hums seems to keep me awake at night!

What did surprise me is the weight and 'emptyness' of the unit. I have no reason to believe it isn't more than adequate but my past user experience of battery chargers and step down transformers is that these are usually quite weighty. By 'emptyness' I mean that peering through the slits in the sides, there's a good deal of air space inside the box - it isn't crammed with electronic bits, coils etc.

Because I kept the old 'burnt out' unit I was able to pop it on the kitchen scales - 1.8Kg. Amazing - but then I suppose, being light is good in a motorhome!