recharging a leisure battery on site

[el sketcho]

I've got my leisure battery mounted under the rock&roll bed. Is there anyway I could have it so when on 240v hook up the leisure battery gets recharged? i know that when charging it needs venting, i was just wondering if anyone has worked out a way of safely recharging it in place.

Andy

[Red Westie]

Buy and fit one of those nice 3 - 4 stage charges used in boats and motorhomes.
Westies have a basic one already fitted but upgrading to something a little more sophisticated is a pretty common mod on here.
Really needs to be 10amps or over otherwise you will find yourself running directly from the charger if more is being taken out the battery than the charger is putting in.
Something like a Sterling..
Martin

[el sketcho]

Cheers for the reply Red Westie, what about ventilation? I'm just a bit concerned about dangerous gases.

[ambivert]

It will give off a mixture of oxygen & hydrogen, which is pretty explosive.
Fortunately hydrogen is so light that it will (probably)* rise up out of the mixture and if you leave your roof vent open it will escape and you'll be fine.

*: best to check this rather than just believing me...

[weldore]

there is a space behind the rear lights to house a battery if it concerns you about the gasses

[el sketcho]

there is a space behind the rear lights to house a battery if it concerns you about the gasses

That's where my starter battery is

[weldore]

sorry dint know,mines a diesel and the battery is on its own tray in the engine bay

[el sketcho]

Weldore, I think I got a bit confused, mines a diesel and the battery's in the engine bay. When you say behind the rear lights where exactly do you mean?

Andy

[weldore]

take the battery out and behind there(which is straight behind the right hand light) is enough room to fit another battery..thats where my leasure battery is

[el sketcho]

take the battery out and behind there(which is straight behind the right hand light) is enough room to fit another battery..thats where my leasure battery is

Ah! Just had a look, know what you mean now. This could be the ideal place. What size battery have you got? And what amp.hour is it?

[Mocki]

a proper leisure battery will have a breather pipe, which you should exit through the floor of the battery compartment.

any intellegent battery charger will do the job, but hardwire it dont use the silly croc clips.

[weldore]

mines just a normal battery ,its slightly smaller in length that the starter battery but the same width.keep meaning to get a leisure one but while this works ok itll stop there

[SYNCRO]

Mine chargers of the ZIG unit

Kev

[waltraud]

I use a 13W briefcase solar panel from maplin for about £50 usually in the 'sale' items. Works very well and am now thinking of a more efficient , modern unit that i can mount on the pop top and have a;most permenently on there. U need to be careful not to have these plugged in when driving an charging via alternator. It has always worked well for me even over several days. I have fitted it by having a waterproof 12v socket mounted on the outside of the vehicle so that you can just plug it in and leave it charging whilst camped up. I am aware that some people may say a 13W panel is not adequate but it all depends on how much you use so do your sums first if you consider this route. Of course once you have paid for the equipment you no longer need that nasty old fashioned hookup / drain on global resources........Tim