Club 80-90 Forums

Hello everybody, hope you are all enjoying the decent(ish) weather we are having and getting out (or working on) your vans.

I wonder if anyone can give me some advice please - there are two related parts to this question as follows:

Part 1 - Is it okay for me to charge the vehicle battery (using a battery charger) without disconnecting it first? I I have always disconnected it myself however it seems a little irrelevant as the charger will put out probably about the same voltage I am getting from the alternator. A quick internet search suggests it will be okay but some people suggest against it as an option. What is your experience here? Am I okay to leave it connected during charge?

Part 2 - The vehicle battery is under a swivel seat plate and so it is a bit of a chore to get to the battery terminals. I'd like the battery to remain where it is but somehow create a charge point elsewhere in the van (maybe fit some sort of socket affair under the driver seat) so that if I need to charge I can do so without removing the seat and swivel base. Any thoughts on that would be great too.

Thanks in advance....

Stuart

I should think it's OK to leave it connected given that, for the second part of your question, you can use these




from machine7
http://www.machine7.com/product.php?xProd=3332" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.machine7.com/product.php?xProd=3333" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Just run a suitable battery cable from the terminals on the battery to each one. Technically they're for jumpstarting, but you don't disconnect the battery for that!

Charger can be connected via cig lighter socket.

Nice one, thanks very much.

I went one step further and I've got a Ctek charger permanently fitted in the van. It's wired to the consumer unit so when I connect the hook-up I can use it to charge the battery. There is a current drain when not charging but if the van is going to be parked up the Ctek lead has got a quick release plug to disconnect it.

I've done the same as Boxy: a Ctek mxs 10 wired in to the 240v supply. I've wired it through a switch so I can select either the driver or leisure battery. The switch arrangement disconnects the split charger control so the two batteries can not be linked when the charger is on.

You can wire a charger anywhere: think about it, the alternator is just a charger wired to the battery. On my dad's motor bike I have used two core 8a cable (red and black connected to the battery) at the other end is a Tyco plug that sits just below the seat. The battery charger has the mating plug on the end. Now he can easily connect the charger and leave it on conditioning mode. .

having the battery in the rear eng bay its handy to have a connector like that not only for charging but also for jumping off
mm

metalmick8y wrote:having the battery in the rear eng bay its handy to have a connector like that not only for charging but also for jumping off
mm

I have a Anderson connector for jump starting ( other folk as it turns out) in my "service hatch " along with the oil, coolant, gas, and mains hook up