Keeping the tow vehicle’s battery healthy

Freedom a whitebox replied on 11/04/2020 13:47

Freedom a whitebox

Posted on 11/04/2020 13:47

I haven’t used my vehicle since the government advised everyone to stay at home. This morning thinking that I should start it up, I discovered that the battery didn’t have enough change in it to turn the engine over fast enough.

Luckily, I keep it on my drive along with my caravan. (Bailey unicorn )

So after starting to run the mains cable and battery charger out to it, I thought about the caravan parked next to it, with its Truma Solar panel keeping that in tip top condition.

The Truma controller has two separate battery outputs as it’s suitable for motorhomes. So the simple answer was to temporarily run lead from the unused battery terminals on the controller to my vehicle.

I know that I am fortunate enough to have them side by side and my tow vehicle has a permanent live accessory socket that I can plug the lead into. But it wouldn’t have been an issue if I had to connect it directly to the battery.

While I’m not using it, I can rest assured that the caravan it’s looking after it.

And before someone starts on about leaving it connected and damage being done, the Truma controller is a “smart” charger!

44 replies

Rufs replied on 06/05/2020 16:34

Member

Rufs

Caravanner

Posted on 02/05/2020 21:26 by DaveCyn

Our Volvo will run its battery down in about 10 days if not used.

We hook it up to a 4.5watt solar panel and can happily leave it for several weeks with no problem.

Posted on 06/05/2020 16:34

wont be buying a volvo then. My towcar is a Kia Sorento, it often does not turn a wheel for 3-4 weeks, no problem starting, and our run around Kia Carens 2007 sits for 3 months whilst we are in Spain, starts first time. Dont think i will be buying a new car any time soon, cant be doing faffing about charging batteries etc,

Mohamed replied on 06/05/2020 18:40

Member

Mohamed

Caravanner

Posted on 06/05/2020 18:40

Can I connect a battery charger while the battery is connected to the car or should I disconnect the battery leads before connecting the charger? If I disconnect the battery leads would that affect the electronics of the car? My car is a KIA Sorento 2016 model.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Tinwheeler replied on 06/05/2020 18:43

Tinwheeler

Campervanner

Posted on 06/05/2020 18:40 by Mohamed

Can I connect a battery charger while the battery is connected to the car or should I disconnect the battery leads before connecting the charger? If I disconnect the battery leads would that affect the electronics of the car? My car is a KIA Sorento 2016 model.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Posted on 06/05/2020 18:43

What does your handbook recommend?

EmilysDad replied on 06/05/2020 18:49

Member

EmilysDad

Caravanner

Posted on 06/05/2020 18:40 by Mohamed

Can I connect a battery charger while the battery is connected to the car or should I disconnect the battery leads before connecting the charger? If I disconnect the battery leads would that affect the electronics of the car? My car is a KIA Sorento 2016 model.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Posted on 06/05/2020 18:49

You don'y need to disconnect the (main) battery on a car before charging it .... Ctek even provide a connector that can be left permanently connected to the battery.

Disconnecting a battery (negative first) just means that you might have various things to rest afterwards eg windows/roofs/radios

1 person likes this

neveramsure replied on 06/05/2020 19:03

neveramsure

Posted on 06/05/2020 18:40 by Mohamed

Can I connect a battery charger while the battery is connected to the car or should I disconnect the battery leads before connecting the charger? If I disconnect the battery leads would that affect the electronics of the car? My car is a KIA Sorento 2016 model.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Posted on 06/05/2020 19:03

I agree with MM and if like me you have a battery charger with a low charge setting on it you can trickle charge your car battery for long periods without fear of damage.

2 people like this

bill replied on 07/05/2020 08:03

Member

bill

Caravanner

Posted on 07/05/2020 08:03

When I had my LR Freelander 2 I bought a device from a LR forum whereby you could charge the battery via the 13 pin trailer socket. I bought one with a CTEK connector and it was very useful and saved opening the bonnet and clipping cables on and you didn't even have to unlock the car. I changed the Freelander for a Volvo XC60 but the unit does not work on it and I don't know why.

EmilysDad replied on 07/05/2020 08:46

Member

EmilysDad

Caravanner

Posted on 07/05/2020 08:03 by bill

When I had my LR Freelander 2 I bought a device from a LR forum whereby you could charge the battery via the 13 pin trailer socket. I bought one with a CTEK connector and it was very useful and saved opening the bonnet and clipping cables on and you didn't even have to unlock the car. I changed the Freelander for a Volvo XC60 but the unit does not work on it and I don't know why.

Posted on 07/05/2020 08:46

re your Volvo .... presumably Pin 9 is not permanently live as you'd expect 🤔

Vulcan replied on 07/05/2020 09:51

Member

Vulcan

Posted on 07/05/2020 08:03 by bill

When I had my LR Freelander 2 I bought a device from a LR forum whereby you could charge the battery via the 13 pin trailer socket. I bought one with a CTEK connector and it was very useful and saved opening the bonnet and clipping cables on and you didn't even have to unlock the car. I changed the Freelander for a Volvo XC60 but the unit does not work on it and I don't know why.

Posted on 07/05/2020 09:51

Assuming that your Volvo socket is fully wired (pin 9 live), the reason is that Volvo in their wisdom have decided to ignore the international ISO wiring standard and cut power to pin 9 when the ignition is off for a certain time on later vehicles. If it is still under warranty tell them you want it wiring to the correct standard ie. pin 9 permanently live.

EmilysDad replied on 07/05/2020 10:22

Member

EmilysDad

Caravanner

Posted on 07/05/2020 09:51 by Vulcan

Assuming that your Volvo socket is fully wired (pin 9 live), the reason is that Volvo in their wisdom have decided to ignore the international ISO wiring standard and cut power to pin 9 when the ignition is off for a certain time on later vehicles. If it is still under warranty tell them you want it wiring to the correct standard ie. pin 9 permanently live.

Posted on 07/05/2020 10:22

In the grand scheme of things, does it really matter if it's permanently live or not? When was the last time you wanted to sit in the caravan using the car's battery? 😉

Vulcan replied on 07/05/2020 12:29

Member

Vulcan

Posted on 07/05/2020 10:22 by EmilysDad

In the grand scheme of things, does it really matter if it's permanently live or not? When was the last time you wanted to sit in the caravan using the car's battery? 😉

Posted on 07/05/2020 12:29

I think bill gave at least one perfectly good reason to expect it to be wired to the required standard.

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