Hi Collo,

We have a Starcraft and always when towing have the Battery switch off, the same when on 240

Hope that helps.

We have a 2011 Dscovery and the switch is always on when travelling or connected to 240v. My understanding is that when switch is off the battery is not being charged.
John

-- Edited by the ginger nomad on Tuesday 20th of May 2014 08:22:37 PM

HI Mary Jane
I am not sure what you mean by battery switch
If it is the 12V main switch nothing should be able to be run from 12V when the 12v switch is off

So if your fridge lights water pump are ALL 12V,the switch has to be on

If on 240V supply, the batterry should be charging at a rate that will keep the battery charged ready for those situations when 240V is not availavble ,s even htough you may be using some power from it

Also your fridge if a 3way should be runnung from 240V when 240V available, IF it is wired according to thr FRIDGE makers instructions

But depending on model it may also require a permanent 12V supply from the van battery for the control system 12V  [low current demand.NOt for the heating element.].
 

The heating element  SHOULD NOT BE RUNING FROM the van batterries!!


PeterQ

-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Tuesday 20th of May 2014 09:24:32 PM

-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Tuesday 20th of May 2014 09:31:36 PM

Collo wrote:

---

Having just viewed the Jayco" Powering your van" clip on YouTube, they say to have your battery switch turned ON even when you are connected to the mains. Is that correct as I was under the impression that you only had batteries on when not using mains power. I don't want to overcharge the batteries as I have just had them replaced.

Also, when on the road and the tow vehicle is providing the power to the fridge on 12v....do I have battery switch on or off?

Thanks, Collo.

---

 

HI

Again depends on how the van maker has wired it, but No you should not need the 12V switch "ON" when running from the tw vehicles

Unless it is an AES model fridge that requires two sources,  one 12v from the van battery required at all time for the fridge control system

the other from the tow vehicle batteries to run the fridge 12v HEATER element

 

PeterQ

 

[a[o

We had Jayco put solar panels on from new, may be wired different, but we only put battery on when free camping, or stop when traveling if we need to use lights etc.

Towing go on 12v for fridge, no need to have Battery on, all works great, same when on 240 everything works without battery on.

Have anderson plug to charge batt when traveling, but have never used it ,but if we get no sun for a week may have to, been ok so far on the trips we have done.

To Collo,

I've been reading and thinking about this, and as I said in my previous post, I've never bothered using the switch before.
That's an old video so the equipment in new vans will be different, better I hope.
The emphasis in the video is probably not when you have the battery turned on, but why you need to turn it off. A van that is stored for an extended period my suffer battery drain for any number of reasons. By switching the battery off when the van is not being used (i.e. when there's no vehicle alternator charging or no mains charging) the battery is isolated and may not go flat as quickly as when things are connected. When you are using the van, there seems no reason to switch off.
If your van is stored at home with mains attached, or if there's a solar panel on the roof, then there's no danger of the battery going flat so the switch can be left on. Modern regulators should prevent your battery overcharging.
I remember a recent thread where someone had a van stored inside a building where there was no mains power and little light for the solar. In that situation it would seem wise to turn the switch off in order to preserve the battery.

Daryl620 wrote:

---

I have a Jayco van fitted with a Setec ST-111 power supply, there is a note within the manual which states:

NOTE: When the battery is isolated from the loads using the battery isolate switch it will NOT charge at the 10/15A rate even if the mains is connected to the power supply. In this condition it will ONLY charge at the Trickle charge rate.

---

 

Hi Daryl

ye,s that is true with the SETEC ST -11  it can be used as a power supply or as a battery charger

 

It has a battery charge mode & a power supply mode

But I really do not see any point of using the power supply mode IF batterries are fitted .

The power supply mode is for use IF there are NO batterries!!

Normal Chargers are  just chargers & do not have a power supply mode.

 

PeterQ

 

Daryl620 wrote:

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Hi Peter,
The Setec ST-111 charges the battery when connected to 240V mains, and when running on 12V battery power it monitors the discharge.

http://www.setec.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/023942-ST-III-User-Manual-D.pdf

 

---

 

Yes 

It does charge the van batterries with a multi stage charging regime when on 240V Mains power,IF in charge mode! 

It also has provision for an alternative charging source 

BUT if it is in" power supply" mode the output voltage is regulated to a constant 13.8v

That is a" float" voltage not a charging voltage

It also utilizes a trickle charge function, which is not voltage controlled but merely a limited current [by a resistor in the 13.8V supply] when being used as power supply. 

 

Not sure just what you mean by "monitoring" the discharge

Of course monitoring the battery condition is an essential part /function of any good quality multi stage charger & it does that constantly when in"charge mode ",  but not in "power" mode.

IN Charge mode,It also has some other built in feaures such as limiting the current available to charge the battery if a load is being   supplied.

PeterQ

.-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Wednesday 21st of May 2014 09:05:20 PM

-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Wednesday 21st of May 2014 09:10:59 PM

Hmmm. Bit confused by responses, so I'll reiterate. I have a dometic 3 way fridge. My car charges it when driving, and doesn't charge it when I stop for a break.

If the main battery switch in the van is off when driving, she won't cool the fridge. If the battery switch is off and I plug into power, it won't run any electrics.

I don't have the faintest idea about how it works or why. I just know that if the battery switch is off, it won't run 12v or 240. Jayco told me that, and it seems correct.

And, as a female, so long as it all works, that's all I need to know electrics aren't my thing!!

Oh, and I know that if my van battery is nearly flat, and I try to charge it running my car, I'll blow the connecting lead. Learnt that the hard way. And I now need a new connector, and likely thicker wiring... According to an auto electrician in a country town!!

-- Edited by MaryJane on Friday 23rd of May 2014 07:19:21 PM

KevinC wrote:

---

Time to get a summary of all the input so far, rather than just end up with a great collection of what folk do or think.
Can anyone come up with a valid reason why the switch should be turned off, other than when the van is not being used for an extended period?

---

 

HI

NO

PeterQ

Thanks to all who provided input. The general concenus is that to have switch on at all times except when storing...so that is what I'II do.

Thanks Peter D,
I didn't look at the you tube clip, I just followed Jayco's advice. And know what works on my van. As I stated, learnt the hard way , thru my own negligence. Simple as on when when using, and off when not.
But some folk like a more detailed answer as to why, which I tried to give
MJ