76zedfour Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 I have had my current motorhome 3 months. I have only just realised I wasn't setting the alarm when locking the doors and this week it has now been left alarmed. I now find that the starter battery is being drained by the alarm. I have a votronic solar controller which feeds a 1amp maintenance charge to the starter battery but this is obviously not enough. The alarm I have is an autowatch 695 canbus. I presume my options are to rewire and feed the alarm from the lesiure battery rather than the starter or fit a battery master like this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121946837453 My stereo has a switch or the dash to alternate between starter and hab battery for power so I deduce I have a feed from the leisure battery in the dash. Is the alarm fitted under here too? Any thoughts or advice gratefully appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanb Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 You state that your alarm is a "autowatch 695 canbus". The name suggests that it comunicates with the vehicle canbus. I do not think that it would be a good idea to supply such an alarm system from the habitation battery. Differing voltages could cause problems, including the possibility of damage. It may also be the case that total solar input during winter months is insufficient to supply the alarm, if set for long periods. Alan . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterjl Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 Hi On previous moho’s I have had similar issues. I made it a habit to plug in to mains for 24 hrs every couple of weeks and if I was flying off for a long break I would plug in and put on a timer for an hour a day. I have used battery master in the past and they do work but you still need to plug in periodically to charge both batteries. Battery master will not charge the starter battery once the hab battery drops too much. Luckily on my current van, last winter, the solar panel provides sufficient to keep battery fully charged albeit I did keep an eye on the battery state. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 I would guess that with the lower sun and shorter days your controller is not putting even 1amp into the starter battery, and then only for a short time. Your drain on hab battery is presumably very low, it might be a good idea to have a change over switch to swap the hab and cab outputs when van is not in use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rooster63 Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 I had the same problem, a week or so, less in winter, with the van not being used drained the starter battery. I had an auto- electrician look at it and he suggested wiring the connectors from a trickle charger to the terminals that were supposed to charge the starter battery when on EHU but the convertors hadn't put in the control circuits for this purpose. I simply have to connect the trickle charger to the wired connectors (no delving under the bonnet or floor to get at the terminals) and plug the charger into a 13A socket when the van is on EHU at home. Leave it on a couple of days then disconnect for a few days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
76zedfour Posted October 10, 2019 Author Share Posted October 10, 2019 I realise that I should have posted the van is kept local but not where I can access EHU. I do have an MPPT solar controller and 180w panel and am contemplating doubling up the solar. I spend winters in Spain so the van is only parked up stationary for periods at home when sun is reasonable. I like the idea of a simple switch diverting the solar between the hab and starter battery. I will look tomorrow but what type of starter battery would be fitted in a 2018 fiat? My leisure is AGM so I have my solar controller set for that and realise if the starter is a different variety I will have to alter that setting to if I go for the switch idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 Would you be better replacing your solar controller with one which had two proper battery ouptuts rather than the second trickle charge you currently get? I'm sure some have been recommended on other posts recently. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
76zedfour Posted October 10, 2019 Author Share Posted October 10, 2019 I have to change my solar controller if I double up on my panels so your idea makes sense It appears the x290 starter battery is lead acid. Can a controller give the right charging profiles for both an AGM and a lead acid battery at the same time? I assumed not and that is why the Votronic just gives a trickle maintenance charge. I can see an Epever duoracer but the spec is ambiguous and that may be just a trickle charge to Batt2 as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
76zedfour Posted October 11, 2019 Author Share Posted October 11, 2019 Just for anyone reading this thread at a later date. I have checked a couple of times since I noticed the low reading on my starter battery 3 or 4 days ago (voltage indicated on panel in motorhome) and its been absolutely fine. I am now starting to doubt myself that I saw a low reading of 12.2v. It apears the votronic controllers maintenance charge is sufficient to keep the starter battery topped up despite the inclement weather after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deneb Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 76zedfour - 2019-10-11 2:32 PM Just for anyone reading this thread at a later date. I have checked a couple of times since I noticed the low reading on my starter battery 3 or 4 days ago (voltage indicated on panel in motorhome) and its been absolutely fine. I am now starting to doubt myself that I saw a low reading of 12.2v. It apears the votronic controllers maintenance charge is sufficient to keep the starter battery topped up despite the inclement weather after all. Just been reading this thread and I was surprised that it wasn't sufficient, although I have no idea of the power consumption of your alarm. My van has a Votronic MPP regulator and originally only a single 100W panel. I found through the winter months that I had to give the vehicle battery a boost charge once a month due to the drain from the alarm system, but the roof is also in shade for a large part of the day over the winter months, which I can't avoid without turning our house into a bungalow. I fitted a second 100W panel about 18 months ago, and last winter I had no need to top up the battery at all, so I would think with 180W of panels you shouldn't have much of a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceM Posted October 11, 2019 Share Posted October 11, 2019 76zedfour - 2019-10-10 1:50 PM I have had my current motorhome 3 months. How old is the starter battery? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
76zedfour Posted October 11, 2019 Author Share Posted October 11, 2019 Its the original as motorhome was new in July 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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