battery charger

[SJI]

Just obtained a Ctek battery charger on recommendation via this forum. Great, but can anyone who has a T4 tell me where they positioned it. Cannot make up my mind on which is the best area or place. My leisure battery to which it will be attached, is under the driver's seat.

 

Thanks

[Brambles]

How about under the seat as well, but maybe you would be better just using as a portable battery charger and then can also use it for the engine battery etc..

Am I missing something here?

Jon.

[SJI]

Thanks for the suggestion. I could leave it unfixed but would like to leave it in situ so when plugging into hookup it comes on automatically.

 

Any suggestions gratefully received.

[Derek Uzzell]

There are generic motorhome wiring diagrams in John Wickersham's "Motorcaravan" books and there seems to be plenty of on-line stuff about wiring up VW T4 campers (including wiring diagrams in some cases). For example:

 

http://www.vwt4forum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=22263

 

GOOGLE on "vw t4 motorhome wiring" (omitting the quotes) for plenty more.

 

I would have thought that - as you were advised in your last-August "battery chargers" thread -

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=24682&posts=5

 

the simplest course of action would be to opt for either a 'total detachment' arrangement that allows you to remove the charger from the battery completely when not in use (PCC's suggestion then and Brambles' now), or a 'partial detachment' ploy (as suggested by Keithl in August) that leaves the charger attached to the leisure battery but only connected to a 230V power-source when battery-charging is required.

 

If you prefer to wire in the charger on a permanent basis, its optimal location will essentially depend on where the charger can be fitted easily, tidily and safely, ensuring that it is adequately ventilated and won't be accidentally damaged. If there's room for the charger under the seat by the leisure-battery then (like Brambles) I don't see why it shouldn't go there - that's exactly the arrangement my Hobby has.

 

One way or another, (for a non-bodge-up, permanently-wired solution) you'll need to run wiring from your 230V RCD to the charger and from the charger to the battery. If you can keep the charger close to the battery, so much the better. Why would you want to put it anywhere else?

[SJI]

Many thanks for everyone's help. I am now confident of what to do next. :-D

[PCC]

Slightly off topic, but, after much deliberation, I've finally bought a new leisure battery to fit under the drivers seat of my T4. Tayna are offering a good price on a 55 AH Optima Blue Top deep cycle battery (not cheap, but a lot less than they were previously) and it fits perfectly in the space under the seat, on it's side with the terminals facing the rear.

 

One advantage of not having a fixed battery charger is that I can charge up the battery in the relative warmth of the garage rather than in the somewhat colder camper. The battery has both "car type" terminals and 8mm screw threads so I have attached the charger via the screw threads and everything else via the other terminals.

 

Being an AGM battery there is a vastly reduced chance of gassing occuring (I do not have a separate battery vent) and Optimas have a reputation for producing much better power than many other similar batteries. Also, they are proper deep cycle batteries and have good cycling ability.

 

I was also tempted by the new 60 AH Varta Professional deep cycle AGM batteries but they are not widely available at present and are the same price. It wouldn't have fitted quite so well, and I believe the Optima should be able to take a deeper discharge without problems. Johnson Controls make both Varta and Optima batteries and they are both a "premium" product.

 

I'm hoping this battery will last a lot longer than my previous, very cheap, battery which was not a proper deep cycle battery and was quite frankly rubbish. Sometimes you get what you pay for (I hope!).