Switch position

[parkmoy]

Being a newcomer to this game I hope someone can clear this up for me. I know that when I'm driving I set the charging switch to 'car' and when I'm on site I set it to 'van'.

What about when I'm parked up at home?

And if I'm parked up at home and want to charge the leisure battery via a hookup?

Will setting it to 'car' let me charge the vehicle battery in those circumstances or am I completely misunderstanding the purpose of the switch?

[Robinhood]

Arrangements vary from 'van to 'van, so you would be best posting the age and make with the query. No doubt someone will have the same 'van.

 

FWIW, the most common arrangement (though not universal) on switched systems such as you mention is that the switch affects only the battery that is in use when on-site, charging of the leisure battery whilst driving takes place irrespective of the position the switch.

 

It used to be uncommon (but is now less so) that the mains charger would charge the vehicle battery with *any* switch setting. (both my current and previous 'van charge both batteries automatically with no switching).

 

The last van I had that was switched in such a way was a Swift, which had a three-position switch. Vehicle, Leisure and off. From memory, charging whilst travelling was to the leisure battery irrespective of position, whilst charging from mains *was* affected by the switch position - and I once had to use the vehicle charge facility to get me off a remote site in the Highlands when the vehicle battery refused to hold its charge. (just got enough back in to start the vehicle).

 

If in doubt, borrow a meter from someone and test the various arrangements. The voltage under charge should rise immediately at any battery which is being charged by the particular setting.

 

(A cheap multimeter is one of the most useful things to carry in your motorhome toolbox).

[Clive]

I suspect that your first statement is incorrect.

My guess is that the switch has no effect on the charging at all. Most likely if you set it to "car" it lets you run the leisure equipment from the starter battery. Not to be recommended.

 

If you say what make and model MH you have is I may be able to be more specific.

 

C.

 

[parkmoy]

It's a 2001 Compass Navigator on a Volkswagen.

[Clive]

I have sent an email to my contact at the Explorer Group and hope to get an answer soonest.

C.

 

[Mike Parke]

Clive, re your 11:55a.m. of today I think you are correct in what you say.My Autoquest (Explorer Grp) has a rocker switch on the control panel marked 'Engine' uppermost & 'Leisure' lowermost. If I wish to run appliances from the engine battery I rock the top of the switch and the lower half of the switch to run from the leisure battery. However, being very much 'non technical' I may well be wrong!!!!

 

Regards, Mike.

[parkmoy]

Any confirmation of your previous, Clive?

[dshague]

I have a compass calypso on a vw I leave switched on to caravan all the time never have a problem

With battery ,have just looked in hand book to check that this is the correct way

[Robinhood]

Now given the 'van and year, I would hazard the following guess.

 

First the definite:

 

When on-site, the switch should be on 'van, which uses the leisure battery to supply 12v electrics.

If the leisure battery is discharged, the car setting can be used to supply 12v power, but this should be done very sparingly, or else the next time you try to start the engine, ....it won't.

(there may also be a central switch position, which will take both 12v batteries out of circuit - though on a Swift I had, from memory this still left 12V circuits powered by the transformer if there was a mains hook-up).

 

Next the probable:

 

When driving, I would expect the leisure battery to charge from the engine regardless of switch position - though without a manual, I would chose to test with a multimeter by checking the voltage at the leisure battery teminals with the engine running. (voltage will rise from around 12.7 to 13.5 or above). It is possible it will only charge with the switch on 'van, but unlikely.

 

When on-site with hook-up, the leisure battery will most probably charge with switch on 'van (note, there may be a separate switch to isolate a charger, on it or close to it, and this will need to be on)

It may charge the leisure battery with switch on central position (if there is one) but this is unlikely.

It may charge the leisure battery with switch on car position (if there is one) but this is even more unlikely.

 

As regards charging the vehicle battery on hook-up, there are two possibilities - putting the switch to car will charge the vehicle battery (The Swift mentioned above did that, but it was considered uncommon)- or the vehicle battery is automatically trickle-charged in parallel with leisure battery charging. This is becoming more common, and my last two 'vans have had this. However, if you were to push me, I would suspect you have no built in capability to charge the vehicle battery (which is a very common position).

 

Again, a multimeter check will confirm the charging effect of each combination by the change in voltage.

 

Not an absolute answer, but some clues.

 

 

[parkmoy]

Thanks Robinhood that's a very clear and helpful explanation of the possibilities. I'll check it out with a multimeter asap. You'd think these things would be fairly standardised but perhaps tha's living in cloud cuckoo land (lol)