charging of leisure battery

[steve480]

hi all,
as we all know that when the engine is running its charging the leisure battery, but im not using the leisure batt for anything at the moment but out & about in van for everyday use. i have a PMSV3 unit that has 2 switches 1 marked car & 1 marked van. i just keep the switch in the middle position, if i switched it over to the car position, would it only charge starting batt. i dont see the point of unesserally charging leisure batt if its not needed to power anything. only powers fridge & dont need that untill i go away on a trip. so everytime i go out in van both batts are getting charged, it seems daft. any advice welcome thanks................steve.

[Driver]

Hi, I have not seen the "PMSV3 unit that has 2 switches 1 marked car & 1 marked van" so can't really advise on correct switching position but if you have a test meter may be check to test that it is working ok in all the switched positions with the Engine Not Running and then running. This would indicate that the alternator is working correctly and as for switching it Not to Charge the Leisure Battery I would leave it Charging all the time because if you forget to charge it regularly once it goes flat and you try to recharge it will never reach a full charge again only a partial charge maybe 70% if your lucky and each time it runs flat it may recharge less ! One of the problems with Lead / Acid Batteries !!!

Andy.

[Colin H F]

Hi I have the same as you and got a member to send me the instruction manual and yes your are right in one respect but that is only if you are on hookup, the manual advises you to leave it in the off poss; while running your car as your alternator charges your car battery when the engine is running hope this helps Colin

[mikeonb4c]

everytime i go out in van both batts are getting charged, it seems daft.

I've often thought the same. Does it shorten the LBs useful life to be constantly receiving charge it doesn't need, or does it just level off with the alternator (voltage, like water, finds its own level) and ignore the voltage offered by the alternator? We need one of the electronics gurus for this one methinks

[Colin H F]

as I stated the manual advises leave the switch in the off poss that way both batteries will be charged via the alternator

[steve480]

hi colin
you cant turn it off, thats what im trying to say both batts are constantly being charged. my question was is this ok, thinking of the life of leisure batt to be charging everytime i use van ??????????????????? steve

[Colin H F]

the switch I am refering to is the one with the RED illumination, on mine the switch that selects car and van has got a central possition that is off, is yours similar to the one I have shown if so it would seem there is somthing wrong with the switch it should stay in the off poss;
but in any case it should`nt do any harm as they are both being charged via the alternator when running anyway

[dreamwarrioruk]

mike how does the starter battery cope as it is being charged by the alternator as your driving, even without a lb in the equation, ive had a lb on mine for 4 yrs and it hasnt complained of being charged, it dosnt like it tho when i leave the fridge on and it deeply discharged. just bought a recondition/charger to put into my electric system.

[mikeonb4c]

mike how does the starter battery cope as it is being charged by the alternator as your driving, even without a lb in the equation, ive had a lb on mine for 4 yrs and it hasnt complained of being charged, it dosnt like it tho when i leave the fridge on and it deeply discharged. just bought a recondition/charger to put into my electric system.

Yup, I reckoned as much. Just wondered if LBs might last longer if only charged periodically. But I guess it must just be a case of once they're topped and that's it. Mine's now 3+ years old too and works same as ever.

[steve480]

hi colin
yes my pms is similar to yours in picture different lay out but basicly the same.when the car & van switch in the middle its still charging boths batts so its not really off is it? i thought if you put it to the car position would it only charge start batt ?? im just trying to figure out why constantly charge lb if your not using the power in it. so the red switch that lights up when i conect to hook up, how do you use this switch ??? steve

the switch I am refering to is the one with the RED illumination, on mine the switch that selects car and van has got a central possition that is off, is yours similar to the one I have shown if so it would seem there is somthing wrong with the switch it should stay in the off poss;
but in any case it should`nt do any harm as they are both being charged via the alternator when running anyway

[Colin H F]

the red illuminated switch is to switch on the 240v hookup and that then puts the supply to your 13amp sockets and to the charging of the van or car whichever is selected

[madmile]

the red illuminated switch is to switch on the 240v hookup and that then puts the supply to your 13amp sockets and to the charging of the van or car whichever is selected

The Red illuminated switch is usually labeled 'charger' and switches on the mains battery charger, but it can only do this once the mains is hooked up and switched on at the RCD and MCB's.

Any 13A sockets that are wired to the system will come on when switched on at the RCD and then the relevant MCB.