Technical Charging cab battery on 2015 Fiat Ducato Motorhome

[bdpoop]

I am just about to complete a purchase on a 2015 Swift Esprit. I am hoping to park it on the drive at home but its a really tight fit and I wont be able to access the hookup point when on the drive. I am just thinking ahead about parasitic drains on the cab battery when its left for several weeks. On my old motorhome I just whipped off the negative cable on the battery but its from the last century so reading up I read its not such a good idea to disconnect them on the modern vans. I also read that you are supposed to disconnect the battery before charging it.

A friend has one of these smart chargers which he just leaves connected all the time to his battery without disconnecting it but his van is from 2007.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CTEK-Battery-Automatic-Temperature-Compensation/dp/B00FC42HAA/ref=sr_1_4_pp?af=eyJxdWFydHpWZWhpY2xlIjoiMjktMTA1MTkifQ%3D%3D&crid=1L5SB5M2HCEZJ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.S9i8s0om89Z4dvPCYxMAAguwsv7y2UNPKDO2bYQom6u-d2Zfly8Dw31QL6Zt76X-6UXtsBuDwcF3iZF3J02YI5mhNG4OorjZw5GfxNv3uf4D573E-WeCAj938XcXYwg_YKIr-Fqycb8dr8-EJgkOmaRRNWoS5QPY0rd2J8nZawDtFMjafN-2x9rPLWSJYwrlASiOSiqF9Tts69hEJ_xscQGttgXQFYK7zsCxRbFZSzRz4X7wRnxvMIYurxdOMXu2svdm2SzSlcuk3AWV-8HVl4Iu9HpJRrrk79uhd5e1Ylw.mw4zw9-9x7ec_mIfs6BLoekHI55yfxeXmk-GkgJSaTA&dib_tag=se&keywords=ctek%2Bmxs%2B5.0%2Bbattery%2Bcharger&qid=1719051861&sprefix=ctek%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-4&th=1

I will be able to access under the bonnet when its on the drive or the cab but getting to the hookup point will be nigh on impossible.

Any suggestions?

 

[Communicator]

I am just about to complete a purchase on a 2015 Swift Esprit. I am hoping to park it on the drive at home but its a really tight fit and I wont be able to access the hookup point when on the drive. I am just thinking ahead about parasitic drains on the cab battery when its left for several weeks. On my old motorhome I just whipped off the negative cable on the battery but its from the last century so reading up I read its not such a good idea to disconnect them on the modern vans. I also read that you are supposed to disconnect the battery before charging it.

A friend has one of these smart chargers which he just leaves connected all the time to his battery without disconnecting it but his van is from 2007.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/CTEK-Battery-Automatic-Temperature-Compensation/dp/B00FC42HAA/ref=sr_1_4_pp?af=eyJxdWFydHpWZWhpY2xlIjoiMjktMTA1MTkifQ%3D%3D&crid=1L5SB5M2HCEZJ&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.S9i8s0om89Z4dvPCYxMAAguwsv7y2UNPKDO2bYQom6u-d2Zfly8Dw31QL6Zt76X-6UXtsBuDwcF3iZF3J02YI5mhNG4OorjZw5GfxNv3uf4D573E-WeCAj938XcXYwg_YKIr-Fqycb8dr8-EJgkOmaRRNWoS5QPY0rd2J8nZawDtFMjafN-2x9rPLWSJYwrlASiOSiqF9Tts69hEJ_xscQGttgXQFYK7zsCxRbFZSzRz4X7wRnxvMIYurxdOMXu2svdm2SzSlcuk3AWV-8HVl4Iu9HpJRrrk79uhd5e1Ylw.mw4zw9-9x7ec_mIfs6BLoekHI55yfxeXmk-GkgJSaTA&dib_tag=se&keywords=ctek%2Bmxs%2B5.0%2Bbattery%2Bcharger&qid=1719051861&sprefix=ctek%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-4&th=1

I will be able to access under the bonnet when its on the drive or the cab but getting to the hookup point will be nigh on impossible.

Any suggestions?

You could save £10 by buying new from Ebay.

Can you not connect to the MH before final parking and arrange for the cable to be held clear of the ground, so as not to drive over it?
This would give you other advantges as well as the ability to keep the batteries in good condition.

As you say, disconnecting the starter battery is not as simple as it used to be. I suspect that a lot of the warnings about not charging the starter battery while connected, are a cover all statement. Condider what does your Sargent? system do when selected to use the starter battery? Also what do solar panels with dual output regulators do? However some maintenance chargers which may include the CTEK have a desulphisation mode in which the output pulses above 15V, which I would not like to expose vehicle electronics to. If deciding on that option, carefully check the MXS 5.) specification.

 

[bdpoop]

You could save £10 by buying new from Ebay.

Can you not connect to the MH before final parking and arrange for the cable to be held clear of the ground, so as not to drive over it?
This would give you other advantges as well as the ability to keep the batteries in good condition.

As you say, disconnecting the starter battery is not as simple as it used to be. I suspect that a lot of the warnings about not charging the starter battery while connected, are a cover all statement. Condider what does your Sargent? system do when selected to use the starter battery? Also what do solar panels with dual output regulators do? However some maintenance chargers which may include the CTEK have a desulphisation mode in which the output pulses above 15V, which I would not like to expose vehicle electronics to. If deciding on that option, carefully check the MXS 5.) specification.

Thanks. It might be possible to plug the hookup cable in before parking on the drive but there is literally about six inches to spare either side apart from the end where I can just about get out of the passenger door. It would be doable carefully. We are not ideally situated to leave it permanently connected though as it involves hanging a hookup cable out of the house window. Ideally I would just like to put it on charge once in a while. Alternatively I am just going to have to remember to take it out on a drive every couple of weeks or park it on the front and plug in for a while.

 

[Communicator]

Thanks. It might be possible to plug the hookup cable in before parking on the drive but there is literally about six inches to spare either side apart from the end where I can just about get out of the passenger door. It would be doable carefully. We are not ideally situated to leave it permanently connected though as it involves hanging a hookup cable out of the house window. Ideally I would just like to put it on charge once in a while. Alternatively I am just going to have to remember to take it out on a drive every couple of weeks or park it on the front and plug in for a while.

If the male connector on your Esprit is square with the surface, then perhaps one of these from Ebay would help with clearance. Also there is the possibility of having a 13A outdoor socket, which could have other uses, installed at a convenient location.

 

[bdpoop]

If the male connector on your Esprit is square with the surface, then perhaps one of these from Ebay would help with clearance. Also there is the possibility of having a 13A outdoor socket, which could have other uses, installed at a convenient location.

Could be useful thanks. I reckon though there will be space for the standard cable. There is a soil pipe coming down the wall and its quite wide so I dont think the hookup cable sticking out will be wider. Yes it would be good to get electrics outside. Its not a major problem though. We had new French doors put in last year and I Can run a cable under them and still lock them.