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Both batteries - From what I read the normal split charge of the older vehicles (1993)only charge at a reduced rate once the car battery is charged - thus the leizure battery only ever get charged at this reduced rate - I manually charged the Leisure battery to 13.6 Volt - so leizure battery OK. I do know that on boats with a Balmar 3 phase charging and a Pathfinder system you can charge the leizure battery at full charge once the engine battery is charged, but I am looking for a cheaper alternative, but still effective system. ( Status quo - With hookup only the leizure battery charge - with engine running mainly the engine battery charge and the leizure battery at the reduced rate)

Thanks for your interest - I hope you can assist me

Peter

Dear Tentz,

OK. I'll have the alternator and battery checked - It is an old vehicle after all (me the new owner) - so anything may be suspect - I just would not like to get a new alternator just to find out I should have gone for the Balmar route later on - I have a 1993 Fiat Elddis.

( The battery reading 24 hours after charge was 11.7V - so maybe some life after death? and more prolonged charging needed  ) - I am getting a NASA clipper battery monitor and that will eliminate much guessing. ) 

After 24 hour the readings should be:-

12.80v............fully charged
12.40v............50% discharged
10.70v............fully discharged.

If you are wiring up the second battery following the wiring diagrams in the Haynes Workshop Manual, be aware that there is a mistake in this diagram in that they do not show an earth from the Leisure Battery to the Vehicle Chassis.
This will cause the Leisure Battery not to charge from the Vehicle Alternator.

You could go for something like a CSB-2 charger. This is a great piece of kit, when the leisure battery voltage exceeds 13.6V (from the main charger) the device allows recharging of the car/MH battery. Current charge is 0.1 to 4A (depends on battery conditions) When the leisure battery falls lower than 12.5V the car/MH battery re-charging is deactivated.

These things usually retail for £70 but I have a brand new one will to sell for £35. Very easy to install. If interested just say

This unit can also be used the otherway round, I have one for the Leisure battery that charges the main cab battery.(this is great when leaving the vehicle for lenghts of time without EHU - solar panels ensure both leisure battery and cab battery are in perfect condition)

 Also have one to charge my beer fridge.Have a seperate elisure battery in the garage of the MH, this battery only charges when the lesiure battery is up to spec. So is basically what you are after.

The main advantage of this CSB unit is that it charges up to 4A which is a good amount