Simple 12v question I think?

[rumy Member Find all posts View Profile Close rumy]

I have a C-Tek charger permanately charging my caravan Ultimate AGM 110 amp deep cycle battery when at home. I have a heavy 12v cable from the draw bar via anderson plug to the battery, I use this to charge as I am driving .... plugs into the car. When I am at home the rear of my boat is close to the front of the caravan so I thought if I get a cable with anderson plugs either end I could charge the boat and caravan at the same time ...... Plug one end into the anderson plug at the front of the van and attached directly to the boat battery via anderson plug and alligator clamps.
Will this charge and maintain both batteries while they are sitting idle???

The boat battery is a Century Marine 400 pro

[MDS69 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close MDS69]

you may have issues with either battery getting fully charged then the battery charger won't know when to go into float mode and the undercharged battery never gets fully charged or the other way round the charger won't go into float mode until the weaker of the two batteries is charged and overcharges the one that gets there first.

[rumy Member Find all posts View Profile Close rumy]

In theory I could set them up as a dual battery system but I don't want to go and buy a dual battery monitor. I would have to take the wires from the dual battery monitor that lead to the front of the van and attached directly to the battery for when I am towing the van as the power would be coming in not out. Currently I pull the battery out of the boat and disconnect the charger from the van and attach to the boat battery.
Just trying to think of an easier way..... I could buy a second charger I suppose for the boat but that means double the power leads.

[damonat Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close damonat]

what size ctek do you run.
it may not be big enough to do all

[rumy Member Find all posts View Profile Close rumy]

I have a small charger, went to Battery World today and they said that it could be ok but I would have to get a large charger. I will continue doing what I have always done, charge the boat battery by itself.

Thanks for all the replies.

[LeighW Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close LeighW]

If the batteries are all charged and you just wish to keep them topped up you shouldn't
have any problems putting them all across the charger together.

I leave my main and aux trickle charging together when I'm not using the car with no problems.

If your trying to charge them all it should still be ok but it is going to take a hell
of a long time to charge them!

Cheers
Leigh

[mjrandom Out of control poster! Find all posts View Profile Close mjrandom]

If you have the cable and plug you could buy one of these switches (from a chandlers) and wire the outputs to the caravan (1) and out the back to the second Anderson plug (2). I would switch the charger off when you change batteries though to minimise any arcing that may happen. Make sure you have some form of schedule so that you don't forget to charge either battery.



Michael

[rumy Member Find all posts View Profile Close rumy]

If you have the cable and plug you could buy one of these switches (from a chandlers) and wire the outputs to the caravan (1) and out the back to the second Anderson plug (2). I would switch the charger off when you change batteries though to minimise any arcing that may happen. Make sure you have some form of schedule so that you don't forget to charge either battery.



Michael

Good idea !!!