Q Can I keep my batteries topped up in storage?
From 2003 to 2013, I owned a Dethleffs Globebus motorhome and used it as much as possible during that period.
In 2013, I went to work abroad so had to sell my lovely motorhome. Now I want to return to the UK and, naturally, to motorhoming. But I only want to stay in the UK May to September. Well, that’s the plan.
I am coming back to the UK in June to kick this off, and because decent storage is rare I have already booked a space. However, there is no electric available on site.
My biggest worry is leaving the ’van for seven months in the UK winter. I think both batteries will be run down to nothing, even with a roof full of solar panels.
So are these my options:
1. Return to the ’van every May with decent jump leads and hope I can revive the batteries, but they will probably be discharged to a level where permanent damage has occurred.
2. Disconnect the batteries and take them somewhere where they can be trickle charged. Apart from the electrics having a fit being disconnected, the insurance is probably void because of no alarm or tracker working.
3. Hire instead of buying. I looked into this, and it just would not give me the flexibility, and the cost of renting for a couple of months at a time is prohibitive, although probably cheaper than buying a ’van.
4. Just download the MMM mag every month and dream.
What do you think? Are there any options I have not considered?
Tony O’Neill
A Your answer is very simple. You can have your cake and eat it. When you get your new motorhome, also get some aluminium-framed glass solar panels fitted to the roof. To be sure, go for panels rated a100W minimum; ours are rated at 160W to give a better margin.
Connect the panels via a MPPT (maximum power point tracking) solar regulator to your leisure battery and also fit a battery master device or, simpler, even a bridging fuse to connect the leisure battery positive to the starter battery positive with some protection. This is only left connected once the vehicle is parked up.
Once parked, fit the bridging fuse, then any charge from the solar regulator will be shared equally by both batteries. If you forget to remove the bridging fuse when you next start the engine, this fuse will blow as both batteries would try and start the engine.
We have found flexible panels have a more limited lifespan.
Clive Mott